On December 10, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) approved a final rule eliminating the provisions of the Commission’s Regulations that established the formulation, amendment or repeal of its rules or regulations. The CFTC unanimously passed the final rule, with rule makers stating these provisions were unnecessary because the CFTC’s rulemaking process is governed by the Administrative Procedure Act. Rule.
On September 16, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) approved a final rule amending the position limit rules applicable to security futures products (SFPs) by increasing the default maximum level of equity SFP position limits set by designated contract markets. Release.
On July 9, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Federal Reserve Board, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted a final rule that excludes community banks from the Volcker Rule, which restricts banking entities from engaging in proprietary trading and from owning, sponsoring or having certain relationships with hedge funds or private equity funds. Under the final rule that was adopted, community banks with $10 billion or less in total consolidated assets, and which have total trading assets and liabilities that are 5% or less than such community bank’s total consolidated assets, will be excluded from the Volcker Rule.
On May 8, the Division of Enforcement (DOE) of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) published its first Enforcement Manual. The Enforcement Manual establishes certain general policies and procedures to guide the work of the DOE in pursing violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations, and will serve as a general reference for DOE staff in the investigation and prosecution of potential violations of the CEA and CFTC regulations.
On April 19, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) approved a final rule to revise an existing CFTC regulation that currently requires certain merchants and dealers, among other persons, to provide annual privacy notices to customers. The new rule will remove this requirement to provide annual privacy notices when certain conditions are met. Release.
On March 26, the CFTC approved an amended comparability determination that would extend the substituted compliance permitted for Japan’s margin requirements for uncleared swaps with respect to the scope of entities subject to the margin requirements and the treatment of inter-affiliate transactions. Release. Comparability Determination.
On March 27, 2019, the CFTC approved a comparability determination of Australia’s margin requirements for uncleared swaps, finding the requirements comparable to U.S. requirements for substituted compliance purposes. Release. Comparability Determination.
On March 25, the CFTC adopted and requested comments on an interim final rule designed to provide greater regulatory certainty to global derivatives markets in the event of a “no-deal Brexit.” If the United Kingdom leaves the European Union without a negotiated withdrawal agreement, affected swap dealers and major swap participants may need to effect legal transfers of uncleared swaps that were entered into before the relevant compliance dates under the CFTC Margin Rule or Prudential Margin Rule. The interim final rule would allow an uncleared swap to retain its legacy status under the CFTC Margin Rule or Prudential Margin Rule when so transferred. Release. Interim Final Rule.
On February 19, The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC“) and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA“) signed an arrangement that commits the regulators to collaborating and supporting innovative firms through each other’s financial technology (“FinTech“) initiatives — LabCFTC and FCA Innovate. This is the first FinTech innovation arrangement for the CFTC with a non-U.S. counterpart.
The Cooperation Arrangement on Financial Technology Innovation (“FinTech Arrangement“) focuses on information-sharing regarding FinTech market trends and developments. It also facilitates referrals of FinTech companies interested in entering the others’ market, and sharing information and insight derived from each authority’s relevant sandbox, proof of concept, or innovation competitions. Release.
On January 29, 2018, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC“), along with the Department of Justice and FBI’s Criminal Investigation Division, announced both criminal and civil enforcement actions against three banks and six individuals for commodities fraud. The banks involved in the action include Deutsche Bank, USB and HSBC. Release.
