CFTC Unveils Innovation Powerhouse: Garlinghouse, Armstrong Join New 35-Member Advisory Panel

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has launched its Innovation Advisory Committee (IAC), marking what many see as a major change in U.S. financial oversight. This 35-member group aims to connect leaders from the digital economy with established market experts.

A “Who’s Who” of Crypto and TradFi Leadership

This new committee replaces the earlier CEO-level council and is almost three times larger, offering a broader and more detailed view of market infrastructure.

• Notable crypto leaders on the panel include Brad Garlinghouse (Ripple), Brian Armstrong (Coinbase), Sergey Nazarov (Chainlink Labs), and Anatoly Yakovenko (Solana Labs).
• Executives from major institutions like Nasdaq, CME Group, Cboe Global Markets, and the Futures Industry Association are also part of the panel.
• Led by Chairman Mike Selig, the IAC will advise on how to use blockchain, AI in trading, and the fast-growing tokenization sector.

Project Crypto: The End of “Regulation by Enforcement”

The IAC’s launch comes alongside ‘Project Crypto,’ a joint effort by the CFTC and SEC to better coordinate federal oversight.

SCOOP: The Trump Admin just tapped leading CEOs in crypto, finance, prediction markets, and more for a BRAND NEW government advisory committee.

Coinbases’s Brian Armstrong, Robinhood’s Vlad Tenev, and Polymarket’s Shayne Coplan are among the 35 named. pic.twitter.com/Zh0nS7alOA

— Brecca Stoll (@breccastoll) February 12, 2026

• Jurisdictional Clarity: A main goal of Project Crypto is to create a clear system for classifying tokens, making it clear which assets are regulated by the SEC as securities and which by the CFTC as commodities.
• Onshoring Innovation: Chairman Selig has asked staff to look into new rules that would allow tokenized collateral and help bring products like perpetual contracts to the U.S. market. These products have often been traded overseas because of unclear U.S. regulations.
• Prediction Markets: The CFTC now takes a more open approach to event contracts, also known as prediction markets. It has removed earlier bans on political and sports contracts and is moving toward a framework that supports innovation.

Global Demand: Tokenized Commodities Hit $6.1 Billion

Russia recently approved a national tokenization framework, and the CFTC is focusing on real-world assets (RWAs). At the same time, the global market for tokenized commodities has grown 53% in the past six weeks, now exceeding $6.1 billion.

Gold-backed tokens such as Tether Gold and PAX Gold now make up more than 95% of this market. They have outperformed tokenized stocks and funds, as investors look for stable, on-chain assets during recent Bitcoin price swings.

Summary: U.S. Crypto Oversight 2026

Moving Ahead: Looking forward, the U.S. is moving from ‘regulation by enforcement’ to a rules-based approach, with attention now on the July 1, 2026 rollout of new crypto laws.