Quick Breakdown
- Brian Quintenz’s nomination to chair the CFTC has been withdrawn by the Trump White House.
- The move follows a dispute between Quintenz and Gemini’s Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss over CFTC policies.
- The CFTC remains under Acting Chair Caroline Pham as Congress advances the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act.
The Trump administration has pulled Brian Quintenz’s nomination to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), ending weeks of speculation over his confirmation prospects.
Quintenz confirms withdrawal
Quintenz, a former CFTC commissioner and head of crypto policy at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), confirmed the withdrawal in a statement as reported by Politico on September 30.
“Being nominated to chair the CFTC and going through the confirmation process was the honor of my life,”
he said, adding that he looked forward to returning to the private sector “during this exciting time for innovation.”
“I am grateful to the president for that opportunity and to the Senate Agriculture Committee for its consideration,”
Quintenz added.
“I look forward to returning to my private sector endeavors during this exciting time for innovation in our country.”
Despite strong backing from the crypto industry, his nomination faced repeated congressional delays and growing political pushback.
Winklevoss clash over nomination
The controversy intensified after Quintenz publicly accused Gemini co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss of lobbying against his confirmation. He claimed the brothers pressured President Donald Trump to withdraw his name following disagreements over the CFTC’s handling of Gemini’s $5 million settlement with the regulator earlier this year.
Quintenz released private messages on X suggesting the Winklevoss twins sought commitments on “cultural reform” within the agency and an end to “lawfare” against crypto firms. He insisted that he would not make promises before assuming office.
Leadership vacuum at the CFTC
The CFTC has been without a permanent chair for nearly a year, with Acting Chair Caroline Pham leading the agency. Pham had previously indicated she would step down if Quintenz was confirmed.
The nomination withdrawal comes at a critical time, as lawmakers debate the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act. The bill seeks to delineate the responsibilities of the SEC, CFTC, and other regulators, potentially handing the CFTC oversight of “sufficiently decentralized” assets such as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH).
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