The U.S. government shutdown officially ended after President Donald Trump signed a funding bill, reopening agencies and restoring progress on long-stalled crypto regulatory and legislative efforts.
Key Takeaways:
- The bill, signed late Wednesday, reopens the U.S. government until January, allowing agencies like the SEC and CFTC to resume crypto-related reviews.
- Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) edged higher following the announcement, signaling cautious optimism among traders.
- The shutdown’s end clears the way for renewed progress on ETF approvals and pending crypto market-structure legislation.
After more than six weeks of partial closure, the U.S. government resumed full operations as President Trump signed a temporary funding measure. The decision averts further economic disruption and restores functionality to agencies that play critical roles in overseeing financial markets and emerging sectors like cryptocurrency.
The bill’s passage allows departments such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and Treasury to return to regular operations, which is critical for the backlog of crypto policy items that had been frozen since the shutdown began.
Shutdown’s End Revives Crypto Rulemaking and ETF Reviews
During the shutdown, multiple policy discussions and reviews were delayed, including proposed crypto market-structure frameworks and pending ETF filings. Analysts noted that with agencies now reopened, timelines for these reviews can resume, offering a clearer path for regulatory progress.
“The reopening eliminates a key procedural risk,” one policy researcher told CoinTelegraph, noting that staff-level work on ETF applications and digital asset classifications can now continue. Market watchers expect the SEC to resume evaluating submissions related to Bitcoin and Ethereum-based ETFs, as well as feedback on digital asset custody proposals.
Market Reaction: Mild Optimism Across Crypto Assets
Despite putting an end to the longest government shutdown in the U.S., the broader crypto market has seen a minimal reaction. As of this writing (8:15AM UTC), Bitcoin (BTC) trades around $103,475, reflecting a slight price decline of 0.2%, while reaching intraday highs around $105,257 and intraday lows near $100,992, according to CoinGecko. Meanwhile, Ethereum (ETH) is positive on the daily timeframe, standing at $3,540.44 with 1.9% gain over the past 24 hours. The token reached intraday high of $3,583.32, and intraday lows near $3,374.02, as per CoinGecko’s real-time statistics.
On the other hand, technical indicators show both assets remain in neutral momentum territory, with relative strength index (RSI) readings hovering near the midline, which suggests that traders are cautiously awaiting follow-through signals rather than chasing immediate breakouts.
Analysts See Policy Progress, but Uncertainty Remains
Experts believe the end of the shutdown is an important step toward policy continuity but caution that true regulatory clarity will still take time. The SEC and CFTC must now catch up on weeks of delayed work, including feedback on proposed crypto legislation and the review of spot ETF applications.
“Resuming agency operations is just the start,” said one Washington-based analyst. “Substantive action on crypto regulation depends on upcoming committee sessions and bipartisan negotiations.”
Lawmakers are also expected to revisit the crypto market-structure bill that would redefine oversight roles between the SEC and CFTC, which is a development closely watched by both exchanges and institutional investors.
What’s Next?
The immediate outlook for the cryptocurrency market appears stable but watchful. Investors are expected to focus on concrete regulatory milestones in the coming weeks, including potential ETF review updates, Treasury commentary on stablecoin frameworks, and any congressional hearings that advance digital asset legislation.
If regulatory progress resumes smoothly, analysts say it could renew confidence among institutional investors and fuel longer-term bullish sentiment. Conversely, renewed political tension in early 2026 could once again stall advancement on key crypto reforms.
Summary
The U.S. government shutdown ended after President Trump signed a funding bill, reopening agencies like the SEC and CFTC and allowing stalled crypto rulemaking, ETF reviews, and market oversight to resume, while markets showed cautious optimism.
