2026-01-13 15:30:17

Two U.S. senators just filed a major regulatory proposal that could reshape how DeFi development gets treated under federal law. Cynthia Lummis and Ron Wyden introduced the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act on January 12, 2026—and it addresses something developers have been waiting for.

Here's what matters: The bill specifically exempts non-custodial DeFi and blockchain developers from money transmitter rules, but only when they don't control user funds. That's a critical distinction. If you're building smart contracts or protocols where users retain full custody of their assets, this framework could give you clearer legal ground to operate on.

The timing is significant too. As the DeFi ecosystem continues expanding and regulators worldwide watch closely, this kind of legislative clarity could remove uncertainty that's been hanging over independent developers. It suggests a recognition that decentralized finance architecture differs fundamentally from traditional financial intermediaries that hold customer funds.

DEFI2,49%

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GasSavingMaster

· 12h ago

Finally, someone has figured it out—non-custodial is true DeFi. But can this bill really pass... American politicians are always good at talking the talk. Lummis understands the chain; this proposal really hits the key points. Developers can finally sleep peacefully? Still early, haha. The key is implementation—what can legal provisions really change? This is what regulation should actually do. The US has finally acknowledged that decentralization and intermediaries are not the same thing.

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ProveMyZK

· 01-14 06:42

Finally, there's some substantial progress, but how exactly is the definition of "non-custodial" determined? I'm just worried that loopholes might be exploited again...

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RegenRestorer

· 01-13 16:00

ngl this could really change the game... finally someone understands the difference of non-custodial

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HashRateHustler

· 01-13 16:00

ngl this time finally someone understands, non-custodial is really the key, the previous bunch of regulations without distinction between right and wrong was just outrageous

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PebbleHander

· 01-13 15:59

Wow, finally there's hope for non-custodial? This wave of Lummis and Wyden really shows they understand, huh?

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NewPumpamentals

· 01-13 15:59

It's finally here. The non-custodial line has been officially recognized, and developers' days will be a bit easier.

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NewDAOdreamer

· 01-13 15:54

Wait, can the definition of non-custodial really hold up? It seems like someone might find a loophole later on.

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FarmHopper

· 01-13 15:44

Finally! Lummis and Wyden really understand us, they’ve drawn the line on non-custodial perfectly. Wait, can it actually be implemented? It still depends on how the follow-up execution goes. Damn, if this passes, developers can finally breathe. We've been under the pressure of money transmitter rules all along. But on the other hand... is this a backdoor for the big players? Can small developers really benefit? Finally, someone acknowledges the fundamental difference between DeFi and traditional finance. It’s really tough. This bill feels like giving an official stamp of approval, so we don’t have to code nervously anymore. But regulatory certainty sounds good, who knows how it will actually turn out... Anyway, I’ll just wait and see.

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