David Edwards
Former CFTC commissioner and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) policy chief Brian Quintenz is reportedly Trump’s pick to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), signaling a pro-crypto regulatory shift.
Quintenz to Push for Crypto-Friendly Regulation at CFTC
According to a document sent from the White House to Capitol Hill, Trump intends to nominate Quintenz as the next CFTC chair, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 12. If confirmed, Quintenz is expected to advocate for policies that favor digital assets, positioning the CFTC as the primary regulatory authority for cryptocurrencies—potentially diminishing the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) influence in the sector.
Trump’s document also revealed two additional key appointments:
- Jonathan Gould, a partner at global law firm Jones Day, is set to become the Comptroller of the Currency, overseeing national banks.
- Jonathan McKernan, who resigned from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) on Feb. 11, has been tapped to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Quintenz’s Pro-Crypto Stance and History at the CFTC
Quintenz previously served as a Republican commissioner at the CFTC from 2016 to 2020 during Trump’s first term. During his tenure, he strongly supported integrating digital asset derivatives and crypto products into the agency’s regulatory framework.
Since joining Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto division, Quintenz has continued to advocate for clearer digital asset regulations. In March, he criticized SEC Chair Gary Gensler for inconsistent policies regarding Ether (ETH). He argued that by approving Ether futures ETFs in October 2023, the SEC had implicitly acknowledged ETH as a non-security.
“If the SEC had any doubt about ETH’s regulatory treatment, it wouldn’t have approved the ETF,” Quintenz said, adding that if ETH were classified as a security, then CFTC-listed futures contracts on the asset would be illegal.
A16z’s Expanding Influence in Crypto Regulation
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is among the largest venture capital firms in the crypto sector, having invested in major blockchain projects, including Solana, Avalanche, Aptos, EigenLayer, OpenSea, and Coinbase.
Following Trump’s resurgence in crypto policy discussions, a16z expressed optimism about a more flexible regulatory environment under the new administration. In November, the firm stated that it expects “greater flexibility to experiment” under a revamped approach to digital asset regulation.
If Quintenz secures the CFTC chairmanship, it could mark a significant regulatory shift favoring innovation in crypto markets—potentially challenging the SEC’s longstanding grip on the industry.
