Making America the Crypto Capital of the World | New CFTC Chairman Michael Selig

CFTC Chair Mike Selig outlines legal clarity, innovation-safe harbors, and U.S. ambitions to reclaim crypto leadership.

Key Takeaways

CFTC asserts authority over derivatives on sports, political and gaming outcomes; will clarify 'gaming' via rules and courts to prevent offshore black markets.
The proposed Clarity Act would statutorily define securities versus commodities, lock in fundraising rules, and create a national market structure for tokens.
New regulator tone favors safe harbors, time-limited innovation exemptions, and in-person engagement to keep builders and markets domestic.
Call for bright-line definitions and protections so noncustodial wallets, code contributors, and L2s aren’t misclassified as intermediaries or exchanges.
CFTC and exchanges will use AI, automated tools, and traditional oversight—exchanges as SROs enforce rules while CFTC supervises and investigates.
Insider-trading rules apply to prediction/event contracts: misappropriation-based trading is prohibited, while legitimate information-driven trading remains permitted.