The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission has hired Donald Battle as its new chief data innovation officer. Battle has extensive experience in blockchain forensics, having advised the SEC crypto task force and worked for the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. This appointment signals the CFTC’s move toward greater focus on crypto regulation, coinciding with congressional efforts to overhaul digital asset market rules through the CLARITY Act. The agency has also opened a public comment period on a proposed rule to distinguish sports event contracts from gambling.
The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has appointed a new chief data innovation officer with deep blockchain forensics experience. CFTC Chair Michael Selig stated that Donald Battle, an adviser to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) crypto task force, would fill the role.
Selig cited Battle’s experience in “data science, blockchain forensics, programming interfaces, and cutting-edge AI solutions” among his reasons for the selection. Battle was appointed as an SEC crypto task force adviser in January 2025 and previously worked as a blockchain data adviser for the CFTC.
The appointment comes as Congress seeks to overhaul the CFTC’s and SEC’s roles with a digital asset market structure bill, the CLARITY Act. Under Selig, the CFTC has claimed jurisdiction over regulating prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket.
The agency last week released a proposed rule that could distinguish sports event contracts offered on such platforms from what it called “games of random chance.” The public has 45 days to comment on the draft rule mentioned by the commission.
