Who is Michael Selig? Trump nominates pro-crypto lawyer to head CFTC

The Trump administration has appointed Michael Selig, a pro-crypto lawyer and SEC counsel, to head up the CFTC.

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) may finally get a chairperson as President Donald Trump’s nominee, Michael Selig, begins the vetting process.

The CFTC is currently under the leadership of Acting Chair Caroline Pham, who assumed the role in April 2025. She was nominated to the position by President Joe Biden in 2022 and unanimously confirmed by the Senate.

The Trump administration initially picked former CFTC Commissioner Brian Quintenz, who also sat on the board of gambling platform Kalshi. However, his nomination was withdrawn in September, reportedly at the request of the Winklevoss brothers, who were concerned that he was not sufficiently pro-crypto.

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