A16z encryption policy executive Quintenz invited to interview with CFTC chairman under Trump, favored for background as former Republican CFTC commissioner

Former Republican Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) commissioner, now the well-known venture capital a16z's encryption policy director Brian Quintenz, has been interviewed by the incoming US President Trump's own team and is considered a hot candidate for CFTC chairman.

The Trump administration begins CFTC chairman interviews, with Quintenz leading the list of hot candidates.

According to Bloomberg, the Trump team has now concluded the interview for the chairman of the CFTC and is expected to announce the result in the coming days. In addition to Quintenz, the current Republican members of the CFTC, Summer Mersinger and Caroline Pham, as well as former CFTC commissioners Joshua Sterling and Neal Kumar, are also under consideration. Quintenz's previous regulatory background at the CFTC and his experience as a policy executive at a16z in encryption make him stand out in this 'competition'.

Quintenz previously founded Saeculum Capital Management, a hedge fund, and also worked on Capitol Hill. During his tenure as a CFTC commissioner in Trump's first term, he actively promoted emerging financial services such as digital asset derivatives and event contracts. After leaving office, he joined the well-known venture capital firm a16z Crypto, continuing to promote and advocate for more friendly encryption currency regulatory policies, and also joined the board of directors of the prediction market Kalshi.

The key shift in encryption policy, Quintenz may affect the future of the industry

The encryption industry can be said to be an undeniable force in the 2024 US election, not only funding the overthrow of incumbent members of Congress, but also attracting attention through the unregulated prediction market Polymarket. It is reported that a16z donated $25 million in political contributions to the political action committee Fairshake, which supports encryption-friendly candidates.

Currently in the encryption industry, it is widely believed that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is more friendly than the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and is better suited to regulate encryption currencies, especially in clarifying the regulatory applicability of products or services.

Not Representing 'Unregulated'! There is Still a Long Way to Go to Balance with Innovation.

On the a16z official website on 11/10, Quintenz and other department heads pointed out that although the Trump administration or Congress may relax regulations in the future, the basic regulatory principles for blockchain systems remain unchanged. Quintenz emphasized, "Certain specific industries will still face scrutiny." This reflects that the encryption industry still has a long way to go in achieving a balance between innovation and regulation.

This article a16z encryption policy director Quintenz was invited to interview with Trump CFTC chairman, and his background as a former Republican CFTC commissioner was favored. It first appeared on Chain News ABMedia.