Brian Quintenz Claims Tyler Winklevoss Lobbied Trump to Block His CFTC Chair Bid
, President Donald Trump’s pick for Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has openly accused Tyler Winklevoss, co-founder of the Gemini crypto platform, of trying to stop his nomination.
This represents a significant shift in the political and cryptocurrency spheres. Quintenz says that Winklevoss asked to put his confirmation process on hold. This assertion is supported by a series of text messages released on social media, which show how tense things were regarding past regulatory issues.
The Alleged Lobbying Effort
On September 10, 2025, Quintenz posted screenshots of a text conversation with Tyler Winklevoss from July 24, 2025, on X. In these conversations, Winklevoss advised Quintenz to address Gemini’s complaints with the . One of these complaints was a 2022 lawsuit that said the platform made false claims concerning a BTC futures contract.
In January 2025, paid $5 million to resolve the lawsuit. In June, however, they filed a complaint stating that CFTC officials had misbehaved during the inquiry. Winklevoss told Quintenz to make “cultural reform” a top priority and rectify the agency’s mistakes, which aligns with Trump’s order to curb regulatory overreach. Quintenz answered neutrally, stating that he would consider the case reasonably if it were proven, but he made no specific promises.
Quintenz’s Answer and Accusations
Quintenz, who used to be a commissioner for the CFTC, said he didn’t want to reveal private correspondence but felt he had to since he thought Trump might have been deceived. He said that later than they spoke, the Winklevoss twins, Tyler and Cameron, both well-known Trump supporters and crypto billionaires, called the President to ask him to postpone his confirmation.
This is said to have caused the to halt a Senate Agriculture Committee vote in August 2025, which put Quintenz’s candidacy on hold, despite a hearing having already taken place in June.
What This Means For Crypto Regulation
The argument highlights the significant influence BTC leaders wield in Washington, particularly since Trump aims for the U.S. to become the “crypto capital of the world.” The CFTC is poised to assume greater responsibility for overviewing digital assets, such as BTC, making the chair’s role particularly significant.
The Winklevoss twins got involved because they want a regulator that shares their vision of fewer rules and policies that encourage innovation. Quintenz’s nomination remains in limbo, pending Senate approval. At the identical time, Gemini is preparing to go public on the with a potential valuation of $3.08 billion.
This public dispute illustrates the intersection of politics, cryptocurrency, and government power. The CFTC’s future and its position in the evolving crypto ecosystem will depend on the outcome of Quintenz’s defense of his nomination and the Winklevoss brothers’ defense of their interests.
