55 stories about CFTC from across the crypto press, curated and summarized daily. Most recent: Oct 22, 2026.
Despite the defeat of the Senate's Clarity Act over procedural hurdles and stablecoin yield disputes, regulators and major financial institutions are forging ahead with tokenized asset frameworks. SEC and CFTC actions, combined with exchange integration from NASDAQ and the DTCC, are unlocking 24/7 trading for real-world assets.
The CFTC is pushing back against CME Group’s legal challenge to how the agency treats perpetual futures, arguing CME has not shown the policy is harming it. The dispute comes as the CFTC has approved its first bitcoin perpetual contract, putting the rules for these products in court.
The CFTC has proposed formally including certain prediction-market event contracts in the legal definition of swaps, bringing them under the agency’s oversight. The proposal covers markets tied to sports, politics, culture and weather, while a separate interim rule excludes casino-style gambling contracts.
Blockchain.com has filed for designated contract market and futures commission merchant licenses with the CFTC, aiming to operate its own regulated prediction markets and crypto derivatives in the US. The NFL separately filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to hear a case arguing that Kalshi's sports contracts are gambling, not swaps.
The CFTC launched rulemaking to regulate leveraged and margined retail crypto trading via Regulation CTX and CAM, creating a new "crypto asset market" exchange category. The proposal excludes simple spot trading, and critics argue the CFTC leaves investors less protected than the SEC would.
Seven commissioner seats at the SEC and CFTC will be empty after Friday, leaving only three leaders to oversee the $3 trillion crypto industry. Illinois is also drafting new crypto tax rules that would apply its 0.2% digital asset transaction tax to DeFi platforms, stablecoins, and self-custody transfers.
Coinbase has received CFTC approval to operate a US derivatives clearinghouse, allowing it to list, broker, and clear fully collateralized products in-house. This move mirrors Kraken's parent company Payward's earlier acquisition of Bitnomial's derivatives infrastructure. Coinbase Clearing will accept USDC as collateral and offer around-the-clock settlement, though margined products will remain with partners.
With the Clarity Act stalled in the Senate, the SEC, CFTC, and Federal Reserve are taking the lead on crypto regulation. This rapid response could shape the future of digital asset markets. The move highlights the growing divide between regulatory agencies and Congress on crypto oversight.
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has issued guidance allowing commodities firms to invest in tokenized assets and use blockchain records. This move signals growing acceptance of blockchain technology in traditional finance.
CFTC Chairman Selig has called for markets to prepare for mass tokenization and 24/7 trading, warning that the shift is inevitable as the Trump administration pushes a financial market overhaul.
Coinbase has filed with the CFTC to offer perpetual futures on individual US stocks like Apple, Tesla, and Nvidia, allowing 24/5 leveraged trading without ownership. The filing follows Coinbase's earlier launch of pre-IPO perpetual futures starting with SpaceX.
The U.S. Clarity Act, which aimed to provide regulatory clarity for crypto markets, failed to pass. Now, federal agencies are scrambling to create their own regulations. This uncertainty could lead to inconsistent rules and market instability.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has submitted a prerule on crypto asset transactions to the White House for review. This move signals the agency's intent to build a derivatives framework independently, following the collapse of the Clarity Act in Congress. The SEC is also opening new paths for tokenized stock trading.
Following the Senate's rejection of the Clarity Act, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong pointed to political disagreements over ethics provisions as the primary trigger for the bill's collapse. Armstrong noted that crypto regulation will now shift toward administrative rulemaking by the SEC and CFTC.
The SEC and CFTC are preparing to push forward with their own crypto regulations after the Clarity Act stalled in the Senate. CFTC Chair Mike Selig said the agency is 'locked in and ready to ship its rules for the new frontier of finance.' SEC Chair Paul Atkins also pledged to use existing powers to provide regulatory certainty. This move could lead to a fragmented regulatory approach in the U.S.
The Hyperliquid Policy Center has accused CME Group of stifling innovation in the crypto derivatives market. They asked a court to dismiss CME’s lawsuit against the CFTC over the classification of perpetual futures. This legal battle could shape the future of crypto trading in the U.S.
Hyperliquid, a decentralized derivatives exchange, is partnering with Payward, the parent company of Kraken, to enter the US market. The deal is pending regulatory approval from the CFTC, with Payward already outlining the proposed structure.
Hyperliquid's Policy Center is urging the SEC and CFTC to harmonize regulations for perpetual contracts as its own multi-asset perpetuals gain scale and draw scrutiny from traditional exchanges.
President Trump urged Congress to pass a "fair version" of the Clarity Act, the SEC advanced its first crypto fundraising framework, and the CFTC warned it would write its own rules if the bill stalls. These moves signal a coordinated push for clearer crypto regulations.
CFTC Chair Michael Selig announced at an Innovation Advisory Committee meeting that he has directed staff to explore developer protections and other crypto policies, signaling the agency will act if Congress does not pass the CLARITY Act.
Former CFTC Chairman Chris Giancarlo says digital asset innovation will advance regardless of whether Congress passes the Clarity Act. In a wide-ranging interview, he also addressed prediction markets, financial privacy, and the regulatory outlook in Washington.
The SEC will review its approval of Nasdaq's bitcoin options after CME argued these products should be regulated by the CFTC, not the SEC. This dispute highlights the ongoing regulatory uncertainty around cryptocurrency derivatives.
Binance.US CEO Stephen Gregory announced at a recent conference that the company will apply for a designated contract market license from the CFTC in August to launch a prediction market platform.
North Carolina's new budget law defers oversight of prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket to the CFTC, taxing them at just 6%. This move sets a lower tax rate compared to other states' proposals.