US President Donald Trump has selected Michael Selig to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
Selig, who currently serves as chief counsel for the CFTC’s crypto task force, has previously worked alongside Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul Atkins.
Both Selig and David Sacks, the White House’s artificial intelligence and crypto czar, confirmed the selection in separate posts on X (formerly Twitter).
Sacks described Selig as “deeply knowledgeable about financial markets and passionate about modernizing our regulatory approach in order to maintain America’s competitiveness in the digital asset era.”
In his own post, Selig said he would “work tirelessly to facilitate Well-Functioning Commodity Markets, promote Freedom, Competition and Innovation, and help the President make the United States the Crypto Capital of the World.”
Selig’s nomination comes as the digital assets industry gains renewed momentum under the Trump administration. Earlier this year, the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act — two major pieces of legislation aimed at establishing clearer rules for digital assets — received strong support from investors.
Trump has long positioned himself as a champion of cryptocurrency, pledging during his campaign to transform the U.S. into a global crypto hub. His family’s business ventures have increasingly embraced digital assets, including Trump Media & Technology Group, DT Marks DEFI LLC, and a series of meme coins linked to both the president and First Lady Melania Trump.
The nomination also follows a setback in Trump’s earlier choice for the role, Brian Quintenz, whose bid was reportedly stalled after opposition from Tyler Winklevoss, co-founder of crypto exchange Gemini. Quintenz, a former CFTC commissioner, accused Winklevoss of lobbying against his nomination.
The CFTC, which oversees derivatives markets including commodities and digital assets, is typically governed by a bipartisan panel of five commissioners. Historically, presidents have appointed members from both major parties to ensure balance in regulation and oversight.
Selig joined the CFTC in March 2025 after serving as a partner at the international law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher.
