Acting CFTC Chair Caroline Pham To Join MoonPay As Mike Selig Confirmation Nears

Acting US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chair Caroline Pham will join crypto firm MoonPay when Mike Selig is confirmed as the regulator’s next chairman.

Pham will become MoonPay’s Chief Legal Officer (CLO) and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and guide regulatory strategy in Washington, the company said in a Dec. 17 announcement.

“Caroline is one of the most influential leaders in U.S. financial regulation, helping define the future of digital assets,” said Ivan Soto-Wright, co-founder and CEO of MoonPay. “Her unparalleled experience, which combines regulatory expertise, traditional finance, and a deep understanding of market structure, makes her the perfect leader to guide MoonPay through our next chapter of growth and compliance excellence.”

Pham said in a statement that she’s “excited to join MoonPay at a pivotal moment,” and added on X that she’s looking forward to Selig’s successful confirmation.

Selig is expected to be approved as CFTC chief as part of a large package of nominees in a vote that is scheduled for Wednesday evening.

Trump-nominated Selig is an official at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he has also worked closely with the CFTC on crypto policy.

Pham Played A Pivotal Role In Crypto Regulation In The US This Year

Pham was unanimously elected to be the Acting Chair at the CFTC at the beginning of this year after having been sworn in as a Commissioner at the regulator in 2022. 

Pham went on to play a pivotal role in the US crypto regulatory space under the Donald Trump administration. 

In her first 100 days as the regulator’s Acting Chair, Pham introduced a modernization agenda from perpetual-style futures and 24/7 and extended-hours trading, to prediction markets and the CFTC’s 12-month crypto sprint, MoonPay said. 

Under that Crypto Sprint initiative, the CFTC acted on recommendations that were handed down by the White House’s digital asset working group, which aim to establish a clear regulatory framework for the digital asset space. These recommendations were stepping stones towards realizing Trump’s vision of making the US the “crypto capital of the world.” 

The CFTC and SEC also worked together on crypto policy as part of the recommendations. This saw the SEC unveil its own “Project Crypto” initiative. 

CFTC and SEC announce their respective initiatives (Source: CFTC)

Earlier this month, Pham also announced that spot crypto products will be able to trade for the first time in US federally regulated markets through futures exchanges that are registered with the CFTC. 

Prior to her time at the CFTC, Pham was a Managing Director at Citigroup. She held multiple leadership roles at the financial firm, which included the Head of Market Structure for Strategic Initiatives. 

MoonPay Will Utilize Pham’s Expertise And Experience To Grow Further

MoonPay will now look to bring Pham’s expertise and experience into the company to assist it in its expansion efforts. 

“Her leadership at @cftc has shaped policies that expand financial freedom and crypto innovation,” Soto-Wright said on X, adding “now we’ll turn that progress into real outcomes for users and partners globally.” 

MoonPay was able to secure a New York BitLicense and New York Limited Purpose Trust Charter in the second half of this year. This puts it in a small class of companies that have achieved both regulatory milestones.