MoonPay Hires CFTC Acting Chair Caroline Pham for Top Legal Role
What Happened and When Will Pham Join MoonPay?
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Acting Chair Caroline Pham will take a senior role at crypto finance company MoonPay once her time at the agency ends, the firm said on Wednesday. Pham has already stated publicly that she plans to leave later than a new CFTC chair is confirmed. President Donald Trump’s nominee, Mike Selig, is expected to appear at a confirmation hearing this week.
MoonPay said Pham will become its chief legal officer and chief administrative officer. Her exact begin date remains unsettled because Selig has not yet been confirmed. A MoonPay spokesperson said in an email that her transition depends on when leadership at the CFTC formally changes.
welcomed the move, writing on X: “Her leadership at @cftc has shaped policies that expand financial freedom and crypto innovation. Now we’ll turn that progress into real outcomes for users and partners globally.”
Investor Takeaway
What Has Pham Focused on During Her Time at the CFTC?
Pham has played a central role in the agency’s crypto work over the past year through its “Crypto Sprint,” a multi-track effort to clarify how existing rules apply to digital assets. Last week, she said the CFTC would withdraw guidance on the “actual delivery” of digital assets, describing it as “outdated and overly complex.” The step was framed as part of the agency’s effort to streamline compliance expectations and reduce amlargeuity for trading platforms.
Earlier this month, Pham announced that Bitnomial became the first platform to list spot crypto products approved by the regulator. The approval widened the CFTC’s oversight footprint and marked a shift toward more standardized listings under the U.S. derivatives regulator.
Pham also created a CEO Innovation Council to give the agency direct input from market leaders as crypto platforms grow more active in derivatives and settlement infrastructure. The first round of participants included , Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman, and Gemini CEO Tyler Winklevoss.
What Does Her Move Mean for MoonPay?
MoonPay, which builds tools for crypto payments, wallets, and enterprise onboarding, has spent the past two years improving its regulatory standing as it expands internationally. Bringing in Pham gives the firm a former U.S. regulator with direct experience handling enforcement priorities, guidance withdrawals, and approval pathways for new trading products.
The hire arrives during a period of wider repositioning for the company. MoonPay’s infrastructure is increasingly used by payment firms and consumer brands experimenting with blockchain-based tools. A senior legal and administrative executive with federal regulatory experience may support MoonPay’s plans to work more closely with financial institutions trying to move into products.
Investor Takeaway
What Comes Next?
Pham will remain at the CFTC until the Senate acts on Selig’s nomination. Once a new chair is confirmed, she is expected to shift to MoonPay immediately. Her departure will close a tenure that made the CFTC one of the most active federal agencies on crypto-related matters, from delivery rules to spot product approvals.
How rapidly she begins at MoonPay depends entirely on the timing of the confirmation. Until then, she continues to overview the agency during a period when remains one of the CFTC’s most visible priorities.
