US Risks Falling Behind on Crypto Without Clear Rules, Experts Warn at Wyoming Symposium

At the Wyoming Blockchain Symposium, industry leaders sent a clear message: the US still has time to get its act together on crypto regulation—but the clock is ticking, Trading View reports.

“I don’t think it’s too late, even with the EU rolling out MiCA,” said Sylvia Favretto, general counsel at Mysten Labs, the company behind the Sui blockchain. “But the window of opportunity is small.”

Stuart Alderoty, chief legal officer at Ripple, was even more blunt:

“If we seize the opportunity now and get the market structure right, I think we win. If we don’t, and the environment turns hostile again, we could lose out—to Europe, APAC, or even the Middle East.”

Panelists agreed the next two years are critical. With Republicans controlling the White House and both chambers of Congress after the 2024 elections, the Trump administration has a rare chance to push pro-crypto policy.

But the majority is razor thin: just seven seats in the House and eight in the Senate. That margin could shrink—or flip—after the 2026 midterms, creating a gridlock that makes passing meaningful crypto regulation far harder.

Joe Doll, general counsel at NFT marketplace Magic Eden, warned that history doesn’t favor delay.

“The administration really has only two years to get something done,” he said, noting that power often shifts in midterms.

Marta Belcher, board president of the Blockchain Association, agreed, adding that Congress tends to stall on major policy changes as election season heats up.

“It gets harder to pass anything in the run-up to midterms,” she said.

Even if lawmakers act quickly, Summer Mersinger, CEO of the Blockchain Association, cautioned that hashing out cohesive policy won’t be easy.

“The path toward regulatory clarity could be a long process,” she said, pointing to divisions among US lawmakers and regulators.

The consensus at the symposium? The US still has a shot to lead on crypto—but only if Washington moves fast. Otherwise, other regions with clear frameworks, like the EU, could leave America in the dust.