White House Nominates Four to SEC and CFTC Seats Vacant Amid Crypto Rulemaking

The White House on Nov. 12 sent four nominees to the Senate to fill vacant commissioner seats at the SEC and the CFTC, the two agencies at the center of U.S. digital-asset regulation. Terms for the nominees run through 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2031, according to the nomination announcements.

The move addresses leadership gaps at both regulators while they continue work on digital-asset rules and staff guidance. It also arrives weeks after the Senate failed to advance the Digital Asset Clarity Act, a bill expected to widen the CFTC's digital-asset oversight role.

Who are the CFTC nominees?

The White House named Nathan Anonick of Virginia and Matthew Rowland of the District of Columbia to the derivatives regulator. Anonick would fill the seat previously held by Rostin Behnam, with a term ending June 19, 2031. Rowland would serve the remainder of a term ending April 13, 2028, in the seat previously held by Summer K. Mersinger.

Both vacancies stem from departures that left the five-member commission operating below full strength. A full slate would restore the CFTC's capacity to vote on rules, enforcement settlements and guidance affecting crypto derivatives and spot digital-asset markets.

Who are the SEC nominees?

For the SEC, the White House nominated Kristin N. Johnson of Michigan and Steven Levine of Maryland. Johnson would fill the seat previously held by Caroline A. Crenshaw, with a term ending June 5, 2029. Levine would take the seat previously held by Hester Maria Peirce, with a term ending June 5, 2030.

Kristin Johnson is a known figure in market regulation; she previously served as a CFTC commissioner, giving her direct experience at both agencies now central to crypto oversight. Her nomination would place a regulator with derivatives-market background inside the SEC's five-member commission.

Why do these seats matter for crypto policy?

The SEC and the CFTC split jurisdiction over digital assets along securities and commodities lines, and both have open dockets on the subject. The nominations would fill open seats at the two regulators as they continue work on digital-asset rules and staff guidance, the substantive output that shapes how token issuers, exchanges and derivatives platforms operate.

The stakes sharpened this month. Earlier in November, the Senate failed to advance the Digital Asset Clarity Act, a bill expected to widen the CFTC's digital-asset oversight role. With legislation stalled, agency-level rulemaking and guidance carry more weight, which raises the practical importance of who sits in the commissioners' chairs.

Commission confirmations also affect quorum and voting math. Rules, no-action positions and enforcement priorities at both agencies require commissioner majorities, so each confirmation changes what guidance can move and how quickly.

What happens next?

The Senate must confirm each nominee before any of the four takes office. Confirmation timelines vary, but the calendar matters: the terms on offer begin expiring in April 2028, and pending digital-asset rulemaking at both agencies gives the Senate Banking and Agriculture committees reason to move promptly on scheduling hearings.