Donald Trump’s Crypto-Friendly Nominees: Brian Quintenz for CFTC Chair and French Hill to Lead in Congress

Key Takeaways

• Republican French Hill will lead the influential House Financial Services Committee.
• Former CFTC Commissioner Brian Quintenz, now policy lead at Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto arm, is a leading candidate to head the CFTC.
• Hill and Quintenz are part of a broader strategy by President-elect Donald Trump to build a crypto-friendly administration.

French Hill To Lead Financial Services Committee

French Hill, a Republican from Arkansas and former banker, will be the next chair of the House Financial Services Committee after securing the backing of the GOP’s steering panel.

Hill, a moderate who has represented the Little Rock area since 2015, defeated three other senior members of the Financial Services panel—Reps. Andy Barr of Kentucky, Bill Huizenga of Michigan, and Frank Lucas of Oklahoma—in one of the most highly anticipated races for the gavel this year.

The four candidates presented their cases to GOP steering committee members. The full conference will now vote to officially ratify the selection.

Currently serving as the Financial Services vice chair and leading a digital assets subcommittee, Hill will be key in advancing President-elect Trump’s financial policy agenda through Congress. He has worked with outgoing Chair Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) to promote crypto-friendly legislation, which will remain a major focus under the Trump administration.

Brian Quintenz Potential CFTC Chair

Brian Quintenz, former Republican CFTC commissioner, is a leading candidate to head the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under President-elect Trump.

Quintenz, who currently leads policy at Andreessen Horowitz’s digital asset arm, a16z crypto, has been interviewed for the role, according to sources familiar with the discussions.

The Trump transition team has completed interviews for the position of CFTC chair, the top U.S. swaps and futures regulator, with an announcement expected soon. Other candidates under consideration include Republican CFTC Commissioners Summer Mersinger and Caroline Pham and former CFTC officials Joshua Sterling and Neal Kumar.

If chosen, Quintenz would bridge digital assets and traditional finance. During his time at the CFTC, he championed digital asset derivatives and event contracts, policies he has continued to support at a16z. His experience positions him well to lead the agency through potential shifts in crypto regulation.

Trump’s Pro-crypto Nominees

Hill and Quintenz are the latest in a string of pro-crypto appointments by President-elect Trump, signaling a tech-friendly direction for his administration.

Last week, Trump announced he chose Paul Atkins to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Gail Slater to lead the Justice Department’s antitrust division—two pivotal roles that will shape the administration’s stance on the tech and crypto sectors.

Atkins, a vocal cryptocurrency advocate, serves as co-chairman of the Token Alliance at the Digital Chamber, a leading blockchain trade group. Slater, currently an economic adviser to Vice President-elect JD Vance, brings extensive experience in antitrust and tech policy from her time at the Federal Trade Commission and her tenure in the first Trump White House.

Beyond the surge in Bitcoin’s price —topping $100,000 in anticipation of a crypto-friendly administration—these choices are set to shape the trajectory of the digital economy for years to come.