MoonPay Hires Acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham as Legal Chief
- CFTC Acting Chair Caroline Pham will leave the agency to join MoonPay as legal officer.
- Pham’s move follows her leadership on digital asset policy during a pivotal year at the CFTC.
- MoonPay hired Caroline Pham to lead legal strategy as regulators move to rulemaking.
MoonPay has named CFTC Acting Chair Caroline D. Pham as its next Chief Legal Officer and Chief Administrative Officer. Pham will join MoonPay after completing her tenure at the U.S. derivatives regulator. The move comes as Washington reshapes its approach to digital asset oversight.
Pham will oversee MoonPay’s global legal and administrative operations. She will also lead the company’s policy and regulatory engagement in Washington, D.C. MoonPay confirmed the appointment in a statement on Tuesday. The company framed the hire as a milestone in its growth and compliance roadmap.
The transition follows the expected confirmation of Mike Selig as permanent CFTC chair. Pham said earlier this year that she planned to return to the private sector once a successor took office. Her departure continues a broader trend of senior regulators joining crypto firms. Several former policymakers have made similar moves in recent months.
Pham Exits CFTC After Major Digital Asset Push
Pham became Acting Chairman of the CFTC in January 2025. She had served as a commissioner since 2022. During her tenure, she led one of the agency’s most active periods on crypto policy. Her agenda focused on modernization, market structure, and innovation.
Within her first 100 days, Pham launched reforms tied to extended-hours trading and perpetual-style futures. She also pushed forward work on prediction markets and round-the-clock trading models. These efforts aimed to align U.S. markets with global trading behavior. The initiatives signaled a shift toward structural updates at the regulator.
She also introduced the CFTC Digital Asset Markets Pilot Program. The sandbox launched on December 8, 2025. It allowed firms to test digital asset products under regulatory supervision. The program marked the first initiative of its kind at the agency.
Later in December, Pham announced a landmark change for crypto markets. For the first time, spot crypto products gained access to federally regulated U.S. trading venues. The products will trade through CFTC-registered futures exchanges. The decision aligned with the administration’s goal of expanding U.S. crypto leadership.
Pham also issued guidance on tokenized collateral. The move aimed to improve clearing and settlement efficiency in digital asset markets. Regulators viewed the guidance as a step toward safer market infrastructure.
MoonPay Strengthens Policy and Compliance Leadership
At MoonPay, Pham will apply her regulatory background to a fast-growing crypto payments business. The company allows users to buy and sell digital assets using traditional payment methods. These include credit cards, bank transfers, and peer payment apps. MoonPay also provides crypto payment tools to merchants and platforms.
MoonPay’s partners include Shopify and prediction market operator Polymarket. The firm enables businesses to accept crypto without building in-house infrastructure. Since launch, MoonPay has processed more than $8 billion in transactions. It serves over 30 million users across more than 180 countries.
Related: CFTC’s Caroline Pham Sets Stage for Leveraged Spot Crypto Trading
The company raised $555 million from investors, including Tiger Global, Coatue, and Paradigm. It last reported a valuation of $3.4 billion in 2021. Leadership sees regulatory clarity as critical for its next growth phase.
MoonPay CEO Ivan Soto-Wright described Pham as a defining figure in U.S. financial regulation. He said her experience across policy and traditional finance will guide the company’s expansion. The firm plans to scale while navigating complex global rules.
Her move follows similar exits by other regulators. Former CFTC commissioner Summer Mersinger joined the Blockchain Association earlier this year. Former White House crypto advisor Bo Hines joined stablecoin issuer Tether. The trend reflects closer ties between regulators and the crypto sector.
