The U.S. Crypto Bill 2025: Unlocking Institutional Investment in Staking and DePIN

The U.S. Crypto Bill 2025, formally known as the Digital Asset Market Structure Act (CLARITY), marks a pivotal shift in the regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies. By explicitly excluding staking rewards, airdrops, and Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePINs) from securities classification—provided they meet decentralization criteria—the bill addresses long-standing legal ambiguities that have hindered institutional participation. This regulatory clarity is now catalyzing a surge in institutional investment, particularly in staking and DePIN ecosystems, as firms navigate a more defined and collaborative oversight framework between the SEC and CFTC.

Regulatory Clarity: A Foundation for Institutional Confidence

The CLARITY Act’s most transformative provision is its exclusion of staking and DePIN activities from securities laws. For instance, staking rewards are no longer automatically classified as securities if no single entity controls more than 20% of a protocol’s token supply [1]. This removes the existential risk of litigation for developers and users, enabling institutions to engage with proof-of-stake networks without fear of regulatory overreach. Similarly, DePIN projects—blockchain-based initiatives building real-world infrastructure like decentralized energy grids or wireless networks—are now shielded from securities regulations, unlocking capital for innovation in hybrid digital-physical sectors [3].

The bill also mandates collaboration between the SEC and CFTC via a Joint Advisory Committee, ensuring transparency and alignment in enforcement. As stated in a report by The Block, this committee will issue nonbinding recommendations but require both agencies to publicly respond, fostering a unified approach to crypto oversight [2]. This coordination reduces regulatory arbitrage and provides institutions with a predictable framework to allocate capital.

Institutional Adoption: From Staking to DePIN

Institutional interest in staking has surged post-CLARITY. For example, VanEck’s Solana ETF prospectus outlines plans to stake a portion of its SOL holdings, leveraging structured legal frameworks to generate yield while maintaining compliance [4]. Similarly, Franklin Templeton’s CEO has described Solana as “one of the first institutionally focused chains,” citing its robust staking infrastructure and liquid staking tokens (LSTs) like JitoSOL, which dominate 39% of the market [5]. These moves signal a shift from centralized staking providers to decentralized protocols as regulatory frameworks mature.

DePIN projects are also attracting institutional capital. Venture funds like Token Metrics Ventures and Multicoin Capital are investing in projects such as Vana, Peaq, and Render, which leverage blockchain to build decentralized infrastructure [6]. Cross-chain protocols like LayerZero and Axelar further enhance institutional participation by enabling secure, real-time asset movement across networks, allowing firms to diversify their staking and liquidity strategies [7].

Market Reactions and Future Outlook

The CLARITY Act’s impact is already evident in market dynamics. Post-2025, 70% of Ethereum-holding institutions are staking their assets, with many adopting liquid staking solutions to optimize returns [8]. Meanwhile, DePIN adoption is accelerating: Helium Mobile’s 300,000 new subscribers and Hivemapper’s mapping of one-third of the global road network highlight the sector’s scalability [5].

Regulatory clarity has also spurred innovation in tokenized real-world assets (RWAs). The bill’s provisions on RWAs—clarifying that tokenization does not automatically classify non-securities as securities—have encouraged institutions to explore tokenized real estate, art, and infrastructure [1]. This trend is supported by the GENIUS Act, which mandates 100% reserve backing for stablecoins, further legitimizing their role in institutional portfolios [9].

Challenges and Remaining Uncertainties

While the CLARITY Act provides significant clarity, challenges persist. The SEC’s recent nonbinding guidance on liquid staking, for instance, leaves unresolved questions about taxation and grantor trust rules, which could delay ETF integrations [3]. Additionally, the Joint Advisory Committee’s recommendations are nonbinding, meaning enforcement disparities may still arise.

Conclusion

The U.S. Crypto Bill 2025 is a cornerstone in the maturation of the crypto ecosystem. By demarcating regulatory boundaries and fostering collaboration between agencies, it has created a fertile ground for institutional investment in staking and DePIN. As firms like VanEck, Franklin Templeton, and Multicoin Capital deploy capital into decentralized infrastructure and yield-generating protocols, the market is poised for exponential growth. For investors, the CLARITY Act represents not just regulatory relief but a strategic opportunity to capitalize on the next wave of blockchain innovation.

Source:
[1] US Crypto Bill Draft Seeks Clarity on SEC-CFTC Roles [https://cryptonews.com/news/us-crypto-bill-draft-seeks-clarity-on-sec-cftc-roles-defi-rules/]
[2] Senate market structure bill draft proposes SEC–CFTC joint committee to end crypto turf wars [https://www.theblock.co/post/369716/senate-market-structure-bill-draft-proposes-sec-cftc-joint-committee-to-end-crypto-turf-wars]
[3] SEC staff liquid-staking guidance leaves regulatory gaps [https://www.coinglass.com/es/news/528983]
[4] VanEck Solana ETF prospectus [https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2028541/000162828025036988/vanecksolanaetfs-1a2.htm]
[5] Solana Ecosystem Report (H1 2025) [https://www.helius.dev/blog/solana-ecosystem-report-h1-2025]
[6] Top 10 Crypto Venture Capital Funds for Investment in 2025 [https://www.tokenmetrics.com/blog/top-10-crypto-venture-capital-funds-for-investment-in-july-2025?0fad35da_page=3&74e29fd5_page=24]
[7] Building Institutional Treasury Models Across Chains [https://kensoninvestments.com/building-institutional-treasury-models-across-chains-the-bridge-infrastructure-boom/]
[8] Blockchain Beyond 2024: Trends, Insights, and Predictions [https://everstake.one/blog/blockchain-beyond-2024-trends-insights-and-predictions-for-2025]
[9] Which Crypto Assets Stand to Benefit From the Stablecoin Bill? [https://www.gate.com/learn/articles/which-crypto-assets-stand-to-benefit-from-the-stablecoin-bill-genius-act-passing/9202]