Brian Quintenz, a one -time commissioner at Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Andreessen Horowitz’s leader of politics, will be Donald Trump’s election to run Federal Commodities regulator.
Quintenz earlier earned in the regulator between 2017 and 2021, where he organized technology consulting committees. During his time as a commissioner, he said that a self -regulating organization that was specific to the crypto industry could help oversee businesses.
Since leaving the agency, he joined A16z, where he became leader of the policy. A16Z was one of the largest funding of Fairshake, a cryptophocused political action committee that poured close to $ 140 million in the 2024 election.
Punchbowl News first reported the nomination.
In a statement, functioning CFTC President Caroline Pham, “I congratulate my friend Brian Quintenz with his election for CFTC chairman. I worked with Brian on important initiatives that he led to success when he was CFTC commissioner. He will do the same for crypto and innovation.
Industry groups also supported the nomination after the news of it spread. Miller Whitehouse-Veline, CEO of Defi Education Fund, a lobby group, said the organization was looking forward to working with him.
“Brian has a long overview of supporting defi and advocating healthy policies that allow defi developers and users to thrive in the United States,” he said in a statement.
In recent years, the industry and congress have been pushing towards giving CFTC greater supervision of the industry.
Former CFTC President Rostin Behnam agreed to make the agency a primary market regulator for at least parts of the industry, including monitoring of Spotbitcoin markets.
A bill, financial innovation and technology for the 21st century law, would have given CFTC greater authority over cryptopolitics. The house passed the last year, but it did not go through the Senate.
