Trump Nominates Crypto-Backed Quintenz to Lead CFTC

President Donald Trump is set to nominate Brian Quintenz, a former Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) commissioner and current head of policy at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), to lead the federal commodities regulator. Quintenz, who served at the CFTC from 2017 to 2021, was instrumental in establishing the Technology Advisory Committee during his tenure. He previously suggested the creation of a self-regulatory organization specifically for the crypto industry to oversee companies in the sector.

After leaving the CFTC, Quintenz joined a16z, where he took on the role of head of policy. The venture capital firm was a significant backer of Fairshake, a crypto-focused political action committee that invested nearly $140 million in the 2024 election. Acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham welcomed the nomination, stating, "I congratulate my friend Brian Quintenz on his selection for CFTC Chairman. I worked with Brian on important initiatives that he led to success when he was a CFTC Commissioner. He will do the same for crypto and innovation. I look forward to supporting Brian and his leadership at the CFTC."

Industry groups have also expressed support for Quintenz's nomination. Miller Whitehouse-Levine, CEO of the DeFi Education Fund, a lobbying group, stated, "Brian has a long track record of supporting DeFi and advocating for sound policies that will enable DeFi developers and users to thrive in the United States." In recent years, the industry and Congress have pushed for expanded CFTC oversight of the crypto sector. Former CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam advocated for the agency to become the primary market regulator for at least parts of the industry, including spot Bitcoin markets. A bill, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act, aimed to grant the CFTC greater authority over crypto policy, but it did not pass the Senate after being approved by the House last year.