- Trump’s CFTC nominee Brian Quintenz disclosed over US$3.4M in crypto-linked assets, including stakes in a16z funds, Kalshi, and Next Level Derivatives.
- Quintenz pledged to resign from a16z, divest all conflicting holdings within 90 days if confirmed, and recuse from related matters for up to two years.
- His portfolio touches sensitive regulatory areas, mostly crypto and prediction markets, which could raise conflict-of-interest concerns ahead of Senate confirmation.
US President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Commodity Futures Trading Commission is sitting on a sizeable crypto-linked portfolio, and if confirmed, he says he’s ready to walk away from all of it.
Brian Quintenz, who’s now Trump’s pick for the CFTC Chair, served as a former CFTC commissioner during Trump’s first term. Fast-forward to today, he’s the crypto policy chief at Andreessen Horowitz (ai16z).
Quintenz to Leave a16z If Picked as CFTC Chair
Quintenz disclosed more than US$3.4M (AU$5.9M) in assets in three a16z-managed investment vehicles—CNK Fund III, CNK Seed 1 Fund, and CNK IV Fund—as well as financial commitments tied to the general partners overseeing those funds.
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He’s also a board member at Kalshi, the prediction markets platform that just settled a high-profile election betting fight with the CFTC earlier this month. Quintenz owns both stock and unvested options in Kalshi, along with equity and options in derivatives brokerage Next Level Derivatives.
Overall, it’s a dense portfolio, and not one that steers clear of regulatory fault lines.
It’s quite interesting, actually, as Quintenz’s business interests touch two of the most sensitive and contested areas under the CFTC’s remit, crypto and prediction markets. But he’s aware of the optics. In the disclosure, Quintenz outlined a full roadmap for recusal and divestment, stating:
I will not participate personally and substantially in any particular matter in which I know that I have a financial interest directly and predictably affected by the matter.
Brian Quintenz, American financial managerIf confirmed, Quintenz has pledged to resign from all positions and divest any conflicting holdings within 90 days. That includes stepping down from a16z, recusing himself from any firm-related matters for two years, and forfeiting unvested stock options across multiple companies. He’ll also step back from Kalshi for one year.
Quintenz said he will continue to serve as an unpaid trustee for two family trusts, and plans to adhere to federal conflict-of-interest laws, including mandatory ethics briefings.
Trump announced the nomination in February, but the confirmation now rests with the Senate.
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