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PRO-CRYPTO BRIAN QUINTENZ RETURNS TO CFTC AS TRUMP’S CHAIRMAN PICK
Former CFTC Commissioner Brian Quintenz is set to lead the agency again, signaling a shift in crypto regulation under the Trump administration.
Brian Quintenz, a former commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, is expected to return as chairman following his selection by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to Bloomberg.
If confirmed, he would serve a term running until April 13, 2029, returning to the agency at a time when crypto regulation is a central issue in financial policy.
His nomination aligns with broader efforts by the Trump administration to reshape regulatory oversight of digital assets and derivatives markets.
Quintenz previously served as a Republican commissioner at the CFTC from 2017 to 2021, playing a key role in overseeing the launch of the first fully regulated Bitcoin and Ethereum futures contracts.
During his tenure, he emerged as a strong advocate for a pro-innovation regulatory framework, pushing for clear, well-defined rules that would encourage institutional adoption of digital assets while maintaining market integrity.
His stance earned him comparisons to SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce—dubbed “Crypto Mom” in industry circles—for her similar advocacy of crypto-friendly regulation.
After leaving the CFTC, Quintenz joined Andreessen Horowitz’s (a16z) crypto division in December 2022, where he led policy efforts to influence U.S. crypto regulations.
The venture capital giant, which has investments in projects like Solana, Uniswap, Lido DAO, Optimism, and Eigenlayer, has consistently pushed for CFTC oversight of digital assets rather than SEC jurisdiction.
The crypto industry has long viewed the CFTC as a more accommodating regulator compared to the SEC, which has taken a stricter enforcement-driven approach under Chair Gary Gensler.
The nomination follows months of speculation. In December, reports surfaced that Trump was considering Quintenz among other candidates for the role.
Meanwhile, Trump’s newly appointed AI and Crypto Czar, David Sacks, has outlined plans to work with Congress on market structure legislation, signaling a push for clearer digital asset regulations.
Quintenz’s return could mark a shift in how the $400 trillion derivatives market, which includes a growing share of crypto-related products, is regulated.
Acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham has expressed support for the nomination, stating that she worked with Quintenz on key initiatives during his previous tenure and believes he will bring the same focus on crypto and innovation back to the agency.
The nomination will now go through the confirmation process, with Quintenz expected to lead the agency as the U.S. debates the future of crypto market oversight.
@ Newshounds News™
Source: Crypto News
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MEMECOIN REGULATION: SEC’S HESTER PEIRCE CHALLENGES GENSLER’S STANCE
Indirectly denouncing former SEC chairman Gary Ggensler stance on whether cryptocurrencies are securities, US Securities and Exchange Commission Commissioner Hester Peirce states that a good number of the memecoins in the market do not come under the purview of the country’s securities regulatory agency.
What makes her statement extremely significant is that Peirce chairs the crypto task force recently appointed by US President Donald Trump to determine which cryptocurrencies fall under the definition of ‘securities’ – thus under the jurisdiction of the SEC – and which do not.
SEC’s Stance on Memecoins
US SEC Commissioner Herster Peirce’s statement on the Memecoin regulatory environment explains what the current position of the securities regulatory agency on the matter is.
It appears that the current SEC leadership does not think it has the legal authority or responsibility to regulate a good number of the memecoins in the market.
Importantly, reports indicate that Peirce even thinks that the US Congress and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are the competent authorities to address the sensitive matter of memecoin regulation.
Contrasting Views: Former SEC Chair Gensler’s Stance Analysed
Former SEC Chairman Gary Gensler was infamous for his conservative stance on crypto regulation. Under his leadership, the SEC maintained a position that a good number of cryptocurrencies are securities. It was this position that prompted the regulatory agency to open a series of legal battles against prominent crypto companies including Binance, Coinbase and Kraken.
The Memecoin Phenomenon: A Short Overview
The total market cap of the memecoin sector stands at $75,568,127,803 – which makes at least 2.31% of the total market cap of the cryptocurrency sector of $3,267,930,674,001.
As of now, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Pepe, Official Trump and Bonk are the top five memecoins by market cap.
The market caps of:
DOGE stands at $37,387,932,934;
SHIB at $9,238,118,808;
PEPE at $4,021,074,346;
TRUMP at $3,080,509,036; and
BONK at $1,345,093,611.
In the last one year, Dogecoin has surged by 214%; Shiba Inu by 68%; Pepe by 850%; and Bonk by 41.4%.
Memecoin Regulation: Concerns and Challenges
Critics express serious concerns about the memecoin market primarily because of its unregulated environment and extreme volatility.
In the last seven days, DOGE has dropped by 4.5%; SHIB by 2%; PEPE by 6.5%; TRUMP by 14.5%; and BONK by 6%.
Moreover, many believe that the market is highly susceptible to fraudulent projects and pump-and-dump schemes.
Recently, a memecoin investor filed a lawsuit with the support of Wolf Popper and Burwick, prominent US law firms, against Pump.Fun, a platform built on Solana to allow users to create and trade meme coins easily, accusing it of violating securities laws by offering extremely volatile memecoins.
In conclusion, Hester Peirce says ‘most memecoins are not securities’, a stance different from Gary Gensler’s. Meanwhile, the memecoin market keeps growing, but concerns over fraud and volatility remain. A new lawsuit against Pump.Fun adds to regulatory uncertainty as the debate over memecoin regulation continues.
@ Newshounds News™
Source: Coinpedia
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