Alarm Bells
Virtual currencies have existed for years but speculation in them has recently ballooned, along with scams promising investors returns of over 1,000 percent in weeks.
In a time of volatile markets, hackers are also active in the sector, stealing $530 million of digital currency from Japanese exchange Coincheck last month.
Bitcoin, the best known virtual currency, lost over half its value earlier this year after surging more than 1,300 percent.
"We have to look carefully at all of the cryptocurrencies and make sure individuals don't get taken advantage of," said Representative Tom MacArthur, a House Financial Services Committee Republican.
Regulators globally have raised the alarm over cryptocurrencies, saying they may aid money laundering and terrorist financing, hurt consumers and undermine trust in the global financial system.
France and Germany want cryptocurrencies on the agenda for the upcoming G20 meeting of the largest advanced and developing economies.
Conservative Republicans also recognize the potential for broader risks.
"I'm a total free-marketer, so I don't want to regulate," said Republican Representative Dave Brat, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
"But if it's a currency that could destabilize the whole economy, you're going to have that conversation," he said.