TLDR
- The Trump administration is considering new candidates to lead the CFTC after Brian Quintenz’s confirmation was delayed.
- Michael Selig and Tyler Williams are among the potential candidates for the CFTC chair position.
- Tyler Winklevoss of Gemini opposed Quintenz’s nomination, prompting the White House to pause the confirmation process.
- The CFTC is currently understaffed with only acting chair Caroline Pham remaining after recent resignations.
- The agency is expected to gain expanded oversight of the crypto market under pending legislation.
The Trump administration is exploring new candidates to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) after Brian Quintenz’s confirmation stalled. Potential candidates under discussion include Michael Selig, chief counsel for the SEC’s crypto task force, and Tyler Williams, Treasury counselor on digital asset policy. The confirmation process for Quintenz has faced hurdles, primarily following opposition from Tyler Winklevoss of Gemini.
Quintenz’s Nomination Hits Roadblock
Brian Quintenz’s nomination for the CFTC chair faced setbacks in July. Tyler Winklevoss, co-founder of Gemini, asked President Trump to halt the confirmation process. Winklevoss expressed frustration over the Biden administration’s actions against his company.
“Seven years of lawfare trophy hunting. It’s outrageous what they did to us,” Winklevoss said at the time. In response, the White House requested the Senate delay the planned vote.
I’ve never been inclined to release private messages. But in light of my support for the President and belief that he might have been misled, I’ve posted here the messages that include the questions Tyler Winklevoss asked me pertaining to their prior litigation with the CFTC.
— Brian Quintenz (@BrianQuintenz) September 10, 2025
Recently, Quintenz suggested that Trump “might have been misled” by the Winklevoss twins. He shared screenshots of private messages on social media, revealing further details about the situation. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Winklevoss twins have been leveraging their political influence to shape Washington policy. This follows their significant financial support for Trump’s campaign.
CFTC Faces Leadership Vacuum Amidst Growing Crypto Oversight
The CFTC currently faces a leadership vacuum with only Caroline Pham serving as acting chair after multiple resignations. At the same time, the agency’s role in regulating digital assets is expanding, particularly under pending legislation. The CFTC is expected to gain broader authority over the crypto market as lawmakers address the growing sector.
Under the Trump administration’s watch, the CFTC has shown a more favorable stance toward crypto. The agency recently initiated “crypto sprint,” allowing offshore exchanges to serve U.S. citizens. In August, the CFTC launched an initiative to facilitate trading of spot crypto asset contracts on registered futures exchanges. A new chair with a pro-crypto stance could accelerate these initiatives.
