Who’s in the running to become the next CFTC chair?
As President Donald Trump's second term unfolds, the CFTC still lacks a permanent chair. Although Brian Quintenz was favored for the role, confirmation stalled due to White House requests. Names like Michael Selig, Tyler Williams, Jill Sommers, Kyle Hauptman, and Josh Stirling have surfaced as potential candidates. Selig serves as chief counsel to the SEC’s Crypto Task Force and advocates for a non-punitive approach to regulation. Williams, currently a counselor to the US Treasury Secretary, has emphasized the need for a clear framework for crypto. Sommers, former CFTC commissioner, has experience with derivatives and recently joined FTX.US, although she remains relatively quiet on crypto. Hauptman, head of the NCUA, promotes technological innovation while Stirling, a lawyer at Milbank, has expressed the CFTC's role in digital asset regulation. Additionally, there are discussions about potentially merging the CFTC and SEC, though legal challenges remain. The crypto sector is observably attentive to these developments, especially regarding impending legislation that would enhance CFTC's regulatory authority.
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