The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) moved this week to build a new bridge with the crypto industry, naming a 35-member Commodity Futures Advisory Committee that includes top exchange and blockchain leaders.
Reports say the list gives industry executives a legitimate line in policy discussions, and lists a mix of crypto founders, exchange managers and traditional market players.
CFTC Works Given a Seat at the Table
Among those involved are Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, whose firms have been at the center of recent debates about how digital assets should be regulated in the US.
.@CFTC Announcing the Members of the Innovation Advisory Committee:
— CFTC (@CFTC) February 12, 2026
The purpose of this committee is to provide the regulator with an overview of the latest industry as it considers derivatives regulations, market structure, token classification and other technical issues.
CFTC Chairman Mike Selig said Thursday that the 35-member committee will help “align the CFTC’s decisions with actual market conditions” and allow the commission to “establish clear guidelines for what he called the Golden Age of American Financial Markets.”
Honored to be named in @CFTC Innovation Advisory Committee. Thank you @ChairmanSelig and we look forward to working together @passlacqua_mj and this impressive team to help the CFTC develop clear rules of the road for crypto innovators.
– Chris Dixon (@cdixon) February 12, 2026
How the List Looks
The list of members reads like a cross section of the market: centralized exchanges, DeFi founders, trading platform operators and a handful of established financial firms.
Some reports highlight that about 20 members have direct ties to crypto firms, while others represent the legacy market infrastructure, creating a mix of opinions that the commission can tap into when drafting guidelines or evaluation opinions.
Why Industry Leaders Join
Reporters note managers have adopted roles for different reasons. For others, it’s an opportunity to push clear rules. For others, it may be a way to protect business models as regulators decide which activities fall under property laws and which fall under securities laws.
The move follows a period of public lobbying and high-profile disputes over the mandate that have left firms looking for predictability.
BTCUSD trading at $66,906 on the 24-hour chart: TradingView
Words and Dangers
Providing industry with a formal advisory channel can reduce feedback loops. But it also raises questions about how the regulator will manage conflicts and maintain impartiality.
Some observers say that closer cooperation can help create effective policy that recognizes market realities.
Others warn that the presence of heavy industry may shape regulations in ways that favor incumbents over small innovators or the public interest.
Reports say the commission will have to balance open-mindedness and careful management.
Next
The committee will begin meeting in the coming weeks, and the public will be looking at the topics it raises and the recommendations it produces.
Meetings will likely focus on custodial rules, how tokenized assets are classified, derivatives oversight, and market data management.
Whether those discussions lead to concrete legislative proposals will show whether this new advisory setup really changes the way digital property policy is shaped in the US.
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