​​Brian Quintenz Joins SUI Group Board After CFTC Bid Ends

• Brian Quintenz joins SUI Group’s board as an independent director after his CFTC chair nomination was withdrawn.
• SUI Group holds about 108 million SUI tokens, with Quintenz joining its audit committee and oversight structure.
• After exiting the CFTC nomination process, Quintenz expanded private-sector roles at Ubyx and Kalshi.

Brian Quintenz, a former commissioner at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, has joined the board of directors of SUI Group Holdings (SUIG). The appointment took effect on Jan. 5 and follows the withdrawal of Quintenz’s nomination to serve as chair of the CFTC late last year.

The board appointment places Quintenz in a governance role at a publicly listed company that runs a large digital asset treasury tied to the Sui blockchain ecosystem. According to the company, Quintenz will serve as an independent director and will also sit on the board’s audit committee.

With Quintenz’s addition, SUI Group’s board now consists of five members. The company stated that three of the five directors qualify as independent under Nasdaq listing standards. Quintenz meets those criteria and joins the board in an oversight capacity rather than an executive role.

As of Nov. 12, SUI Group reported holding approximately 108 million SUI tokens in its corporate treasury. The company has described this treasury position as a central component of its business strategy, though no changes to treasury management were announced alongside the board update.

Post-CFTC Career Developments

Quintenz’s move to SUI Group comes after a series of private-sector roles following the end of his bid to lead the CFTC. In December, he joined Ubyx as an advisor. Ubyx operates a clearing system designed for stablecoins and works with institutional participants, including banks, fintech firms, and stablecoin issuers.

In addition to his advisory work, Quintenz currently serves on the board of Kalshi, a CFTC-regulated prediction markets platform. Kalshi disclosed on Dec. 2 that it was valued at $11 billion following a recent funding round.

Withdrawn Nomination and Regulatory Transition

Quintenz had been nominated by the White House to chair the CFTC, but his nomination was withdrawn in September. The confirmation process faced delays over the summer, including the cancellation of two scheduled committee votes. Concerns raised during the process included potential conflicts of interest and scrutiny related to lobbying activity associated with his prior employment.

Following the withdrawal, President Donald Trump nominated Michael Selig to lead the agency. The Senate confirmed Selig on Dec. 18 by a 53–43 vote. Selig previously served as chief counsel for the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Crypto Task Force.

The confirmation occurred as Congress continued to consider legislation that could expand the CFTC’s authority over digital commodity markets, a policy area that has drawn increased attention amid the growth of blockchain-based financial products.