U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed four candidates for the two financial regulators — the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The White House sent the nominations to the Senate on November 12. To take office, they need confirmation by senators.

Christine Johnson and Steven Levin have been nominated for the SEC, while Nathan Aconik and Matthew Rowland are for the CFTC. According to Reuters, Johnson and Rowland are Democrats, and Levin and Aconik are Republicans.

Currently, only one member works at the CFTC — Chairman Michael Selig, although the commission's established composition is five people. The nomination of Aconik and Rowland opens the possibility of filling two more seats in the regulator's leadership.

For crypto market participants, the legislative experience of the CFTC nominees is significant. As The Block reports, Aconik and Rowland participated in the work on the Clarity Act, an initiative to regulate the digital asset market. Aconik worked on this direction in the Senate Agriculture Committee, while Rowland did so as a CFTC lawyer seconded to the committee.

Christine Johnson was previously a member of the CFTC, where she dealt with digital assets and customer protection. In the SEC, she is proposed for the seat of Caroline Crenshaw with a term until June 5, 2029.

Steven Levin is nominated for the seat of Hester Peirce — with a term until June 5, 2030. According to The Block, he served as chief counsel and senior advisor to the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Previously, Levin held positions at the SEC: in February 2025, the commission announced his appointment as deputy chief of staff to Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda.

Nathan Aconik is proposed for the seat of Rostin Behnam at the CFTC with a term until June 19, 2031. Matthew Rowland has been nominated for the remainder of Summer Mersinger's term — until April 13, 2028. The dates indicated relate to the corresponding seats on the commissions: the terms will not start counting anew after the candidates are confirmed.

The SEC oversees the securities market, including the activities of exchanges, brokers, and investment advisers. The CFTC regulates the derivatives market, including futures and swaps.

Hearings for the SEC nominees — Johnson and Levin — are scheduled in the Senate Banking Committee on November 19. The nominations of Aconik and Rowland will be considered by the Agriculture Committee.

The nominations themselves do not change the current rules for investors: first, the Senate confirmation procedure must take place.

Based on materials from: the White House, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, the CFTC, the SEC, Reuters, The Block.

Headquarters of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Washington. Archive photo, October 4, 2008: David (dbking) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.