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White House May Tap Josh Sterling as CFTC Chair — What It Means for Crypto

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The White House is vetting Josh Sterling, a former senior official on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), as a possible nominee to steer the company, based on folks conversant in the matter.

The transfer comes after the stalled nomination of Brian Quintenz, whose affirmation course of was delayed amid political pushback and conflict-of-interest considerations.

Sterling beforehand served as Director of the CFTC’s Market Participants Division from 2017 to 2021, the place he oversaw insurance policies associated to market surveillance, registration of contributors, and cryptocurrency buying and selling dangers.

His expertise in each conventional markets and digital property is being carefully weighed as the administration searches for a candidate who can navigate the company’s rising function in crypto oversight.

Sterling, Selig, Williams Floated as Contenders for Next CFTC Chair

Eleanor Mueller first reported on X that Sterling is into consideration, whereas Bloomberg famous that different contenders embrace Mike Selig and Tyler Williams.

Selig, who serves as chief counsel to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s crypto job pressure and was previously a associate at Willkie Farr & Gallagher, is seen as having deep coverage experience.

Williams, a counselor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on digital property and a former government at Galaxy Digital, has additionally been mentioned.

The search for a brand new chair comes as the CFTC prepares to broaden its jurisdiction over the crypto market.

Traditionally tasked with regulating derivatives such as futures and swaps, the company’s function might develop underneath pending congressional laws that might give it direct oversight of spot buying and selling in digital commodities like Bitcoin and Ether.

Outgoing chair Rostin Behnam, who stepped down in January, argued that the CFTC is finest positioned to control digital commodities and oversaw a number of main enforcement actions, together with a $4.3 billion settlement with Binance.

Quintenz, a former CFTC commissioner and head of coverage at a16z crypto, was initially nominated by President Trump in February.

His candidacy, initially backed by crypto industry groups, confronted opposition after reviews surfaced that Gemini co-founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss urged Trump to rethink.

The White House later requested the Senate Agriculture Committee, which oversees the company, to pause it’s affirmation vote.

The CFTC is presently working with solely two commissioners on its five-member panel, leaving it with restricted capability.

Industry observers warn that continued delays in confirming a everlasting chair might gradual progress on establishing clear guidelines for the crypto sector, even as calls for stronger oversight intensify.

CFTC Expands Digital Asset Advisory Roles, Links Efforts to New Crypto Bill

The CFTC recently added new members to its Global Markets Advisory Committee (GMAC) and Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee (DAMS), displaying its effort to convey trade experience into digital asset policymaking.

Fresh appointees to DAMS embrace Katherine Minarik of Uniswap Labs, Avery Ching of Aptos Labs, James J. Hill of BNY, and Ben Sherwin of Chainlink Labs—figures with

backgrounds in blockchain infrastructure, authorized coverage, and institutional crypto technique.

JPMorgan’s Scott Lucas will now co-chair the group alongside Franklin Templeton’s Sandy Kaul, changing Caroline Butler.

Lucas confused the significance of “clear and efficient regulatory frameworks,” whereas Kaul pointed to shopper safety as a key precedence.

DAMS advises the CFTC on blockchain, tokenization, and decentralized finance, serving to the company assess dangers and align oversight throughout monetary markets.

The appointments come as Congress advances a revised draft of the Responsible Financial Innovation Act of 2025.

The invoice proposes a Joint Advisory Committee between the SEC and CFTC, introduces express protections for decentralized builders, and clarifies that airdrops, staking rewards, and DePIN tokens usually are not securities.

The submit White House May Tap Josh Sterling as CFTC Chair — What It Means for Crypto appeared first on Cryptonews.

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