Catenaa, Tuesday, June 17, 2025- Brian Quintenz, President Donald Trump’s nominee to chair the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, indicated last Tuesday that the agency would require additional funding if tasked with broader oversight of the cryptocurrency market.
His statement came during a Senate nomination hearing where lawmakers largely appeared to agree with his assessment.
Quintenz stressed that “new jurisdiction comes with new resources,” suggesting that any expanded authority over digital assets would necessitate more staff and stronger infrastructure for the CFTC.
This push for resources emerges as Congress works on legislation that could grant the agency a larger role in regulating cryptocurrencies, a sector seeing unprecedented adoption by consumers and traditional financial firms.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., echoed the need for the CFTC to possess the “institutional capacity” to handle these emerging challenges.
Quintenz acknowledged that undertaking such a significant oversight responsibility would be a challenge without increased resources once new rules are implemented.
Quintenz, who previously served as a CFTC commissioner from 2017 to 2021 and currently heads global policy at a16z crypto, is seen by many as a strong candidate to lead the agency during this pivotal time.
If confirmed, he could initially be the sole commissioner, as other commissioners have recently left or announced their departures. Quintenz has previously advocated for clear classification and jurisdictional clarity in digital asset regulation.
