White House Steps Away From Brian Quintenz as CFTC Pick

The White House has pulled back Brian Quintenz as its pick to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), creating a fresh round of uncertainty at a time when crypto and derivatives regulation is drawing more attention than ever.

Good to Know

• Quintenz was widely expected to be confirmed without much resistance.
• Industry voices had seen his mix of finance and crypto experience as an advantage.
• Gemini leaders are said to have played a role in pushing back on his nomination.

Quintenz previously served as a CFTC commissioner before moving into venture and crypto. He held a senior role at Andreessen Horowitz and later advised prediction market operator Kalshi, giving him a rare balance of traditional finance and emerging digital assets. Many in the sector thought those credentials made him the right person for the regulator’s top seat.

However, according to Politico and later confirmed by Bloomberg, White House officials quietly withdrew his name. Reports point to opposition from Gemini, the crypto exchange founded by the Winklevoss twins. With his candidacy off the table, the administration now faces the task of naming a new chair who can navigate both market oversight and the fast-changing digital economy.

Several names are now being reviewed. They include Mike Selig, chief counsel at the SEC’s crypto task force; Tyler Williams, a Treasury adviser on digital asset policy; Josh Sterling, a partner at Milbank and former CFTC official; and Jill Sommers, who previously served as commissioner. Each brings different experience—some leaning more toward crypto expertise, others toward broader financial regulation.

The timing of this leadership change comes just as the SEC and CFTC held a joint conference on September 30. That event focused on “regulatory harmonization” and featured a panel with some of the most influential voices in prediction markets. Kalshi co-founder Tarek Mansour and Polymarket founder Shayne Coplan joined Kraken co-CEO Arjun Sethi and others on stage. Their presence showed that prediction markets are increasingly being discussed alongside mainstream financial products.

Interestingly, the panel avoided direct debate on sports contracts. Yet the CFTC still made clear that such products could face legal headwinds depending on state laws. While the agency did not issue new enforcement actions, it reminded participants that certain contracts may not survive ongoing reviews.