Trump Expected to Sign Landmark Crypto Bill — Bitcoin and ETH Set to Become “Digital Commodities”

For the first time in years, the United States is on the brink of passing a true, comprehensive crypto law — and President Donald Trump is expected to sign it.

According to Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, a critical vote is scheduled for December 2025, setting up the most ambitious regulatory overhaul the digital asset industry has ever seen.

If the bill passes committee — and legislative forecasts say it will — the full Senate will take it up in early 2026.

And the White House is already preparing for a signature.

This is the moment the crypto industry has been waiting for.

Bitcoin and Ethereum Finally Get an Official Identity

At the core of the bill is something that’s been missing for a decade:

clarity.

Bitcoin and Ethereum would be formally designated as digital commodities, putting them under the jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) — not the SEC.

This resolves one of crypto’s most painful gray areas:

Who regulates what?

For years, the SEC and CFTC have battled over digital assets.

Lawsuits.

Contradicting statements.

Whiplash-inducing enforcement actions.

This bill ends the turf war.

With Bitcoin and ETH labeled as commodities, exchanges can finally operate with predictable rules instead of bracing for surprise enforcement.

The Bill Targets the FTX Problem: Exchanges Run Like Casinos

Lawmakers didn’t forget the collapse of FTX — and they’re responding directly to it.

The bill requires exchanges to:

segregate customer funds

implement conflict-of-interest controls

increase transparency and disclosures

prevent internal self-trading and hidden liabilities

In short:

no more SBF-style shenanigans in the U.S. market.

These rules mirror the protections used in traditional commodities and securities markets — but modernized for digital assets.

If implemented, the U.S. would finally have a regulatory framework built for the crypto era instead of patchwork enforcement.

DeFi Is the Last Major Battleground

One section of the bill remains hotly contested:

regulating decentralized finance protocols.

Democrats argue DeFi can enable:

money laundering

hidden leverage

systemic vulnerabilities

Republicans warn that overregulation could choke innovation and drive startups offshore.

Behind closed doors, committees are fighting over:

whether DeFi developers can be held liable

how to classify liquidity pools

whether smart contracts count as financial intermediaries

if on-chain activity must be surveilled or reported

This is the ideological fight that could define the next decade of crypto law.

The outcome will determine whether the U.S. becomes a center of DeFi innovation — or a spectator watching other nations lead.

Why This Bill Matters Now

The timing is not accidental.

Crypto ETFs have exploded across the U.S. — covering:

Bitcoin

Ethereum

Solana

XRP

Dogecoin

Litecoin

HBAR

Institutional adoption is accelerating.

Treasury firms now hold tens of billions in digital assets.

And American investors are pouring record volumes into crypto products.

Regulators can no longer pretend the industry is fringe or temporary.

This bill is Washington’s acknowledgment that digital assets are here to stay — and the government must keep up.

Final Line

If passed and signed, this bill won’t just regulate crypto — it will legitimize it. For the first time, the United States is preparing to define the rules of the digital asset economy instead of fighting it from the sidelines.

Author’s Note

This article was created with the assistance of advanced AI — a tool I will continue using to interpret regulation, decode political shifts, and deliver clear insights as crypto enters its next era of legitimacy.