CFTC’s Christy Goldsmith Romero Set to Depart Agency by Month’s End
Christy Goldsmith Romero, one of the four commissioners at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, will depart the federal regulator at the end of the month, she announced Friday. Goldsmith Romero joins fellow Commissioner Summer Mersinger, who announced earlier this week that she would leave on May 30 after being named the next CEO of the Blockchain Association, a Washington, D.C.-based lobby for the crypto industry.
In a statement, Goldsmith Romero said that derivatives markets, which the agency oversees, “experienced significant growth while remaining resilient and financially stable through times of market stress and volatility” during her tenure on the Commission. “I wish to also recognize the members of the CFTC Technology Advisory Committee, which I sponsored, for their landmark reports and public forums on future finance issues,” she stated. “… Under my sponsorship, TAC released significant reports on Responsible AI in Financial Markets and on Decentralized Finance, and sponsored public forums on AI, cybersecurity, blockchain, digital identity, and digital assets.”
Acting Chairman Caroline Pham is also set to leave soon, as reported recently. Pham has indicated she would exit after former Commissioner Brian Quintenz, nominated by President Donald Trump to lead the agency, is confirmed by the Senate. Goldsmith Romero had previously announced her departure from the CFTC, also linked to Quintenz’s confirmation. However, the Senate Agriculture Committee has not yet scheduled a confirmation hearing for Quintenz. Following that hearing, the committee would need to arrange a vote. Quintenz would then require confirmation by a majority of the full Senate before being sworn in.
Goldsmith Romero’s departure on May 31 will leave the CFTC with just two commissioners, and that number will likely remain unchanged after Quintenz’s confirmation until the President nominates up to three additional commissioners (two Republicans and one Democrat) to fill the vacant seats.
