NEW YORK, Jan 16, 2026, 14:32 EST — Regular session
XRP slipped slightly on Friday, trading just below $2 as investors reacted to a postponed vote in a U.S. Senate committee on a crypto market-structure bill once seen as a crucial near-term indicator for regulatory direction. The token fell around 1.1% to $2.04, putting its market cap near $124 billion, per CoinMarketCap data.
The Senate Banking Committee was set to hold an executive session on H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, but that meeting has been postponed. In a market sensitive to policy signals, even a delay like this can shake risk appetite among digital asset investors, despite only modest price shifts.
Chairman Tim Scott announced the committee will push back the markup amid ongoing discussions, noting that “everyone remains at the table working in good faith.” He described the process as a drive to establish “clear rules of the road” for the industry. Senate Banking Committee
The Clarity Act sets up a framework to regulate “digital commodities” and defines roles for both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. This division reflects the industry’s push to move beyond years of enforcement through lawsuits. Congress.gov
XRP’s dip coincided with weakness in the top cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin slipped about 0.8% to near $95,003, and ether also dropped roughly 0.8%, hovering around $3,270, according to CoinMarketCap.
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, whose firm is a key barometer for U.S. retail crypto activity, said he withdrew support for the draft because it seemed skewed in favor of banks. “It just felt deeply unfair to me,” Armstrong told Fox Business, accusing banks of trying “to ban their competition.” Fox Business
XRP has slipped for three days running, according to Investing.com price data, with the $2 mark acting as a key sentiment gauge. Holding above it usually draws in dip-buyers, but a clear break often triggers swift selling in this momentum-driven market.
Macro signals are shifting. On Friday, Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said the central bank should “stand ready to cut interest rates again if needed,” flagging the possibility of a rapid downturn in the job market. Reuters
The bigger threat for XRP over the coming days might be political, not economic. If lawmakers fail to agree on stablecoin regulations and other infrastructure matters, the bill could stall again. That would leave traders stuck with the usual uncertainty—and give them a reason to reduce exposure once the broader market gets jittery.
The key date on many traders’ calendars is the Fed meeting on January 27-28, wrapping up with a policy announcement on the 28th. Crypto investors, meanwhile, are eyeing any indication that the Senate Banking Committee might push back the markup date or unveil a new draft ready for action.
