On May 24, the National Futures Association (NFA) issued Notice to Members 1-21-16, announcing the effective date for NFA Member swap dealer and major swap participant dues increases.

NFA Bylaw 1301 imposes annual dues on NFA Member swap dealers (SD) and major swap participants (MSP). The current annual dues amounts have remained unchanged, except for a reduction in MSP annual dues, since NFA established its swap regulatory program in 2013. Given the expansion of NFA’s swaps regulatory program over the past eight years and to fund its operations and maintain adequate reserves, NFA’s Board of Directors, on May 20, unanimously approved the following increases to these annual dues amounts:
Continue Reading Effective Date for NFA Member Swap Dealer and Major Swap Participant Dues Increases

On April 8, the Market Participants Division (MPD), Division of Clearing and Risk (DCR), Division of Data (DOD) and Division of Market Oversight (DMO) of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission jointly issued no-action relief, effective immediately, to maintain the regulatory status quo for swap dealers (SD) following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the

On December 8, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) unanimously approved two final rules related to margin requirements for uncleared swaps for swap dealers (SD) and major swap participants (MSP).
Continue Reading CFTC Unanimously Approves Final Rules Related to Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major Swap Participants

On August 31, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (DSIO) issued a no-action letter (No-Action Letter 20-23) providing additional relief to swap dealers (SDs) and other market participants related to the industry-wide initiative to transition from swaps that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and other interbank offered rates (IBORs) to swaps that reference alternative benchmarks.
Continue Reading CFTC No-Action Letter 20-23: CFTC Provides Additional Relief to Market Participants Transitioning from LIBOR

By a vote of 3-2, on July 23, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission adopted its Final Cross-Border Swaps Rulemaking (Final Cross-Border Rule), which codifies several parts of the CFTC’s existing interpretive guidance and policy statement on the subject. Among other things, the Final Cross-Border Rule establishes key definitions, some of which are revised definitions of existing terms used in the interpretive guidance (e.g., the definition of “U.S. Person”) and others which are new. The rule also addresses which cross-border swaps must be considered for the purposes of the swap dealer registration threshold.
Continue Reading CFTC Adopts Final Cross-Border Swap Rulemaking; Staff Issues No-Action Relief for ANE Transactions

On July 22, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission adopted rules (Final Rules) that set minimum financial capital requirements for swap dealers (SDs) and major swap participants (MSPs) that are not subject to prudential regulation (each, a “Covered Swap Entity” or CSE). The capital requirements were originally proposed in 2016, as explained in more detail here.

The core financial require
Continue Reading CFTC Adopts Final Capital Requirements for Swap Dealers

On February 20, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) unanimously approved two proposed rules to revise its regulations relating to swap data reporting, dissemination and public reporting requirements for market participants.
Continue Reading CFTC Approves Revisions to Swap Data Reporting, Dissemination and Public Reporting Requirements for Market Participants

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