Who is Michael Selig? The new president of the CFTC who takes charge at a critical moment.

Source: Yellow Original Title: Who is Michael Selig? The new president of the CFTC taking charge at a critical time.

Original Link: Michael Selig was sworn in on Monday as the sixteenth chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), taking the helm of the U.S. derivatives regulator at a time of increasing retail participation, accelerated financial innovation, and pending legislation on digital assets.

Selig was nominated by President Donald Trump in late October and confirmed by the United States Senate last week.

His appointment places a regulator with direct experience in digital asset policy at the center of U.S. oversight of futures, swaps, and commodity-linked products.

What happened

In his first statements as president, Selig described the current period as a stage of structural change for commodity and derivatives markets, citing the emergence of new technologies, platforms, and products alongside the increase in retail activity.

He pointed to the upcoming legislation on the structure of the digital asset market as a key factor that will shape the commission's short-term agenda, positioning the CFTC as a central regulator in a changing landscape of cryptocurrencies and derivatives.

Selig arrives at the CFTC with a background that combines financial regulation and digital assets.

Most recently, he served as chief legal advisor to the cryptocurrency working group at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and as senior advisor to the SEC chairman, Paul Atkins.

In that position, he participated in efforts to develop a clearer regulatory framework for digital asset securities, reduce reliance on enforcement-based oversight, and harmonize regulatory approaches between the SEC and the CFTC.

He also contributed to the President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, which examined ways to strengthen the United States' leadership in financial technology and digital finance.

That work placed Selig at the center of inter-institutional discussions on how cryptocurrency markets should be supervised across different regulatory borders.

Why it is important

Before joining the government, Selig was a partner at an international law firm, where he advised clients in the derivatives and securities markets.

His practice included work with futures commission merchants, swap intermediaries, exchanges, clearinghouses, and digital asset firms subject to CFTC oversight.

I regularly advised clients on compliance with the Commodity Exchange Act, registration requirements, oversight matters, and complex derivative transactions.

The appointment signals continuity with recent movements by U.S. regulators to clarify the oversight of derivatives linked to cryptocurrencies and related markets, even as Congress debates broader legislation on digital assets.

As president, Selig will oversee the role of the CFTC in maintaining market integrity and financial stability, while adapting regulatory frameworks to accommodate emerging technologies.