CFTC chair Michael Selig said blockchain could help verify AI-generated content, positioning onchain timestamps and identifiers as tools to distinguish authentic media from synthetic outputs.
He said regulators are aiming to preserve US leadership in crypto and AI by avoiding excessive rules, particularly as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent in financial markets.
“The private markets have solutions — blockchain technology is a great one… Having these technologies here in the US is critical,”
Said CFTC chair Michael Selig.
Selig added that regulators should focus on market participants rather than developers, warning that over-regulation could stifle innovation as AI agents become more active in trading.
He said the CFTC is taking a “minimum effective dose” approach to oversight, ensuring enforcement targets financial activity rather than the software tools enabling it.
The comments come as blockchain-based verification tools such as proof-of-personhood systems gain attention, including initiatives like Sam Altman’s World ID, which aims to confirm human identity without exposing personal data.
Developers and policymakers are increasingly exploring cryptographic methods such as zero-knowledge proofs and onchain timestamps to validate digital content, as US authorities push for a unified national AI regulatory framework.