CFTC Chairman Nominee Claims Gemini Co-Founder Attempted Pressure
Date: 2025-09-12 Author: Henry Casey Categories: BUSINESS
Brian Quintenz, who Donald Trump nominated to head the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in February 2025, said he faced opposition from the Winklevoss brothers. According to him, the Gemini co-founders are trying to block his appointment because they refuse to support them in their conflict with the regulator.
Currently, Commissioner Caroline Pham is acting as the head of the agency. Despite hearings in the Senate, Quintenz's nomination has not yet been approved. He himself attributes the delay to the influence of Gemini.
To prove his words, Quintenz published correspondence with Tyler Winklevoss, which took place in late July 2025. In it, the entrepreneur insisted that the future head of the commission study Gemini's complaint about the CFTC's actions. The exchange claimed that in June, the regulator had unjustifiably opened a case against it, as a result of which the company paid a $5 million fine. The basis for this was allegedly a statement from a former employee without sufficient evidence.
In response, Quintenz promised only to conduct an objective review of the situation, noting that only the approved chairman of the agency can make final decisions. This position disappointed Winklevoss. In his message, he emphasized that he considers "correcting injustice" a priority and intends to discuss the problem directly with the president.
According to Quintenz, the correspondence clearly demonstrates pressure from the brothers. He noted that he did not make promises, after which, as he assumes, they asked Trump to postpone his confirmation. Winklevoss himself has not yet publicly responded to this statement.
It is curious that at the beginning of the year, the brothers expressed support for Quintenz's candidacy. However, by the end of July, Politico, citing sources, reported that they had begun actively promoting the idea of replacing the candidate. Among the arguments against Quintenz were his connections to the crypto market, in particular the Kalshi platform, which, according to opponents, could create a conflict of interest.
Thus, the fight for the CFTC chair has intensified: the candidate claims lobbying pressure from well-known entrepreneurs, and the process of his appointment remains in question. The situation shows how much the personal interests of crypto market players can influence personnel decisions in key US financial agencies.
