- The White House is weighing new options for the position of CFTC Chair following the long delay in nominee Brian Quintenz’s confirmation process.
- The two top names being considered for the office are Jill Sommers, a former CFTC Commissioner, and Kyle Hauptman, Chair of the National Credit Union Association.
- Quintenz had previously expressed interest in working with the Trump administration, but expressed a possible gang-up against his confirmation by some industry leaders.
The White House is making moves to get a new CFTC Chair nominee to replace Brian Quintenz, former CFTC Commissioner, whose nomination process has been on a standstill for a while. Per reliable sources, the Trump administration is looking towards Jill Sommers, a former CFTC Commissioner, and Kyle Hauptman, Chair of the National Credit Union Association, for the office.
Former CFTC Commissioner Sommers In Line For Chairmanship
Sommers was first sworn into the CFTC as a Commissioner in 2007, serving till the expiration of her tenure in 2009. After a nomination by the Obama administration in July 2009, she served a successive five-year term as a Commissioner in the CFTC.
Additionally, Sommers served in various other insider capacities in the CFTC, including working as the Commission designee to the Financial Literacy and Education Commission and Chair and Designated Federal Official of the Global Markets Advisory Committee.
Before her service at the CFTC, the former Commissioner garnered vast hands-on industry experience, such as working as the Policy Director and Head of Government Affairs for the International Swaps and Derivatives Association in 2025. She also worked for a decade in SEC Chair Paul Atkins’ consulting firm, Patomak Global Partners, and is said to have a good relationship with the Securities and Exchange Commission Chief.
White House Considering NCUA Chair Kyle Hauptman to Head CFTC
Hauptman, on the other hand, was appointed by President Trump as the 13th Chairman of the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration), where he previously served as Vice Chairman in 2020.
Mr. Hauptman has also served as an economic policy advisor to Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas and was a Staff Director of the Senate Banking Committee’s Economic Policy Subcommittee. He was also a Senior Vice President at investment bank Jefferies, trading futures and U.S. Treasuries.
Both of these potential nominees are said to be pro-crypto and could represent the best interests of the majority of industry players. Bloomberg also reports that SEC Crypto Task Force Counsel Mike Selig and Treasury’s Tyler Williams are also being assessed for CFTC Chair.
Industry Politics Possibly Led To Quintenz Halt
Since a hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee in June, Quintenz’s nomination has been on hold by the White House for no clear reasons. Earlier this September, Quintenz revealed a chat between him and Gemini’s Tyler Winklevoss, while alleging that the direction of the exchange must have led to the Gemini co-founders asking the President to pause his nomination.
The Trump nominee maintains his commitment to transparency and the President’s vision for American digital asset leadership. Meanwhile, many industry players see Acting Chair Caroline D. Pham as a good fit for CFTC Chair, going by her pro-innovation initiatives since being appointed to the office.
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