The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission is reshaping its approach to digital assets by appointing prominent crypto executives as the first members of a newly formed innovation advisory panel. The move comes under the leadership of Mike Selig, who took office last month and has begun reorganizing the agency’s external advisory structure. The revamped panel will focus on innovation across financial markets, with an explicit emphasis on emerging technologies such as blockchain and digital assets. Among the inaugural members is Tyler Winklevoss, chief executive of Gemini, alongside leaders from major crypto firms and market infrastructure providers. The decision signals a shift toward deeper industry engagement as the CFTC positions itself to play a central role in shaping future crypto market rules in the United States.
The innovation panel draws from a group of executives initially assembled late last year and now formalized as charter members under the new structure. Participants include senior figures from crypto exchanges such as Gemini, Kraken, Crypto.com, and Bullish, as well as executives from derivatives and market infrastructure firms including Nasdaq, CME Group, Intercontinental Exchange, and Cboe Global Markets. Leaders from prediction market platforms Polymarket and Kalshi are also included, reflecting the CFTC’s broader mandate across derivatives, event contracts, and emerging financial instruments. By blending crypto native companies with established financial institutions, the commission aims to gather practical insight on how new technologies are reshaping trading, settlement, and risk management. The panel is intended to advise the agency as it considers how innovation should be reflected in future market structure and oversight.
The CFTC has increasingly been viewed as a key regulator for digital asset markets, particularly as lawmakers debate legislation that would expand its authority over crypto commodities. Chairman Selig said the advisory group will help the commission develop fit for purpose rules for a financial system being transformed by artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud based infrastructure. The agency has also invited public input on additional panel members and discussion topics, indicating that the committee’s scope could widen further in the coming months. For the crypto industry, the formation of an innovation focused panel staffed by senior executives represents a notable step toward more structured dialogue with regulators. It also reflects a broader shift away from enforcement driven engagement toward collaborative rulemaking at a moment when US crypto market structure remains under active review.
