CFTC Forms Innovation Advisory Committee With 35 Crypto and Finance Industry Leaders

TLDR:

• • CFTC appoints 35 industry leaders to Innovation Advisory Committee for derivatives oversight 
  • Committee includes executives from Coinbase, Kraken, Gemini, CME Group, and Nasdaq platforms 
  • Chairman Selig aims to future-proof markets through collaboration with diverse stakeholders
  • Academic experts and venture capital firms join traditional finance leaders on advisory panel

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced the members of its Innovation Advisory Committee on February 12, 2026.

Chairman Michael S. Selig nominated 35 industry leaders representing cryptocurrency platforms, traditional exchanges, and clearing organizations.

The committee will advise the agency on emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and blockchain. Michael Passalacqua was named as the designated federal officer for the panel.

Diverse Industry Representation Across Financial Sectors

The newly formed committee brings together executives from various segments of the financial markets. Cryptocurrency exchange leaders include Brian Armstrong from Coinbase, Arjun Sethi from Kraken, and Tyler Winklevoss from Gemini. Traditional market operators such as Terry Duffy of CME Group and Adena Friedman of Nasdaq also joined the panel.

The CFTC shared the announcement through its official social media channels. The agency posted details about the committee formation and member appointments. The communication emphasized the collaborative approach between regulators and market participants.

Prediction market operators received representation through Shayne Coplan of Polymarket and Tarek Mansour of Kalshi. Sports betting platforms gained seats with Jason Robins from DraftKings and Christian Genetski from FanDuel.

Blockchain infrastructure providers include Hayden Adams of Uniswap Labs and Anatoly Yakovenko of Solana Labs.

Academic perspectives will come from Professor Harry Crane and Professor Carla Reyes. Venture capital representation includes Chris Dixon from a16z crypto and Alana Palmedo from Paradigm.

Clearing and settlement infrastructure leaders such as Frank LaSalla from DTCC round out the diverse membership roster.

Forward-Looking Regulatory Framework Development

Chairman Selig described the committee formation as marking an important moment for the agency. “Today marks an important and energizing moment at the CFTC as the Innovation Advisory Committee takes shape,” he stated.

The chairman added that the group’s work would help ensure decisions reflect market realities and future-proof markets.

The committee will focus on helping the Commission adapt to rapid technological changes. Members will provide expertise on how innovations are reshaping derivatives and commodity markets.

Chairman Selig emphasized the goal of developing clear rules for what he called the Golden Age of American Financial Markets.

Maintaining America’s position in global financial markets represents a key priority for the Commission. “America is home to the most transparent and well-regulated financial markets in the world, but we cannot assume that this will always be the case,” Chairman Selig cautioned. He stressed the importance of continuous modernization efforts to preserve this status.

The chairman highlighted the value of diverse market perspectives in regulatory development. “By bringing together participants from every corner of the marketplace, the IAC will be a major asset for the Commission,” Selig explained.

The agency aims to modernize rules and regulations for current and future innovations through this collaborative approach.

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