Michael Passalacqua

Michael Passalacqua is a senior advisor to Chairman Selig and leads the CFTC’s Innovation Task Force. Prior to joining the Commission, Passalacqua practiced law in the New York office of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, where he focused on financial regulatory matters involving crypto assets and blockchain technologies. In this role, he helped obtain industry-wide no-action relief concerning the use of state-chartered trust companies as crypto asset custodians. Prior to Simpson Thacher, Passalacqua practiced law at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and was a member of the firm’s Digital Works practice. Earlier in his career, he served as assistant general counsel at a crypto asset capital markets firm where he advised on a range of crypto asset regulatory and transactional matters. Passalacqua received his J.D., cum laude, from Pace University School of Law and B.A. in political science from Fordham University.