CFTC Chair Michael Selig has tapped pro-crypto Amir Zaidi as his chief of staff at the start of his tenure, a move that arrives after a recent milestone in Bitcoin futures trading. The appointment signals a potential industry-friendly tilt as the agency prepares for evolving derivatives oversight.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Mike Selig as chair of the CFTC and Travis Hill as chair of the FDIC on Dec. 18, 2025, appointments seen as crypto-friendly leadership at two influential regulators. Markets and industry participants are watching for how the pair will shape enforcement, bank supervision, and stablecoin policy.
President Trump is open to naming Democrats to lead the SEC and CFTC, a concession that could help break the Senate deadlock over pending crypto legislation.
Gemini Predictions is now live in all 50 U.S. states after the CFTC approved Gemini to operate as a Designated Contract Market, opening regulated event-based trading to American users. The move marks a notable regulatory milestone for crypto derivatives-style products.
The CFTC has withdrawn its prior guidance on digital assets to modernize oversight as the market evolves. The move is meant to align rules with current market realities and broader federal policy goals.
Chief executives from firms including Gemini and Kraken will take part in the CFTC Innovation Council’s upcoming public discussions to provide industry perspective on rulemaking. Their involvement signals a move toward greater industry-regulator dialogue on crypto market standards.
Gemini announced it has received Commodity Futures Trading Commission approval to operate prediction markets for U.S. customers, marking a regulatory milestone for event-based trading. The clearance could broaden retail access to structured betting on future events under federal oversight.
On Dec. 6, 2025 the CFTC approved spot trading for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), removing a key regulatory hurdle and opening U.S. markets to direct spot exposure. The decision is being viewed as a catalyst for increased institutional participation and deeper liquidity.
A CFTC-driven initiative to permit leveraged spot cryptocurrency trading in the U.S. is launching, beginning with Bitnomial, after pro-crypto signals from President Donald Trump. The move positions the CFTC as the primary regulator for this new product class.
Polymarket announced its U.S. return after the Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved it to operate as an exchange, marking a major regulatory milestone for prediction markets. The relaunch comes amid rising user interest and participation in event-based trading.