U.S. crypto regulation entered the new year under renewed political scrutiny, with lawmakers, regulators, and courts shaping a volatile landscape for digital asset firms and investors alike.
From Capitol Hill oversight demands to state-level tax fears and high-profile legal dismissals, this week shows how policy risk remains a defining feature of the crypto market.
Oversight Pressure Mounts as Maxine Waters Targets the SEC
Representative Maxine Waters has escalated pressure on the Securities and Exchange Commission, formally urging House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill to schedule an oversight hearing with SEC Chairman Paul Atkins.
Waters cited the agency’s decision to drop several major crypto enforcement cases, calling the policy shift unprecedented and politically charged under the Trump administration.
In a pointed letter sent Sunday, the ranking Democrat argued that the Committee has failed to adequately scrutinize Atkins’ leadership, particularly when contrasted with former Chair Gary Gensler’s two appearances during his first year.
The move shows that crypto enforcement—or the perceived rollback of it—is set to become a renewed flashpoint in Washington with congressional oversight now firmly back on the agenda.
California’s Proposed Wealth Tax Sparks Exodus Fears Among Crypto Elite
A proposed California ballot initiative has sent shockwaves through the crypto and tech sectors, with industry leaders warning it could accelerate an exodus of high-net-worth people from the state.
The 2026 Billionaire Tax Act would impose a one-time 5% levy on net wealth exceeding $1 billion, including unrealized gains—a provision critics say is especially destabilizing for founders and investors holding illiquid equity.
Opponents argue the measure could force asset sales simply to meet tax obligations, disrupting startups, investment flows, and philanthropic funding.
Kraken co-founder Jesse Powell warned the proposal could be “the final straw,” while Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley cautioned that taxing unrealized gains undermines the financial architecture of private companies. If approved, the measure could reshape the geographic footprint of crypto capital in the U.S.
Trump-Linked Crypto Firm Faces Auditor Scrutiny
Regulatory scrutiny also intensified around Nasdaq-listed crypto firm ALT5 Sigma after reports revealed its newly appointed auditor is currently barred from performing audits due to an expired license.
According to the Financial Times, the company replaced its previous auditor after failing to file third-quarter results on time, appointing a small Texas-based firm whose license expired in August and had not been renewed as of late December.
While the firm’s founder renewed his personal CPA license, regulators say the firm itself remains inactive—raising questions about ALT5 Sigma’s compliance posture at a time when public crypto companies are already under heightened investor and regulatory scrutiny.
Veteran Pro-Crypto SEC Official Cicely LaMothe Retires
The SEC also saw an internal shift with the retirement of Cicely LaMothe, the agency’s deputy director of Corporation Finance, after a 24-year career.
LaMothe played a key role in guiding seven major crypto-related policy documents through the Commission, covering areas including stablecoins, liquid staking, and meme coins.
Her departure removes a senior voice associated with pragmatic engagement on digital assets during one of the most contentious regulatory periods in the SEC’s history. She previously served as acting director before Paul Atkins appointed Jim Moloney to lead the division in September.
Mark Cuban Crypto Promotion Lawsuit Dismissed
In the courts, a U.S. federal judge dismissed a lawsuit accusing billionaire Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks of promoting Voyager Digital prior to its collapse.
The judge ruled that the plaintiffs failed to establish personal jurisdiction, finding insufficient ties between Florida and the alleged promotional activity.
The case had sought to link Cuban’s public comments and team marketing campaigns to investor losses, including a promotion offering Bitcoin incentives for Voyager account sign-ups.
The dismissal narrows the scope for celebrity-driven crypto liability claims, reinforcing jurisdictional and evidentiary hurdles for similar lawsuits.
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