Commodity Exchange Act

On March 31, the Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (DSIO) of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued Staff Letter No. 20-12 (Letter), announcing temporary no-action relief (Relief) that allows certain non-US entities, that are exempt from registration with the CFTC as introducing brokers pursuant to CFTC Regulation 30.5 (Foreign Brokers), and which are affiliates of futures commission merchants (FCMs) registered with the CFTC, to handle US order flow under certain conditions.
Continue Reading CFTC Provides Relief to Certain Foreign Affiliates of FCMs in Response to COVID-19

On March 24, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued final interpretive guidance regarding retail commodity transactions that involve digital assets. The interpretive guidance is designed to clarify the CFTC’s views on the “actual delivery” exception to Section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) for digital assets that serve as a medium of exchange (otherwise known as “virtual currencies”).
Continue Reading CFTC Issues Final Interpretive Guidance on Actual Delivery for Digital Assets

On December 18, the Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (DSIO), the Division of Market Oversight (DMO) and the Division of Clearing and Risk (DCR) each issued a no-action letter providing relief to market participants in preparation for the transition away from the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and other interbank offered rates (collectively with LIBOR, IBORs). The letters identify the terms and conditions pursuant to which counterparties may be eligible for relief in connection with amending swaps to replace provisions referencing discontinued IBORs with alternative benchmarks.
Continue Reading CFTC Grants Market Participants LIBOR-Transition Relief

On October 11, the leaders of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (collectively, the Agencies) issued a joint statement reminding persons engaged in activities involving digital assets of their anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 (BSA).
Continue Reading CFTC, FinCEN, and SEC Issue Joint Statement on Activities Involving Digital Assets

On September 13, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced the extension of the public comment periods for two rule proposals. First, the CFTC announced that it will extend the comment period from September 17 to November 18 for the proposed alternative compliance framework for derivatives clearing organizations (DCOs) organized outside of the United States that do not pose substantial risk to the US financial system (Alternative Compliance Framework Proposal). Under the Alternative Compliance Framework Proposal, these DCOs would be able to register with the CFTC, yet comply with the core principles applicable to DCOs in the Commodity Exchange Act through their compliance with the regulatory regime of their home country, subject to certain conditions and limitations.
Continue Reading CFTC Extends Public Comment Period for Proposed Rules Pertaining to Cross-Border Clearing

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has published for comment two proposals intended to reduce the regulatory obligations that certain non-US clearing organizations would otherwise be subject. In accordance with section 5b(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), it is unlawful for any clearing organization to clear swaps on behalf of US persons unless that clearing organization is registered with the CFTC as a derivatives clearing organization (DCO). However, CEA section 5b(h) authorizes the CFTC to exempt from registration any non-US clearing organization that is “subject to comparable, comprehensive supervision and regulation” by its home country regulator. In the exercise of this latter authority, the CFTC has proposed to permit those non-US clearing organizations that the CFTC determines do not pose a substantial risk to the US financial system to elect either 1) registration as a DCO with alternative compliance obligations; or 2) an exemption from registration altogether.
Continue Reading CFTC Proposes Amendments to Reduce Regulatory Obligations on Certain Non-US Clearing Organizations

On May 21, the National Futures Association (NFA) submitted to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission proposed amendments to NFA Interpretive Notice Compliance Rule 2-9: Supervision of Branch Offices and Guaranteed IBs. The proposed amendments would replace and supersede an existing Interpretive Notice with the same title.
Continue Reading Proposed Amendments to NFA Interpretive Notice Compliance Rule 2-9: Supervision of Branch Offices and Guaranteed IBs

On May 8, the Division of Enforcement (the “Division”) of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued its first public enforcement manual (the “Enforcement Manual”). The Enforcement Manual explains the roles of the CFTC and Division generally, and outlines certain general policies and procedures that guide the Division in its investigation and prosecution of violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC Regulations.
Continue Reading CFTC Division of Enforcement Issues Public Enforcement Manual

On April 25, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission approved a proposed rule intended to improve the quality of swap data and update and streamline regulations related to the operations and governance of swap data repositories (SDRs) (Rule Proposal). Among other items, the Rule Proposal is intended to update requirements related to the following: 1) the