CFTC Chair Michael Selig confirmed the hire on Monday, citing Battle’s technical expertise in blockchain forensics, artificial intelligence, and API development. Before his recent stint at the SEC, Battle served at the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and previously held positions within the CFTC itself. This background positions him at the center of the commission’s efforts to modernize its approach to digital asset investigations.
In section Cryptocurrency
CFTC Recruits SEC Crypto Adviser to Strengthen Data Oversight
Donald Battle, a seasoned investigator from the SEC’s crypto task force, has joined the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as chief data innovation officer. His appointment arrives as the agency intensifies its defense of federal jurisdiction over prediction markets amid ongoing congressional debates regarding digital asset regulation and the proposed CLARITY Act.
The agency currently finds itself in a high-stakes standoff with New Mexico officials over the regulation of event contracts. In a lawsuit targeting Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Raúl Torrez, the commission asserts that federally regulated platforms like Kalshi operate outside the reach of state gaming laws. This legal friction is compounded by a new public consultation process launched by the CFTC, which aims to distinguish sports-based prediction markets from games of chance. With 45 days allotted for public comment, the framework could fundamentally reshape how federal regulators oversee these platforms while Congress continues to deliberate the long-term division of authority between the SEC and CFTC.
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