The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the US federal body overseeing derivatives markets, has launched a formal Request for Information seeking to identify regulatory barriers that prevent FinTech firms from operating more freely within the financial system.
The regulator is asking for submissions that flag existing regulations, guidance documents, orders, no-action letters and other official items that unfairly restrict FinTech companies from establishing partnerships with federally regulated institutions. The review will also examine which rules could be updated to simplify application processes for eligible FinTech firms. Respondents will have 21 days from the date the Request for Information is published in the Federal Register to submit comments.
The initiative forms part of the CFTC’s obligations under Executive Order 14405, which directs federal financial regulators to review existing rules and supervisory practices that may be hindering financial innovation and market competition. The CFTC is one of several agencies, alongside the SEC, FDIC, OCC, CFPB and NCUA, required to carry out this review.
The CFTC is the primary US regulator for derivatives markets, including futures and swaps. The commission is responsible for ensuring market integrity and protecting participants across those markets, while also working to promote open and competitive conditions. As part of this mandate, it has increasingly engaged with the FinTech sector as new technologies continue to reshape how financial products and services are delivered.
The broader aim of the exercise is to help the commission pinpoint which of its regulatory items could be revised to better support innovation and foster greater competition among FinTech firms seeking to operate alongside or in partnership with established financial institutions.
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