Exclusive: Former Acting CFTC Chair On Crypto Regulation & Why She’s Joining MoonPay | Caroline Pham

Caroline Pham is the former Acting CFTC Chair, and is currently the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Administrative Officer at MoonPay. In this conversation, we discuss all the work that Caroline has done to create regulation for crypto. We get into her law background, joining the CFTC, struggles during previous administrations, her reflections on her time on the CFTC, thoughts on Brian Quintet’s CFTC withdrawal, & the biggest challenges for Mike Selig, updates on market structure, and what to expect at her brand new role at MoonPay, why 2026 is the year for institutional adoption.This episode is sponsored by Gemini: https://gemini.com/CIA Watch On YouTube: https://youtu.be/noxG7sE60eQPlease note that this podcast is for informational purposes only and any views shared by anyone on the show are opinions, not financial advice. The host or guests may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this episode.This show is powered by Sei.Learn more about Sei: https://www.sei.io/Follow Crypto in America: https://x.com/CryptoAmerica_Follow Sei: https://x.com/SeiNetworkFollow our hostsJacquelyn: https://x.com/jacqmelinekGerald: https://x.com/thatgeraldEleanor: https://x.com/EleanorTerrettTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Welcome Caroline Pham!0:39 - What ‘Crypto In America’ Means To Caroline01:15 - Journey Through Law School & Intro Into Crypto04:23 - Getting An Internship at the CFTC12:15 - Comparing Commodities & Crypto14:20 - When Did Caroline Realize Crypto’s Potential18:05 - Making the CFTC Great Again21:45 - Is CFTC Prepared For Retail Oversight? 23:50 - Challenges Ahead For The CFTC30:00 - Thoughts On Gary Gensler 33:48 - Why The Past Few Years Were So Frustrating 37:55 - Regulatory Sandboxes39:02 - Changing Rules For Crypto Ownership For Regulators 42:32 - Comparing Digital Assets to Derivatives43:40 - How Markets Will Operate Better With Regulatory Frameworks46:40 - Leaving CFTC, Joining MoonPay52:46 - Brian Quintenz CFTC withdrawal55:00 - Mike Selig Swon In At CFTC - His Biggest Challenges 57:00 - Thoughts On Prediction Markets1:02:00 - Market Structure Update For 20261:05:00 - Why 2026 The Year Of Institution Adoption 1:07:00 - Thanks Caroline For Joining!#crypto #bitcoin #blockchain #investing #technology #america