Other candidates considered for CFTC Chair
Brian Quintenz's hopes of being the next CFTC Commissioner are seeming more distant with the White House reportedly considering other options.
Key points:
– There are reports that the White House is considering other candidates for CFTC Chair
– Tyler Williams and Michael Selig are the two names rumoured to be in the running
– Quintenz was nominated in February 2025 but questions over his association with Kalshi has delayed him being confirmed
As per a report from Bloomberg, Brian Quintenz may no longer be the frontrunner for the role of CFTC Chair, with the White House apparently considering other candidates.
While no one from the Trump Administration has issued a formal statement of intent regarding Quintenz’s long-awaited appointment to the top of the financial regulator, it is believed that new contenders include: Michael Selig, Chief Counsel to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s crypto task force, and Tyler Williams, a Counselor to Treasurey Secretary Scott Bessent on digital asset policy.
Quintenz was nominated by President Trump in February 2025 to replace Rostin Behnam in the role, however that succession was slowed up by uncertainty around whether Quintenz was privy to confidential CFTC information while at Kalshi.
The role of CFTC Chair is pertinent to the fate of prediction markets, as despite question marks over their similarity to betting, they are still under the jurisdiction of the financial derivatives regulator rather than the AGA.
As recently as July, despite Caroline Pham remaining in place as the Acting Chair of the CFTC, the White House reiterated its support for Quintenz, who has served previously as a commissioner at the independent Government agency during the first Trump presidency.
Good to know: The CFTC and Kalshi, where Quintenz sat on the Board of Directors, were engaged in a long-running dispute over sports event contracts, though the CFTC asked for permission from the US Court of Appeals to settle in May 2025
The Winklevoss twins, founders of Gemini cryptocurrency exchange, have called into question Quintenz’s suitability and requested that a vote on his nomination was delayed while he was investigated.
In response, the CFTC hopeful released a number of screenshots of his conversations with Tyler Winklevoss in an attempt to clear his name.
Neither Selig nor Williams have commented on being linked to the position.
Gambling Insider delivers the latest industry news, in-depth features, and operator reviews that you can trust. Our team combines rigorous editorial standards with decades of specialized expertise to ensure accuracy and fairness. We are committed to delivering clear, impartial, and dependable coverage across the global gambling sector.
