President Donald Trump has nominated Michael Selig to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), underscoring the administration’s growing focus on the fast-evolving cryptocurrency sector. The nomination, confirmed by a senior White House official, highlights Washington’s increasing attention to digital asset oversight as crypto markets expand globally.
I am honored to be nominated by President Trump to serve as the 16th Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. With the President’s leadership, a Great Golden Age for America’s Financial Markets and a Wealth of New Opportunities stand before us. I pledge to work… https://t.co/cO2vLBAv0z
— Mike Selig (@MikeSeligEsq) October 25, 2025
Selig currently serves as chief counsel for the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) crypto task force, where he has worked alongside SEC Chairman Paul Atkins to align policy approaches between the SEC and CFTC. His background includes extensive experience in financial regulation and asset management law, having previously been a partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
If confirmed, Selig would assume leadership of the CFTC at a critical moment. Lawmakers are currently debating new measures that could broaden the agency’s jurisdiction to cover more aspects of cryptocurrency market structure—potentially giving it greater influence beyond its traditional role overseeing derivatives, futures, and swaps.
This marks Trump’s second attempt to fill the CFTC chair post. His earlier nominee, Brian Quintenz—widely recognized for his crypto expertise and work with a16z crypto—failed to advance following industry resistance from figures such as Tyler Winklevoss of Gemini Space Station Inc.
Neither Selig nor representatives from the White House or CFTC have commented publicly on the nomination. However, the decision is expected to draw close attention from Wall Street, policymakers, and crypto innovators alike, as regulatory clarity becomes increasingly important to digital asset growth.
