Coin Center has outlined its main policy objectives for 2026, focusing on regulatory clarity and user protections in the cryptocurrency sector.
The organization notes that the Department of Justice is prosecuting software developers for unlicensed money transmission, despite guidance from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) stating that non-custodial developers do not require a license. Coin Center advocates for Congress to pass the Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (BRCA), which would codify FinCEN’s position. The group also supports including this measure in broader market structure legislation.
Coin Center is backing impact litigation such as Lewellyn v. Garland in the Fifth Circuit. According to the organization, "Michael Lewellyn simply wants to publish a non-custodial crowdfunding protocol and seeks clarity that he will not face felony criminal liability for doing so."
Protecting Americans who hold their own cryptocurrency without intermediaries is another priority. Coin Center warns that current authorities could enable regulators to ban or heavily monitor self-managed crypto transactions. The group urges Congress to pass the Keep Your Coins Act (KYCA), which would prevent federal restrictions or regulations on self-custody of digital assets.
The organization also calls for updates to tax laws affecting cryptocurrency users. They propose six legislative changes: establishing a de minimis exemption for small-value transactions, exempting crypto from “wash sale” rules, allowing simplified mark-to-market reporting, taxing block rewards only upon sale or exchange, repealing certain reporting requirements for large peer-to-peer transactions, and defining some crypto assets as readily valued property suitable for charitable donations without needing qualified appraisals.
On securities and commodities regulation, Coin Center highlights confusion caused by overlapping oversight from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The group asserts that tokens using open source software and consensus mechanisms should not be classified as securities. They call on Congress to clarify these distinctions through comprehensive reform within market structure legislation.
Finally, Coin Center aims to promote privacy-preserving alternatives to traditional anti-money laundering (AML) practices at financial institutions. Their John Hancock Project will work on developing standards for technologies like user-held digital credentials and zero-knowledge proofs—tools designed to prove compliance without requiring extensive personal data collection. The initiative includes advocacy with Treasury, the SEC, and Congress for legal recognition of these methods alongside safe harbors and developer protections.
