Consensus 2026 Policy Summit: The Ultimate Guide to Crypto's Regulatory Showdown in Miami

The Consensus 2026 Policy Summit in Miami is officially underway, bringing together lawmakers, regulators, and industry leaders to tackle the most pressing issues in crypto regulation. As the digital asset sector faces mounting scrutiny over DeFi hacks and stablecoin rules, this year's event serves as a critical battleground for shaping future legislation. With the highly anticipated Clarity Act and the 2026 midterm elections looming, the discussions held this week will directly impact how fintech firms and decentralized platforms operate.

For developers, investors, and legal professionals, navigating the shifting landscape of federal and state jurisdictions is no longer optional. The summit aims to provide eight hours of informed discussion, bridging the gap between the crypto industry and Washington policymakers. Below is the comprehensive schedule of policy sessions taking place at the event.

The opening day focuses heavily on legislative drafting, tax implications, and high-profile legal defenses within the crypto space.

• 10:35 a.m. ET: Congressman Steven Horsford will discuss his Parity Act and legislative efforts to reform how crypto taxes are handled.
• 11:00 a.m. ET: Current and former Congressional staffers will walk attendees through the work they do, how they handle drafting legislation, and how the public can best engage with the process.
• 3:45 p.m. ET: Cooley LLP Partner Brian Klein will discuss Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm's recent trial, and what has changed as a new trial looms.
• 4:10 p.m. ET: CFTC Chairman Mike Selig will sit for a fireside chat.

Wednesday shifts the focus toward international integration, industry perception, and executive insights from major Bitcoin operations.

• 9:45 a.m. ET: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will discuss her ongoing work on crypto legislation.
• 10:25 a.m. ET: Bermuda Premier David Burt and Coinbase Chief Legal Officer Paul Grewal will discuss Bermuda's focus on incorporating digital assets.
• 10:50 a.m. ET: Blockchain Association CEO Summer Mersinger, Solana Policy Institute CEO Kristin Smith, and Jito Labs COO/CLO Rebecca Rettig will discuss how the crypto industry is perceived among policymakers.
• 1:05 p.m. ET: American Bitcoin executives Eric Trump and Asher Genoot will take the stage.
• 3:10 p.m. ET: White House Executive Director Patrick Witt will sit for a fireside chat.

The core Policy Summit features rapid-fire sessions covering everything from IRS reporting requirements to the future of prediction markets.

• 10:00 a.m. ET: Kickoff of the Policy Summit, starting with how decentralized finance can be regulated in light of ongoing hacks.
• 10:30 a.m. ET: Former IRS officials Raj Mukherjee and Seth Wilks will discuss the 1099-DA and the evolution of the IRS's approach to digital assets.
• 10:55 a.m. ET: PayPal Head of Crypto Compliance Larry Wade and Crypto Council for Innovation CEO Ji Hun Kim will talk about how fintech firms view the regulatory sector.
• 11:40 a.m. ET: Senator Ashley Moody and Digital Chamber CEO Cody Carbone will discuss the industry's relationship with D.C.
• 11:40 a.m. ET: Executives at federally regulated banks will discuss the trend of crypto companies seeking banking licenses.
• 12:50 p.m. ET: World Liberty Financial co-founders Donald Trump, Jr. and Zach Witkoff will take the stage.
• 12:55 p.m. ET: Breadcrumbs analyst James Delmore will lay out how much money has been dedicated to the 2026 election from crypto companies.
• 1:00 p.m. ET: Stand With Crypto's Mason Lynaugh, Fellowship PAC's Jesse Spiro, and Sternhell Group's Alex Sternhell will discuss midterm engagement.
• 1:30 p.m. ET: DeFi Education Fund's Gavin Zavatone and Blockchain Association's Lindsay Fraser will lay out potential 2027 crypto legislation scenarios.
• 1:55 p.m. ET: SEC Crypto Task Force Chief Counsel Taylor Lindman will discuss his regulatory role.
• 2:00 p.m. ET: Tether's Bo Hines and Bridge's Lindsey Einhaus will talk about the evolution of stablecoin regulations.
• 2:10 p.m. ET: Moonpay CLO Caroline Pham, Aleo's Head of Policy Yaya Fanusie, and Binance Global Policy Lead Steven McWhirter will analyze recent stablecoin proposals.
• 2:40 p.m. ET: Coinbase Vice President Kara Calvert will discuss White House negotiations regarding stablecoin yield in the Clarity Act.
• 2:55 p.m. ET: Experts will weigh in on whether the Clarity Act is actually moving forward.
• 3:30 p.m. ET: A dedicated discussion on tokenization and changing financial services rules.
• 4:00 p.m. ET: Representatives will discuss how the 50 U.S. states are approaching crypto within their own jurisdictions.
• 4:30 p.m. ET: A legal panel will debate whether prediction markets are federally regulated swaps or gambling products dressed as financial derivatives.

The sheer density of regulatory heavyweights at the Consensus 2026 Policy Summit highlights a pivotal shift in the crypto industry's approach to Washington. With the Clarity Act taking center stage, it is evident that the sector is moving past broad ideological debates and focusing on granular, actionable compromises, particularly regarding stablecoin yields. The presence of SEC, CFTC, and IRS officials alongside major exchange executives signals a maturation in how digital asset policies are negotiated.

Furthermore, the closing session on prediction markets underscores a looming legal showdown that could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court. As platforms blur the line between financial derivatives and gambling, the outcome of these debates will likely set a precedent for how decentralized applications are classified federally. For developers and investors, the regulatory clarity emerging from these Miami sessions will dictate the operational boundaries for the next decade of decentralized finance.