The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has brought in Donald Battle, a former advisor to the SEC’s crypto task force, as its chief data innovation officer. The move comes amid heightened discussions among lawmakers over how to regulate digital assets in the United States.
CFTC Chair Michael Selig announced the appointment on Monday, highlighting Battle’s expertise in data science, blockchain forensics, and artificial intelligence. Battle previously served at the SEC, CFTC, and the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
Battle joined the SEC’s crypto task force in January 2025 after the Trump administration took office, and has worked on cryptocurrency-related investigations across multiple federal agencies. His hiring coincides with ongoing congressional efforts to pass the CLARITY Act, which aims to clarify the roles of the SEC and CFTC in overseeing digital assets.
Meanwhile, the CFTC remains active in enforcement and prediction market regulation. The agency recently sued New Mexico after state officials attempted to apply local gaming laws to contracts on the prediction platform Kalshi. The CFTC argues that federally regulated event contracts fall under its authority, not state gambling rules.
New Mexico officials had alleged that Kalshi was operating without a required license and allowing users under 21 to participate. The CFTC has made similar arguments in other prediction market disputes, maintaining that contracts on platforms under its oversight should be regulated federally.
Additionally, the commission has opened a 45-day public consultation on a proposed framework for sports event contracts. The draft rule seeks to distinguish sports contracts on platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket from games of chance, potentially impacting how these markets interact with state laws.
Battle’s appointment places a veteran blockchain investigator in a key data leadership role as the CFTC navigates debates over crypto markets, prediction platforms, and the future division of regulatory authority. With Congress still considering market structure legislation, the CFTC continues to play a central role in the industry’s most watched regulatory battles.