The newly appointed Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Michael Selig, has just taken office and announced a major personnel appointment—former crypto industry veteran Amir Zaidi is returning to serve as Chief of Staff at the CFTC. This decision was officially announced at the end of December, with Selig emphasizing in his statement Zaidi’s extensive experience accumulated over many years at the commission, which was the core reason for his selection.

This personnel change hints at something different. Zaidi is not an ordinary official—he is a true expert in the regulation of crypto derivatives. Early on, he played a key role in pushing the U.S. mainstream financial sector into the Bitcoin futures market. Since that historic breakthrough in 2017, he has been actively involved in policy-making and market regulation related to Bitcoin futures.

Regarding his background, his experience at the CFTC from 2010 to 2019 is particularly valuable—he has held multiple senior positions and later managed the market supervision department. Such a background is especially valuable in today’s context.

The timing is also quite interesting. The U.S. Congress is actively pushing discussions on the "Digital Asset Market Structure Act," with multiple draft versions pointing in the same direction: granting the CFTC greater regulatory authority over the crypto market. Against this backdrop, Selig’s early move to bring back an expert familiar with crypto derivatives clearly signals preparations for expanding regulatory powers.

How should this move be understood? Simply put, the CFTC is proactively laying out personnel arrangements in anticipation of upcoming changes in the regulatory landscape. From the early days of Bitcoin futures to the current expansion of the crypto market, this market has long been different from a few years ago. A new regulatory framework is on the horizon, and experienced personnel like Zaidi are especially crucial.