Share this article
Trump to Tap Former CFTC Commissioner, a16z Policy Head Brian Quintenz for CFTC Head
Quintenz has been known for his crypto advocacy
Updated Feb 12, 2025, 3:48 p.m. Published Feb 12, 2025, 3:54 a.m.
What to know:
- Brian Quintenz, ex-CFTC commissioner known for his crypto advocacy, has been nominated by Trump to head the agency.
- Quintenz has previously a16z's head of policy.
Brian Quintenz, a one-time commissioner with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and Andreessen Horowitz's (a16z) head of policy, will be Donald Trump's choice to run the federal commodities regulator.
Quintenz previously served with the regulator between 2017 and 2021, where he organized the Technology Advisory Committee. During his time as commissioner, he said a self-regulatory organization specific to the crypto industry could help oversee companies.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Since leaving the agency, he joined a16z, where he became the head of policy. A16z was one of the major funders of Fairshake, a crypto-focused political action committee which poured close to $140 million into the 2024 election.
Punchbowl News first reported the nomination.
In a statement, acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham said, "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 likewise supported the nomination after news of it spread. Miller Whitehouse-Levine, the CEO of the DeFi Education Fund, a lobbying group, said the organization looked forward to working with him.
"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," he said in a statement.
In recent years, the industry and Congress have pushed toward giving the CFTC greater oversight of the industry.
Former CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam advocated for making the agency a primary market regulator for at least parts of the industry, including overseeing spot Bitcoin markets.
A bill, the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act, would have given the CFTC greater authority over crypto policy. The House passed it last year, but it did not go through the Senate.
More For You
What to know:
- As of October 2025, GoPlus has generated $4.7M in total revenue across its product lines. The GoPlus App is the primary revenue driver, contributing $2.5M (approx. 53%), followed by the SafeToken Protocol at $1.7M.
- GoPlus Intelligence's Token Security API averaged 717 million monthly calls year-to-date in 2025 , with a peak of nearly 1 billion calls in February 2025. Total blockchain-level requests, including transaction simulations, averaged an additional 350 million per month.
- Since its January 2025 launch , the $GPS token has registered over $5B in total spot volume and $10B in derivatives volume in 2025. Monthly spot volume peaked in March 2025 at over $1.1B , while derivatives volume peaked the same month at over $4B.
More For You
Canadian Province Wins Forfeiture of $1M QuadrigaCX Co-Founder's Cash, Gold via Default Judgment
The ruling transfers cash, gold bars, watches, and jewelry seized from a CIBC safety deposit box and bank account into government hands after Patryn did not defend the case.
What to know:
- The Supreme Court of British Columbia has forfeited $1 million in cash and gold tied to QuadrigaCX's co-founder, Michael Patryn, to the government.
- Patryn did not contest the forfeiture, which involved 45 gold bars, luxury watches, and over $250,000 in cash seized under an Unexplained Wealth Order.
- The forfeiture may lead to a process determining if any assets can be directed to QuadrigaCX's creditors, who received 13 cents on the dollar in the bankruptcy settlement.
Top Stories
