U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Brian Quintenz to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, yet another pro-crypto person to regulate an office. Quintenz, has gone on to disclose millions of dollars in assets along with direct links to several crypto-related firms. The disclosure might complicate his confirmation process for the nation’s top derivatives regulator.
The disclosures, released by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics on May 25, reveal that Quintenz holds at least $3.4 million in assets and has active roles in organizations with clear regulatory intersections with the CFTC’s priorities, according to a May 27 report by Bloomberg.
Quintenz, who served as a CFTC commissioner between 2017 and 2021, is currently the global head of crypto policy at venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz, also known as a16z. His financial interests include stakes in three AH Capital Management funds CNK Fund III, CNK Seed 1 Fund, and CNK IV Fund as well as capital commitments tied to associated general partners.
Beyond his work with a16z, he also sits on the board of Kalshi, a market prediction platform, where he owns both stock and unvested options. Kalshi recently resolved a high-profile legal dispute with the CFTC over election betting. Additionally, Quintenz holds equity and vested options in Next Level Derivatives, a brokerage focused on finance and lending.
These holdings place Quintenz at the intersection of two central policy areas for the CFTC: cryptocurrency regulation and prediction markets. In an agreement letter submitted to John Einstman, the CFTC’s Designated Agency Ethics Official, on May 21, Quintenz outlined the steps he would take to comply with federal ethics requirements and avoid any conflict of interest.
Quintenz committed to resigning from all positions and divesting from any conflicting assets within 90 days of confirmation. His recusal plan includes distancing himself from any a16z-related matters for two years and stepping away from any involvement with Kalshi for one year.
He also pledged to forfeit unvested stock options across the firms in question. While he will retain unpaid trustee positions for two family trusts, Quintenz assured he would comply with all standard conflict-of-interest regulations and undergo the necessary ethics briefings.
His nomination comes at a time of upheaval within the CFTC itself, as the agency faces an unusual level of turnover. On May 21, Democratic Commissioner Kristin Johnson announced her intention to depart later this year. Her exit follows earlier decisions by Commissioners Summer Mersinger and Christy Goldsmith Romero, who will be stepping down on May 30 and May 31, respectively.
These departures mean that all four commissioner positions may be open for replacement this year, amplifying the spotlight on the Trump administration’s crypto-friendly regulatory direction. Originally nominated in February, Quintenz is currently awaiting Senate confirmation as the Trump administration continues to reshape its regulatory leadership in alignment with its evolving stance on digital assets.
