CFTC Appoints Veteran Crypto Regulator Amir Zaidi as Chief of Staff

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission has named Amir Zaidi to serve as Chief of Staff, marking a significant leadership move under CFTC Chairman Mike Selig’s direction. The appointment was officially announced through the agency’s channels, elevating Zaidi to a key administrative position within the federal regulator.

Zaidi brings substantial institutional knowledge to this Chief of Staff role, having previously held multiple positions throughout the CFTC from 2010 through 2019. His tenure was particularly notable for his leadership as Director of the Division of Market Oversight, where he oversaw critical market infrastructure decisions. Most significantly, Zaidi played a central role in the certification and regulatory deployment of Bitcoin futures contracts—a landmark achievement as the first federally-regulated cryptocurrency derivative product to gain official approval.

Before returning to the CFTC for this Chief of Staff appointment, Zaidi worked at senior levels within the private financial sector. He served as Global Head of Compliance at a major broker-dealer and introducing broker, providing him with deep experience navigating regulatory frameworks from an institutional perspective. His career trajectory also includes diverse roles spanning finance, legal counsel, and regulatory affairs across major financial centers in New York and Washington. This combination of public-sector expertise and private-sector compliance leadership positions him well for overseeing internal operations and policy coordination as Chief of Staff.