From cointelegraph by Vince Quill

As the 2024 US elections draw closer, digital assets have become a political issue for the first time, as industry executives and advocates apply pressure on candidates to pass pro-industry policies and embrace the future of money.

Clear and comprehensive digital asset policy in the United States remains elusive, as regulators like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulate through enforcement action, rather than rulemaking. This lack of a coherent framework is a growing concern for elected lawmakers, industry service providers, and single-issue crypto voters. 

While understanding a particular candidate’s stance on crypto policy is key, voters must also understand the underlying legislation currently being considered in the House and the Senate. Listed below are the key pieces of legislation currently up for consideration.

Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act

The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act (FIT21) — introduced by Pennsylvania Congressman Glenn Thompson in 2023 — aims to establish a comprehensive digital asset regulatory framework by bringing sufficiently decentralized assets under the purview of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The bill features these defining criteria for sufficient decentralization:

“If, among other requirements, no person has unilateral authority to control the blockchain or its usage, and no issuer or affiliated person has control of 20% or more of the digital asset or the voting power of the digital asset.”

However, the bill also gives the SEC authority to regulate digital assets deemed as securities. In May 2024, the bill passed in the House and must pass in the Senate before it is handed to the President for consideration.

CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act

Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer first introduced the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act in 2023.

The bill’s goal is to prohibit the Federal Reserve Bank from ever creating a consumer-facing central bank digital currency (CBDC), or otherwise maintaining accounts on behalf of individuals.

Moreover, the bill seeks to restrict the Federal Reserve from “Using a central bank digital currency to implement monetary policy or from issuing a central bank digital currency,” entirely.

CBDCs face widespread criticism from the crypto community, liberty-minded individuals, privacy advocates, and commercial banks. In May 2024, the bill passed in the US House and awaits a vote in the Senate.