On April 7, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that Cboe Exchange, Inc. (CBOE) proposed to amend Interpretation and Policy .01 to Rule 5.24 regarding business continuity and disaster recovery testing in order to harmonize with its affiliated options exchanges.
Continue Reading SEC Announces CBOE Amendments to Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Testing Rules

On February 14, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed to modernize the infrastructure for the collection, consolidation and dissemination of market data for exchange-listed national market system (NMS) securities, including by expanding the content of included NMS market data and introducing a decentralized consolidation model with competing data consolidators.
Continue Reading SEC Proposes to Modernize Infrastructure for NMS Securities Market Data

On February 18, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued a regulatory notice seeking comment on a proposal to implement recommendations of the Securities Industry/Regulatory Council on Continuing Education, enhancing the continuing education requirements for securities industry professionals.
Continue Reading FINRA Requests Comment on Enhancements to the Continuing Education Program for Securities Industry Professionals

On January 30, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) voted to publish for comment revised rules establishing position limits on derivatives contracts that provide for physical delivery. The vote was 3-2, with Commissioners Behnam and Berkovitz dissenting.
Continue Reading CFTC Proposes Revised Rules Establishing Position Limits on Derivatives Contracts That Provide for Physical Delivery

On January 28, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that it will adopt the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Privacy Framework for data privacy protection. The NIST Privacy Framework is a voluntary tool developed in collaboration with stakeholders (e.g., service providers, customers, partners) intended to help organizations identify and manage privacy risk

On January 27, the National Futures Association (NFA) issued a notice to members as a reminder that the effective date for NFA’s Swaps Proficiency Requirements (Requirements) is January 31, and that the Requirements must be completed by applicable individuals by the January 31, 2021 compliance date. The Requirements are now available online here.
Continue Reading NFA’s Swaps Proficiency Requirements Effective and Available Online

On November 4, the Securities and Exchange Commission extended temporary no-action relief to firms that are regulated in the United States in connection with their efforts to comply with the research provisions of the European Union’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II). Under the extension, the SEC staff will not recommend enforcement action

On October 16, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) unanimously extended the compliance schedule for initial margin requirements for uncleared swaps for entities with average aggregate notional amounts in material swaps exposure of $8 – $50 billion until September 1, 2021. Entities with more than $50 billion of such exposure are still subject to the

On August 26, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission published a request for nominations (including self-nominations) for associate members of the Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee (EEMAC). The EEMAC is an advisory committee that conducts public meetings and submits recommendations to the CFTC regarding energy and environmental markets and regulation. The CFTC also invited public