White House Scrambles for New CFTC Picks as Quintenz-Gemini Clash Escalates

Washington's regulatory chess game just got interesting—and the crypto world is watching every move.

The Quintenz-Gemini standoff isn’t just bureaucratic noise—it’s a power struggle with real market consequences. Now the administration’s digging deeper into its candidate shortlist, hunting for someone who can navigate the political minefield without blowing up the digital asset space.

New names. New stakes. Same old regulatory tango.

Because when it comes to finance, nothing says 'progress' like reshuffling the deck chairs mid-crisis—classic D.C. maneuver, really.

Quintenz’s allegations against Gemini founders over CFTC nomination

Earlier this month, Brian Quintenz took to X to publish screenshots of private messages he says he exchanged with Gemini co-founder Tyler Winklevoss in late July. Quintenz claimed those messages show Winklevoss urging him to intervene in a Gemini complaint against the CFTC and to reassure the exchange about how such cases WOULD be handled if he became Chair.

Quintenz alleged that after he declined to give any assurances, Winklevoss sought to have his CFTC nomination slowed or halted. He said the outreach may have led President Trump to pause the confirmation process, writing that the president “might have been misled” by the Gemini founders.

The dispute traces back to Gemini’s long-running clash with the CFTC, including a 2022 enforcement action that ended in a $5 million settlement earlier this year. After the settlement, Gemini filed an inspector-general complaint accusing the agency of “lawfare trophy hunting,” which it said reflected politically motivated enforcement.

The text messages released by Quintenz appear to show Winklevoss pressing for signals that a future Chair would address those concerns. The Winklevoss twins have yet to publicly respond to the CFTC nominee’s claims, but the dispute has added friction to the already difficult confirmation process.