John Boozman (R-AR)
Digital Commodity Intermediaries Act
A Republican bill with 6 Republican cosponsors · See all 6 cosponsors
Last activity — Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 355.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill creates a regulatory system for digital commodities under the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). It sets up registration rules for digital commodity exchanges, brokers, dealers, and associated persons. The legislation requires these entities to keep customer assets in qualified digital asset custodians and prohibits the commingling of customer funds. It also establishes protections for software developers and creates an Office of the Digital Commodity Retail Advocate. Finally, the bill authorizes funding and fee collections to support the CFTC in carrying out these new oversight duties.
Yes· 3 of 26
- Scored +7
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill introduces robust requirements for holding customer assets in qualified custodians, prohibits commingling, and creates a retail advocate office.
- Scored +5
Does this give the federal government more power?
The legislation expands the regulatory authority of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over spot digital commodity markets and intermediaries.
- Scored +4
Would business owners be better off under this?
Digital commodity exchange and broker business owners receive clear regulatory guidelines, although they must comply with registration and fee requirements.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection of Customer Assets: Under Section 202 and Section 204 (adding Section 5i(f)(2) of the Commodity Exchange Act), futures commission merchants and digital commodity exchanges are required to hold customer digital assets in a qualified digital asset custodian, helping to secure customer property and minimize the risk of loss.
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Retail Participant Assistance: Section 211 establishes the Office of the Digital Commodity Retail Advocate within the CFTC, which will assist retail participants in resolving significant problems with the agency or registered futures associations and promote the interests of everyday market participants.
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Safeguards for Software Developers: Section 207 (adding Section 4V of the Commodity Exchange Act) protects individuals from being subject to the Act simply for engaging in general blockchain and software development activities, such as validating transactions, operating nodes, or providing user-interfaces.
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Diversity and Outreach Reporting: Section 212 directs the CFTC to examine the racial, ethnic, and gender demographics of digital commodity market participants and report on ways to provide outreach to historically underserved customers.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Fees and Financial Burdens: Section 210 (adding Section 8E of the Commodity Exchange Act) authorizes the CFTC to assess and collect initial and annual fees from registered digital commodity brokers, dealers, exchanges, and qualified digital asset custodians, which regulated entities may pass down to market participants.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Digital commodity exchange and broker business owners receive clear regulatory guidelines, although they must comply with registration and fee requirements. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Retail investors gain clear protections against asset commingling and fraud by regulated market intermediaries. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Young adults who disproportionately participate in digital asset markets benefit from stronger consumer protections and asset safekeeping rules. Would billionaires be better off under this? — Establishes a predictable federal framework that benefits major stakeholders and investors in the digital asset ecosystem. Would high-income households be better off under this? — High-income retail traders and investors benefit from a more orderly and legally certain marketplace for digital commodities. Would people with substantial wealth be better off under this? — Provides institutional clarity and regulatory stability for wealthy individuals trading digital commodities. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Retail participants in this demographic engaging with digital commodities benefit from increased transparency and dispute resolution support. Would the very wealthiest people be better off under this? — Brings institutional safeguards to high-value digital asset portfolios and market operations. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — Specific reporting on racial demographics and outreach programs are designed to better support underserved participants. Would Asian Americans be better off under this? — Market participation studies and consumer protection initiatives benefit all demographic groups engaging with digital assets. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — Outreach and demographic studies mandated by the bill help ensure inclusive practices in digital commodity markets. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Demographic reporting and outreach initiatives aim to address historically underserved communities participating in digital commodity markets. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Mandated outreach initiatives help address participation barriers for historically underserved customer populations. Would women be better off under this? — The bill explicitly requires the CFTC to examine gender demographics and propose outreach for underserved customer groups.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill introduces robust requirements for holding customer assets in qualified custodians, prohibits commingling, and creates a retail advocate office. Is this likely to grow the economy? — By establishing a clear regulatory framework for digital commodities, the bill provides market certainty that can boost economic activity in the sector. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Software developer protections and clearer compliance paths help small blockchain ventures operate without undue federal burdens. Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill fosters a regulated digital commodity market, potentially encouraging industry growth and creating specialized compliance and technology jobs. Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — The legislation authorizes fee collections to recover the costs of oversight and regulation from market participants.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The legislation expands the regulatory authority of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over spot digital commodity markets and intermediaries. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates public reporting, disclosure requirements, and specialized oversight through the Office of the Digital Commodity Retail Advocate. Does this make it easier to do business across state lines? — The bill establishes federal jurisdiction and uniform standards for digital commodity exchanges and intermediaries engaged in interstate commerce.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The legislation requires digital commodity exchanges and custodians to maintain system safeguards, disaster recovery plans, and operational security programs. Does this favour talking over confrontation abroad? — The bill encourages international cooperation and information sharing with foreign regulatory authorities regarding digital commodity oversight.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow the gap between how men and women are treated? — The bill's demographic reporting requirements encompass gender equity assessments for market participation. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — The bill mandates demographic reporting and outreach strategies directed at historically underserved customers in digital commodity markets.
- 3/26/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/23/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 3/17/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/12/2026
- Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 355.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 3/11/2026
- Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Jon HustedRepublican · Ohio
James JusticeRepublican · West Virginia
Bernie MorenoRepublican · Ohio
David McCormickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Dan SullivanRepublican · Alaska
Tommy TubervilleRepublican · Alabama