- Tyler Winklevoss told Trump that Brian Quintenz’s policy does not match his crypto mission.
- Leaked emails show Quintenz’s aide wanted early access to CFTC data during the transition.
- Industry fears Quintenz could slow innovation and bring stricter rules that aid old finance.
Tyler Winklevoss has urged President Donald Trump to reconsider his CFTC nominee, Brian Quintenz, amid growing fears of institutional bias. The billionaire crypto entrepreneur and Gemini co-founder believes Quintenz’s regulatory stance contradicts the decentralized principles that Trump’s pro-crypto agenda claims to support. As the Senate prepared to vote on Quintenz’s nomination, the White House abruptly delayed the process, raising questions about mounting opposition from crypto industry leaders.
Direct Appeal to Trump Disrupts Confirmation Plans
According to sources familiar with the matter, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss contacted Trump over the weekend to express their disapproval of Quintenz’s nomination. The twins, who own the crypto firm Gemini, warned the President that Quintenz’s views conflict with the administration’s deregulatory goals. On Monday, journalist Eleanor Terrett reported that the Senate Agriculture Committee postponed the scheduled vote with no public explanation, triggering speculation across Washington.
People close to the discussions suggested the delay may have resulted from pressure by crypto figures or lobbying groups. The American Gaming Association, for example, has voiced concern over Quintenz’s support for prediction markets, which Kalshi, his former board, is involved in. Kalshi is directly regulated by the CFTC, a fact that Winklevoss views as a serious conflict of interest.
In an official comment, Tyler Winklevoss stated, “He’s the wrong person for this nomination and to chair the CFTC.” He continued, “His policy is not in line with the stated goals and policy of President Trump and the Trump administration. And they’re actually quite antithetical to the ethos of crypto and decentralization.”
Emails Raise Questions About Transparency
Tensions escalated when The Closing Line published a blog post citing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The emails showed Quintenz’s expected chief of staff attempting to obtain confidential CFTC data during transition planning. This revelation sparked intense concern across lobbying groups and Capitol Hill staffers, especially among crypto advocates.
The documents suggested early access requests to agency information while Quintenz still held a position at Kalshi, whose market operations depend on CFTC decisions. Despite these concerns, the administration stood by the nomination. A White House spokesperson, Liz Huston, told reporters that Trump remains committed to appointing Quintenz and wants the U.S. to become “the crypto capital of the world.”
Crypto observers believe the leaked emails could deepen mistrust in the regulatory process. “We need regulators who understand and respect decentralization,” said one source close to the Winklevoss team. Many within the industry now worry that Quintenz’s confirmation could bring stricter enforcement and oversight that leans toward traditional finance (TradFi) principles.
Related: Winklevoss Says JPMorgan Blocked Gemini Onboarding Over Fee Dispute
Policy Concerns Raise Red Flags
One of the core policy issues raised by critics is Quintenz’s support for holding smart contract developers directly liable. This idea has sparked unease in the crypto engineering community. If a developer writes open-source code that is later misused by bad actors, they could face criminal charges under this interpretation.
Supporters of decentralized finance (DeFi) warn that this policy could discourage innovation and limit open development. Industry insiders argue that such an approach reflects a misunderstanding of how decentralized systems function. They point to the risks of overregulation that could favor legacy institutions at the expense of crypto-native growth.
When Trump signed executive orders to give the CFTC broader authority to regulate digital currencies, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, the leadership of the CFTC became more important than ever. Assuming Quintenz would be in charge of DeFi enforcement, prediction markets, and anti-money laundering policy, which will forever change the crypto environment.
