President Trump has nominated Brian Quintenz to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), in a move widely cheered by the cryptocurrency community.
Quintenz, who serves as the global head of policy for Andreessen Horowitz's a16z crypto arm, was a commissioner at the agency in Trump's first administration.
“The @CFTC plays a critical role in maintaining robust hedging and price discovery markets that are the envy of the globe,” Quintenz said in a post on the social platform X.
“The agency is also well poised to ensure the USA leads the world in blockchain technology and innovation," he continued. "I look forward to working with President Trump’s incredible financial regulatory team.”
Quintenz's nomination was well-received by the industry, with top crypto leaders offering their congratulations.
“His real experience in the crypto industry along with his knowledge of the CFTC makes him perfectly suited to lead the agency — and aligned with President Trump’s vision for crypto in the United States,” Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith said in a statement.
The CFTC is one of two regulatory agencies, alongside the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), that oversee the crypto industry.
In recent years, crypto companies have pushed the two agencies for clarity on when digital assets are regulated by the SEC versus the CFTC, prompting efforts to establish a clearer market structure through legislation.
