The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) took action this week to build a new bridge with the crypto industry, appointing a 35-member Innovation Advisory Committee that will include top leaders in the exchange and blockchain space.
Reports say the list gives industry executives a formal line in policy discussions, and includes a mix of crypto founders, exchange bosses and traditional market players.
CFTC executives get a seat at the table
Among those tapped are Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, whose companies have been at the center of recent debates over how digital assets should be regulated in the US.
.@CFTC Announces the members of the Innovation Advisory Committee: https://t.co/Inpqzo0ujd
— CFTC (@CFTC) February 12, 2026
The committee’s goal is to provide the regulator with a current industry perspective when considering derivatives rules, market structure, token classification and other technical issues.
CFTC Chairman Mike Selig said It was announced Thursday that the commission’s 35 members will help “align the CFTC’s decisions with real market conditions” and allow the commission to “set clear guidelines for what he called the Golden Age of U.S. financial markets.”
Honored to be named the @CFTC Innovation Advisory Committee. Thank you @chairmanSelig and look forward to working together @passalacqua_mj and this impressive group to help the CFTC develop clear rules of the road for crypto founders. https://t.co/ZO9mcyORZN
— Chris Dixon (@cdixon) February 12, 2026
What the grid looks like
The membership The list 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 around 20 members have direct ties to crypto companies, while others represent legacy market infrastructure, creating a mix of views for the committee to draw on when setting guidelines or vetting ideas.
Why industry leaders have joined
Reports indicate that executives accepted the roles for a variety of reasons. For some, it’s a chance to push clearer rules. For others, it could be a way to protect business models as regulators decide which activities fall under commodity rules and which under securities laws.
The move follows a period of public lobbying and high-profile jurisdictional disputes, which has left companies seeking predictability.
BTCUSD trading at $66,906 on the 24-hour chart: TradingView
Voting and risks
The industry is a formal entity advisory channel can shorten feedback loops. But it also raises questions about how the regulator will manage conflicts and maintain impartiality.
Some observers say close involvement can help craft workable policies that recognize market realities.
Others warn that the presence of heavy industry could shape the rules in ways that favor incumbents over smaller innovators or the public interest.
Reports say the committee will have to strike a balance between open input and careful governance.
What comes next
The committee will meet in the coming weeks and the public will look forward to the topics it raises and the recommendations it makes.
Meetings will likely focus on custody rules, how tokenized assets are classified, oversight of derivatives and the handling of market data.
Whether these discussions will lead to concrete regulatory proposals will remain to be seen whether this new advisory structure actually changes the way digital asset policy is shaped in the US.
Featured image by V-graphix | Istock | Getty Images, chart from TradingView
Editing process for bitcoinist is focused on providing thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We have strict sourcing standards and every page is carefully reviewed by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance and value of our content to our readers.
#CFTC #expands #advisory #team #top #Coinbase #Ripple #Figures #Bitcoinist.com