Crypto regulation is back on the agenda in the US. Brian Quintenz, former CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) member and head of policy at a16z (Andreessen Horowitz), has been nominated by President Donald Trump for CFTC Chairman. During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee, Quintenz faced the most questions about cryptocurrencies. Quintenz argued that the CFTC can strike a balance that both encourages innovation and protects consumers.
Message to Congress: “The roadmap is in your hands”
Quintenz stated that a clearer structure should be established in the crypto market. In this context, he said that Congress's enactment of a new market structure law could support both consumer safety and technology entrepreneurship. “I see market structure laws as opportunities where consumer protection and innovation can go hand in hand,” Quintenz said, emphasizing that clarity of regulations will provide confidence to entrepreneurs.
While Senate confirmation is still pending, bills are also being considered in Congress that would potentially make the CFTC the lead regulator for digital assets. Quintenz expressed his readiness to contribute his knowledge and experience to the process, should this increase in duties materialize.
Commission is shrinking: Democratic members leaving
The CFTC, which Quintenz would take charge if appointed, is currently facing a serious lack of members. Some of the current members of the commission, which is required by law to consist of five members, have either resigned or are about to do so. Interim Chair Caroline Pham is expected to leave once Quintenz takes office, while the sole Democratic member, Kristen Johnson, has announced that she will leave “later this year.” This brings with it a situation in which Quintenz may be on his own for a while and the legal legitimacy of the decisions to be taken may be questioned.
Some Senate Democrats have pointed out that the Trump administration has systematically removed Democratic members from independent agencies. Senator Raphael Warnock described this as “political cleansing” and asked Quintenz whether he would encourage the White House to fill the positions. “I don't tell the president what to do,” Quintenz said, not giving a clear answer on this issue.
CFTC “ready” for cryptocurrencies
Quintenz acknowledged that more resources would be needed if the CFTC became the main regulator of digital commodity spot markets. However, he said that this need could be managed through a more efficient staffing structure with a “technology-driven” approach. In addition, Quintenz, who sits on the board of the prediction market platform Kalshi, was also asked about event-based derivatives contracts. In defense of these contracts, Quintenz said that these instruments contribute to risk management and price discovery functions. Time will tell what will happen with the CFTC in the coming period.
