Nominations must be submitted by December 8 for a new group of industry leaders who will help shape CFTC regulations.
Grygo is the chief content officer for FTF & FTF News.
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is seeking “expert industry leaders” to join its new CFTC CEO Innovation Council, which is intended to help the regulator “in shaping responsible regulations that will lay the foundation for America’s Golden Age of Innovation,” says Caroline D. Pham, the acting chairman of the CFTC.
Those who wish to join the CFTC CEO Innovation Council must act quickly.
“The deadline for submissions is December 8. Under Acting Chairman Pham’s leadership, the CFTC has led rapid advancements on innovation and market structure, including the Crypto CEO Forum, prediction markets, perpetual contracts, and 24/7 trading,” according to the CFTC.
Thus, those who are selected for the council will likely have a full agenda to complete.
“The CFTC’s Crypto Sprint to implement the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets report recommendations is targeted to continue through August 2026 and includes listed spot crypto trading, tokenized collateral and stablecoins, and rulemaking to enable the use of blockchain technology and market infrastructure,” according to the CFTC.
In addition, Pham says that she is open to members of the public proposing individuals and subjects that need attention, according to the announcement. For instance, I would suggest that greater innovation will require greater protections, guidelines, and regulations that reflect and counter harsh new realities.
The formation of the new council may happen at the same time as the creation of a new set of CFTC commissioners.
For the moment, Acting Chairman Pham is the only CFTC commissioner because of resignations and delays in making and approving new appointments. A new chairman appears to be on his way as Michael “Mike” Selig, chief counsel of the SEC Crypto Task Force and senior advisor to Atkin, is the Trump administration’s choice to be the next CFTC chairman. Pham will continue to serve as the Acting Chair until the U.S. Senate ultimately confirms Selig. Presumably, nominations for new commissioners will be made once a chairman is appointed.
In the meantime, each nomination submission for the council “should include relevant information about the nominee, such as the individual’s name, title, and organizational affiliation, as well as information that supports the individual’s qualifications for the CEO Innovation Council. The submission should also include suggestions for potential topics to prioritize, as well as the name and email or mailing address of the person nominating the individual. Submission of a nomination is not a guarantee of selection for the CEO Innovation Council,” according to CFTC officials.
The CEO members of the council are likely to find themselves taking on a few challenges.
“The U.S. is leading a new era in market structure, and the CFTC is at the forefront of this renaissance accelerated by innovation and technology,” Pham says in a prepared statement. “The CFTC stands ready to carry out our mission over expanded markets and products, including crypto and digital assets, and ensure our markets remain vibrant and resilient while protecting all participants. In order to hit the ground running, it is critical that the CFTC drives public engagement with the support of expert industry leaders and visionaries who are building the future.”
All CEO Innovation Council nominations and potential hot topics should be emailed to CEOcouncil@cftc.gov, according to the CFTC, which asks people to “Please use the subject ‘CEO Innovation Council Nomination’ for submissions.”
Break legs, everyone!
Need a Reprint?