The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) moved this week to build a new bridge with the crypto industry, naming a 35-member Innovation Advisory Committee that includes top exchange and blockchain leaders.
Reports say the roster gives industry executives a formal line into policy talks, and it lists a mix of crypto founders, exchange bosses and traditional market players.
CFTC Execs Granted A Seat At The Table
Among those tapped are Coinbase chief executive Brian Armstrong and Ripple chief executive Brad Garlinghouse, whose firms have been central to recent debates over how digital assets should be regulated in the US.
.@CFTC Announces Innovation Advisory Committee Members: https://t.co/Inpqzo0ujd
— CFTC (@CFTC) February 12, 2026
The committee’s purpose is to give the regulator up-to-date industry perspective as it considers rules for derivatives, market structure, token classification and other technical issues.
CFTC Chair Mike Selig said Thursday that the committee’s 35 members will help “align the CFTC’s decisions with real 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 to the @CFTC Innovation Advisory Committee. Thank you @ChairmanSelig and look forward to working alongside @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 Roster Looks Like
The membership list reads like a cross-section of the market: centralized exchanges, DeFi founders, trading-venue operators and a handful of established financial firms.
Some reporting highlights that around 20 members have direct ties to crypto firms, while others represent legacy market infrastructure, which creates a mix of viewpoints the commission can tap when drafting guidance or vetting ideas.
Why Industry Leaders Joined
Reports note executives accepted the roles for different reasons. For some, it is an opportunity to press for clearer rules. For others, it may be a way to protect business models as regulators decide which activities fall under commodity rules and which fall under securities laws.
The move follows a period of public lobbying and high-profile disputes over jurisdiction that have left firms searching for predictability.
Voices And Risks
Giving industry a formal advisory channel can shorten feedback loops. But it also raises questions about how the regulator will manage conflicts and preserve impartiality.
Some observers say close engagement may help craft workable policy that recognizes market realities.
Others warn that heavy industry presence could shape rules in ways that favor incumbents over smaller innovators or the public interest.
Reports say the commission will have to balance open input with careful governance.
What Comes Next
The committee will begin meeting in the coming weeks, and the public will be watching for the topics it raises and the recommendations it produces.
Meetings are likely to focus on custody rules, how tokenized assets are classified, oversight of derivatives, and the handling of market data.
Whether those talks lead to concrete rule proposals will show if this new advisory setup truly shifts how digital asset policy is shaped in the US.
Featured image from V-graphix | Istock | Getty Images, chart from TradingView
