Crypto Lobby Groups Rally Behind Brian Quintenz as CFTC Chair Nomination Stalls

On August 20, seven of the industry’s most influential advocacy groups sent a joint letter to President Donald Trump, urging swift action to advance Quintenz’s confirmation. The rare show of unity brought together the Crypto Council for Innovation, Blockchain Association, DeFi Education Fund, Chamber of Digital Commerce, Satoshi Action Fund, Decentralization Research Center, and Solana Policy Institute.

Their appeal follows weeks of mounting concern over the stalled process. Quintenz, a former CFTC commissioner who served from 2017 to 2021, was nominated by Trump earlier this year with strong initial support from industry stakeholders. But his path to confirmation has since been complicated by behind-the-scenes pushback from high-profile figures, most notably Gemini co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss.

According to a July Politico report , the Winklevoss twins personally lobbied Trump to abandon the nomination, claiming Quintenz was out of step with the administration’s agenda. That intervention has split the crypto policy world into two camps: the Winklevoss faction on one side and a unified coalition of Washington’s lobbying heavyweights on the other.

In their letter, the groups argue Quintenz is uniquely qualified to steer the CFTC at a pivotal moment. They cite his leadership of the agency’s Technology Advisory Committee, where he initiated some of the most comprehensive federal discussions on digital assets , and his role in approving the first U.S.-regulated Bitcoin and Ether futures contracts.

The lobbying effort underscores industry fears that prolonged uncertainty at the CFTC could undercut market stability just as Congress considers legislation expanding the agency’s authority over digital assets.

The groups stressed that installing a confirmed chair is not merely procedural but essential for interagency coordination, regulatory clarity, and maintaining U.S. competitiveness in the fast-evolving digital asset sector.