Trump Eyes a16z Crypto Policy Head Brian Quintenz to Lead CFTC: Report

President Donald Trump plans to nominate Brian Quintenz, the head of policy at Andreessen Horowitz’s (a16z) crypto division, to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

Previously, Quintenz served as a Republican commissioner at the CFTC during Trump’s first term before joining the venture capital firm. He earned a reputation for advocating tailored, risk-focused regulation, urging the CFTC to concentrate on identifying and mitigating risks within the derivatives markets instead of imposing broad regulatory measures.

He particularly championed financial technology and innovation, especially cryptocurrency and blockchain. Further, he led the CFTC’s Technology Advisory Committee, steering discussions on how emerging technologies reshape financial markets. As a result, his efforts paved the way for Bitcoin futures contracts and advanced the evolution of decentralized finance (DeFi).

BREAKING: PRO-#BITCOIN BRIAN QUINTENZ TAPPED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BE NEW CFTC CHAIR

CRYPTO IS WINNING 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5KtiZEW2Dr

— The Bitcoin Historian (@pete_rizzo_) February 12, 2025

Trump’s Crypto Vision Gains Ground with Quintenz Leading CFTC Nomination

Bloomberg earlier reported that Quintenz emerged as the frontrunner to lead the regulator. If confirmed, he is expected to push for reforms that elevate the CFTC’s role as the primary authority on cryptocurrency.

Prior to his election, Trump actively sought backing and donations from the crypto community by pledging to become a “crypto president” and block President Biden’s regulatory actions against crypto firms. Moreover, regulators have accused these firms of violating securities and anti-money laundering laws.

Additionally, Quintenz and other crypto executives provided guidance to the Trump transition team on cryptocurrency policy.

Bloomberg further reported that the administration plans to nominate Jonathan Gould as Comptroller of the Currency, while it selects Jonathan McKernan to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

CFTC Gains Ground as Industry-Preferred Regulator

Many in the digital asset industry argue that the CFTC is the best regulator for US crypto exchanges. Consequently, Trump reportedly plans to expand the CFTC’s jurisdiction to include the digital asset market while reducing the SEC’s influence.

The CFTC is known for its more lenient approach compared to the SEC. Under Gary Gensler during the Biden administration, the SEC aggressively classified many cryptocurrencies as securities and initiated legal actions against numerous crypto companies—a stance criticized for stifling innovation.

In contrast, the CFTC has traditionally focused on commodities, futures and derivatives, catering mainly to institutional investors and maintaining a less stringent regulatory framework.