The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has announced the formation of a high-powered Innovation Advisory Committee (IAC). The 35-member panel is composed of a diverse group of industry leaders tasked with guiding the derivatives regulator through the evolving landscape of digital assets and financial technology. By integrating voices from across the marketplace, the agency aims to refine its regulatory framework to better accommodate emerging innovations.
The newly established committee features an expanded roster of digital asset heavyweights, including the chief executives of Coinbase, Ripple, Robinhood, and Uniswap Labs. This group builds upon a previous CEO council formed late last year, retaining original members such as Gemini’s Tyler Winklevoss and Kraken’s Arjun Sethi. The expanded membership also bridges the gap between decentralized finance and traditional markets, bringing in the heads of established institutions like Nasdaq, CME Group, and the London Stock Exchange Group.
Beyond the core financial and crypto sectors, the CFTC has recruited leaders from the gaming and venture capital worlds. The inclusion of the presidents and CEOs of FanDuel and DraftKings highlights the regulator’s interest in the intersection of prediction markets and technology. Meanwhile, prominent venture capital figures such as Chris Dixon of a16z Crypto and Alana Palmedo of Paradigm will provide insight into the investment trends shaping the next generation of financial infrastructure.
The initiative is a cornerstone of Chairman Mike Selig’s broader regulatory strategy. In a formal statement, Selig emphasized that the committee will serve as a “major asset” in the Commission’s efforts to modernize rules for today’s technological advancements. This collaborative approach comes as the CFTC intensifies its coordination with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the “Project Crypto” banner, signaling a more unified federal stance on digital asset oversight.
