Congressional lawmakers confirmed the nomination of Rostin Behnam, a commissioner on the Commodity Futures Buying and selling Fee who had been serving as appearing chairperson, to imagine his place on a extra everlasting foundation.
In a Wednesday night voice vote, members of the U.S. Senate authorised President Joe Biden’s decide to steer the CFTC. Behnam has served as a commissioner since 2017 and appearing chair following the departure of Heath Tarbert in January.
Confirmed by voice vote: Government Calendar #539 Rostin Behnam to be Chairman of the Commodity Futures Buying and selling Fee.
— Senate Cloakroom (@SenateCloakroom) December 16, 2021
At his affirmation listening to earlier than the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Vitamin, and Forestry in October, Behnam requested lawmakers take into account increasing the authority of the CFTC, given the rising digital asset market. He stated that the CFTC had been “aggressively pursuing enforcement circumstances” within the crypto house, likening its method to cops doing their obligation.
“Given the scale, the scope and the dimensions of this rising market, the way it’s interfacing and affecting retail clients, and with the dimensions of the expansion being so speedy, potential monetary stability dangers sooner or later, I believe it’s critically essential to have a major cop on the beat,” stated Behnam on the time.
Associated: SEC has no authority over crypto, CFTC commissioner argues
The affirmation got here the identical day President Biden introduced his picks for 2 extra commissioners on the CFTC. A Wednesday discover from the White Home exhibits he plans
There are at present solely two commissioners at present serving on the CFTC out of the traditional 5, and with the anticipated departure of Stump in February 2022, Biden could have the chance to utterly reshape the Fee with 4 open positions. In December, the U.S. President introduced he deliberate to appoint Emory College regulation professor Kristin Johnson and Christy Goldsmith Romero, a former senior counsel within the Securities and Change Fee’s Enforcement Division.
Associated: CFTC commissioner: Company doesn’t have enforcement assets with out Congress
Such a big change to the CFTC management may simply have an effect on regulation and enforcement of the crypto house. Presently, the Securities and Change Fee, CFTC and Monetary Crimes Enforcement Community deal with digital asset regulation within the nation, however with completely different jurisdictional claims, leading to a patchwork method corporations should navigate to legally function. Throughout Benham’s time as appearing chair, the Commissions has slapped Tether and Bitfinex with a $42.5 million advantageous and reached a settlement with crypto alternate BitMEX to pay a $100 million civil financial penalty.
