Chris Giancarlo
Chris Giancarlo is an attorney, author and business executive who served as the 13th Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission where he oversaw regulation of the futures, options and swaps derivatives markets. A renowned blockchain technology advocate and key contributor to the global discourse on cryptocurrencies and digital assets, Chris oversaw CFTC’s first bitcoin futures products entering the marketplace and applied a “Do No Harm” regulatory approach towards blockchain technology. Under his leadership, the CFTC published primers on virtual currencies and smart contracts, oversaw the launch of the first bitcoin futures contracts and created LabCFTC as the agency’s stakeholder in the digital evolution of derivatives trading markets. Prior to entering public service, he served as the Executive Vice President of GFI Group Inc., a financial services firm. Today, Chris serves as a Senior Counsel at the white-shoe law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher, and joined crypto venture capital firm CoinFund as a Strategic Adviser. He also co-founded the Digital Dollar Project in January 2020.
Chris Giancarlo Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Member, Board of Directors
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Chairman
Academic History
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Juris Doctor, Law
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Bachelor of Arts, Government
DIGITAL DOLLAR FOUNDATION
The Digital Dollar Project is a partnership between Accenture and the Digital Dollar Foundation to advance exploration of a US Central Bank Digital Currency.
The Project aims to encourage research and public discussion on the potential advantages of a digital dollar.
The Project also convenes private sector thought leaders and actors and proposes possible models to support the public sector.
The Project will develop a framework for potential, practical steps that can be taken to establish a dollar CBDC.
EARLY CAREER
At GFI, he grew the firm into a leading trading platform and tech vendor to global markets for OTC swaps and other derivatives.
Prior to GFI, he was an Exec. VP and US Legal Counsel of Fenics Software.
Previously, he practiced law in New York and London as a partner in the law firms of Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner and Giancarlo & Gleiberman and as an associate with Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle.
He was also a founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of eSecurities, Trading and Regulation on the Internet (Leader Publications).
He has written and spoken extensively on public policy, legal and other matters involving technology and the financial markets.
He has testified often about financial and derivatives markets before the U.S. Congress and EU parliament.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Top 10 Crypto Lawyers 2020, American Crypto Association
APPOINTMENTS AND AFFILIATIONS
Member, Financial Stability Oversight Committee
President's Working Group on Financial Markets
Executive Board, International Organization of Securities Commission
MEDIA AND APPEARANCE
Chris is a frequent guest on broadcast radio and television, including BloombergTV, CNBC, Fox Business and the BBC
He appeared as a guest on podcasts such as Unchain and Coindesk.
He has also appeared as a guest on Real Vision.
He has authored numerous white papers, articles and op-eds that have been published in The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Cato Journal, New York Law Journal, Les Echos and Coinbase.