Bitcoin News Today: CFTC's Crypto Oversight Expansion Sparks Debate on Regulatory Clarity

The U.S. crypto landscape is undergoing a pivotal regulatory shift as lawmakers and industry experts advocate for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) to assume broader oversight of digital assets. This move, highlighted by a proposed crypto market structure bill introduced by Senators John Boozman and Cory Booker, seeks to reclassify spot digital commodity trading under the CFTC's jurisdiction, diverging from the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) current enforcement-heavy approach.

Proponents argue the CFTC's expertise in commodities and derivatives aligns better with crypto's global, efficiency-driven nature, potentially unlocking innovation in decentralized finance (DeFi) and derivatives markets .

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Institutional confidence in crypto is also surging, with major players like Harvard University's $55 billion endowment making strategic bets. The endowment recently disclosed a $443 million stake in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), marking its largest known equity position in a U.S.-listed public fund. This investment, representing 20% of Harvard's reported public equity holdings, underscores growing institutional acceptance of crypto as a legitimate asset class. IBIT, the world's largest spot Bitcoin ETF with $75 billion in net assets, has become a favored vehicle for institutional exposure amid regulatory clarity and market stability as reported by coindesk.

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Meanwhile, decentralized finance (DeFi) projects are capitalizing on the regulatory momentum. Mutuum Finance (MUTM), a decentralized lending protocol, has raised $18.7 million in its presale, with Phase 6 nearing 99% allocation ahead of its Q4 2025 V1 launch. The project's focus on transparent on-chain transactions and efficient credit markets has attracted over 18,000 token holders, positioning it as a key player in the DeFi sector's evolution. MUTM's structured presale model, with token prices rising from $0.01 to $0.035, reflects investor appetite for protocols that align with emerging regulatory frameworks.

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RockToken, a New Zealand-based platform offering infrastructure-backed crypto investment contracts, is also gaining traction among long-term investors. The company's tiered plans-ranging from entry-level "Genesis Pass" to premium "Whale Reserve" contracts-allow users to access yields on Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDC without managing hardware or active trading. With institutional interest in Bitcoin surging, RockToken's emphasis on transparency and structured returns is appealing to investors seeking stable exposure amid market volatility.

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Market dynamics further suggest a cautious optimism. The end of a 43-day U.S. government shutdown in November 2025 briefly stabilized crypto markets, with Bitcoin rebounding above $102,000. Analysts attribute this to renewed regulatory clarity, particularly as the SEC and CFTC resume operations. On-chain data also reveals accumulation by long-term holders, including over $1.3 billion in Ethereum whale purchases, signaling underlying confidence in the asset class despite short-term volatility according to business-standard.

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The regulatory shift is not without challenges. Critics warn that overlapping jurisdictions between the SEC and CFTC could create confusion, though supporters argue the proposed bill will streamline oversight. Bernstein analysts, however, see the U.S. as well-positioned to become a global crypto hub, citing its advanced infrastructure and regulatory adaptability. This potential, combined with institutional investments and DeFi innovation, could redefine crypto's role in global finance according to bernstein analysts.