US Senate Rejects Virtual Asset Bill Draft with 49-50 Vote

The US Senate has rejected a procedural motion to begin deliberations on the Virtual Asset Market Structure Bill with a vote of 49-50. This vote was not a final rejection of the bill itself but rather a procedural step required to initiate formal hearings. According to official Senate records, the vote took place at 3:19 AM KST on the 16th. A total of 60 votes were needed for approval to begin deliberations. The proposed legislation aims to categorize digital assets as either digital commodities or securities, while also incorporating requirements for exchange registration, anti-money laundering measures, and ethical standards. The bill remains on the Senate legislative calendar and could be resubmitted or advanced through amendments in the future.