The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is scrutinizing its risk management regulations, focusing particularly on the digital asset sector. In a recent advanced notice of proposed rulemaking, the agency called for public comments on risk management requirements for swap dealers and futures commission merchants. CFTC Commissioner Christy Goldsmith Romero identified cryptocurrencies as a potential risk in a statement released on Thursday.
Goldsmith Romero acknowledged that numerous brokers have demonstrated an interest in digital assets, but also drew attention to the hazards associated with crypto derivatives. She cited the collapse of FTX, Terra Luna, Celsius, and several others as examples of unregulated spot markets carrying additional risks that have led to substantial losses. Furthermore, she highlighted operational challenges and the prevalence of fraud and illicit finance in certain segments of the crypto market.
Banks, including Silvergate Bank and Signature Bank, have also experienced failures that exposed risks within the industry, according to Goldsmith Romero. She emphasized the need for the Commission to reevaluate its regulatory oversight in light of these technological advancements and associated risks, specifically mentioning the areas of digital assets, artificial intelligence, and cloud services.
Goldsmith Romero also pointed out the challenges related to the custody of digital assets. She highlighted that the 2013 risk management rule and the Commission’s customer protection regulations for brokers did not specifically address safeguarding customer property in the context of digital assets. This raises a host of issues around segregating customer assets from company assets.
As the comment period will last for 60 days, the agency will then decide whether to issue a formal proposed rulemaking. Notably, the CFTC issued a warning earlier this week for firms providing clearing services for crypto, saying it had “observed increased interest by DCOs [derivatives clearing organizations] and DCO applicants in expanding the types of products cleared and business lines, clearing models, and services offered by DCOs, including related to digital assets.”
In recent years, the CFTC has filed charges against several crypto firms, including Binance, which was accused of offering unregistered crypto derivative trading products in the US. Considering the increasing interest and changing dynamics of the digital asset market, the CFTC’s recent focus on risk management regulations highlights the need for updated oversight measures to ensure market stability and security.
Source: Cryptonews
