Caroline D. Pham, serving as Acting Chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, is creating a new CEO Innovation Council designed to advise the agency on digital asset policy as the U.S. shifts toward a more coordinated, pro-innovation regulatory framework. Announced as part of a broader federal “crypto sprint,” the council represents one of the most significant structural updates to the CFTC’s approach since the beginning of the year.
A Strategic Pivot Toward Collaborative Digital Asset Regulation
The goal of the CEO Innovation Council is to guide the CFTC through emerging market structures, including crypto trading, tokenized collateral, and prediction markets, and help shape the next generation of U.S. digital asset rules. Pham is actively soliciting nominations from company leaders, with submissions open through December 8, 2025.
The council’s formation follows a clear policy shift. In September, the CFTC and SEC issued a rare joint statement declaring an end to their long-standing jurisdictional friction over crypto markets. The statement clarified that regulated exchanges are not restricted from listing spot crypto products, an announcement widely seen as a pivotal regulatory breakthrough.
Part of a Broader Federal “Crypto Sprint”
The new CEO council sits within a wider modernization effort aimed at updating how U.S. financial regulators interact with blockchain markets. The CFTC’s current priorities include:
- •Establishing guardrails for listed spot crypto trading
- •Enabling tokenized collateral and stablecoin use in derivatives markets
- •Introducing technical amendments to CFTC rules to allow broader blockchain adoption
This integrated approach contrasts sharply with the more enforcement-driven stance under former Chair Rostin Behnam, who stepped down in January 2025. Under Pham, the CFTC is embracing a more open, innovation-first philosophy that aligns closely with the administration’s broader digital asset strategy.
A New Era for U.S. Crypto Market Structure
By involving CEOs directly in the policymaking process, the CFTC is signaling a shift toward a regulatory framework that views crypto market participants as partners rather than adversaries. The CEO Innovation Council is set to become a key forum for shaping how prediction markets, tokenization platforms, stablecoin systems, and digital trading venues operate within U.S. oversight.
Its launch marks a defining moment in the transition from regulatory turf battles to a more unified vision of how digital assets fit into the nation’s financial architecture.