Quick Highlights
- Christine Johnson to leave the CFTC on September 3, 2025
- Johnson warns Congress: more resources needed for crypto oversight
- Acting Chair Caroline Pham pushes for new rules on prediction markets
CFTC Commissioner Christine Johnson to Step Down Amid Crypto Push
Democratic Commissioner Christine Johnson will leave the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on September 3, 2025, while Acting Chair Caroline Pham will continue to lead the agency, according to Bloomberg.
Johnson’s Final Message: More Resources for Crypto Oversight
In her farewell statement, Johnson urged Congress to strengthen the regulator’s capacity for digital asset oversight:
“At a time when such significant changes to markets and market structure are being considered, I am concerned that the Commission’s expert staff receive the support and investment needed to succeed.”
Johnson, who joined the CFTC in 2022 after being nominated by former U.S. President Joe Biden, has consistently advocated for expanding the agency’s authority over cryptocurrencies.
Her departure comes as the CFTC faces major challenges, including a 15% reduction in staff since the start of current U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, with further cuts looming in the enforcement division.
Pham Pushes for New Market Rules as Leadership Shifts
Acting Chair Caroline Pham, appointed by Trump, has already criticized past CFTC policies on prediction markets, stating that legal uncertainty “requires a rethink of the rules and approaches, not a simple abandonment of the previous policy.”
Reports suggest Pham has launched an expert roundtable to draft a new regulatory framework and is reviewing the agency’s stance on platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket. Notably, Kalshi recently won a case against the CFTC, signaling a possible shift in regulatory strategy.
Leadership Uncertainty and Delays
Meanwhile, Trump’s nominee for CFTC Chair, Brian Quintenza, is still awaiting Senate confirmation amid delays in committee votes. Despite the holdup, the White House has reaffirmed support for Quintenza, and leading crypto industry associations have sent a joint letter urging his approval.
Former CFTC Chair Rostin Behnam, who stepped down in January, warned before leaving that comprehensive crypto regulations may take 6–10 months to adopt and another year to implement.
This leadership reshuffle coincides with the agency’s Crypto Sprint initiative, which aims to create transparent rules for the crypto market in collaboration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
