CoinDesk Podcast Network Everything You Need to Know About New CFTC Chairman, Mike Selig
Dec 22, 2025
Mike Selig's confirmation as the new CFTC chairman marks a significant shift towards a crypto-first regulatory landscape. He plans to replace enforcement-driven rules with clarity and principles-based guidelines. The podcast delves into Selig's career trajectory and critiques the traditional regulatory approach. Concerns are raised about leadership vacancies as Selig stands as the sole commissioner. His agenda emphasizes tougher enforcement and ending reliance on opaque regulations, signaling a new path for cryptocurrency oversight.
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Selig’s Career Path From Crypto Dad To SEC Counsel
- Mike Selig started his career in the office of former CFTC chair Chris Giancarlo and later became a partner at Wilkie Farr & Gallagher advising blockchain pioneers.
- He returned to public service in early 2025 as chief counsel to the SEC's crypto task force under Chair Paul Atkins and helped draft the administration's digital-assets blueprint.
From Critique To Regulatory Agenda
- Selig criticizes
Three-Part Regulatory Agenda
- Selig proposed a three-part agenda: end unwritten staff lore, strengthen enforcement against fraud, and adopt principles-based regulation.
- He plans to replace opaque no-action letters with clearer, flexible rules that fit 21st-century code.