Chris Giancarlo, the former head of the CFTC, is stepping away from his legal career to focus fully on the world of crypto and fintech.
He recently announced that he’s leaving his role at Willkie Farr & Gallagher and officially retiring from legal practice. Instead, he wants to spend his time helping crypto founders, fintech companies, and their leadership teams as a strategic adviser.
Giancarlo said he’ll now focus on guiding CEOs and boards, working on public policy research, and staying involved in nonprofit efforts. In simple terms, he’s shifting from practicing law to helping shape the future of digital finance.
Many people in the industry know him as “Crypto Dad.” He earned that nickname during his time leading the CFTC, where he showed early support for digital assets. One of his biggest moves was approving the first Bitcoin futures in the U.S., which helped connect traditional finance with the growing crypto market.
He first joined the CFTC in 2014 and later became chairman from 2017 to 2018. Even after leaving the role, he stayed active in the space. Recently, he worked with crypto-focused bank Sygnum, helping with global strategy and compliance.
In a recent podcast appearance, he talked about how slow new crypto laws have been. But he also made it clear that regulators like the CFTC and SEC already have enough tools to create a working system—they just need to use them.
Giancarlo believes the financial system needs to evolve. He warned that while some traditional banks are still unsure about crypto, the technology itself is too important to ignore. In his view, this is the future of finance, and the U.S. needs to keep up.
His move isn’t unusual. Other regulators are also heading into the private sector. For example, Caroline Pham recently left her role at the CFTC to join MoonPay as chief legal officer.
Overall, Giancarlo isn’t stepping back—he’s just changing lanes. Instead of regulating the system, he now wants to help build what comes next.
