Caroline Pham Prepares to Leave CFTC for Senior Role at Crypto Firm MoonPay

Caroline Pham, the acting chair of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), is preparing to transition into the private sector as she moves closer to joining crypto financial technology firm MoonPay. This shift is expected to occur once Mike Selig, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the CFTC, is officially confirmed and sworn in, a process anticipated to conclude imminently following a Senate vote scheduled for Wednesday evening.

According to reporting from CoinDesk last month, Pham has long planned to take on a senior leadership role at MoonPay, serving as both chief legal officer and chief administrative officer. That plan was further confirmed this week by MoonPay, alongside a public statement from Pham acknowledging her forthcoming move. In a rare early-career transition announcement from a sitting regulator, Pham expressed enthusiasm about joining the company at a pivotal moment and said she looks forward to ensuring a smooth leadership transition at the CFTC once Selig assumes control.

Pham, a former Citigroup managing director, has been a key figure in shaping crypto-friendly regulatory policy during her tenure at the CFTC. Her leadership coincided with the rollout of several new digital asset initiatives in recent weeks, aligning with the advancement of Selig’s confirmation in the Senate. Selig currently serves at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he has been closely involved in crypto policy development.

MoonPay, which recently secured a New York trust charter and already holds a BitLicense, operates across crypto trading, payments, and stablecoin infrastructure. While the company is not directly regulated by the CFTC, Pham’s role will center on overseeing MoonPay’s regulatory, legal, and public policy strategy in Washington.

MoonPay CEO and co-founder Ivan Soto-Wright praised Pham as one of the most influential figures in U.S. financial regulation, calling her the ideal leader to guide the company’s next phase of growth and compliance. Pham echoed that optimism in a social media post, stating that the future ahead is bright as she prepares to enter the crypto industry.