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CFTC Begins Formal Crypto Rulemaking Without Waiting for Congress

(14 days ago) · 1 source · Summarized by CryptoBipto — how we make this

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has initiated its own rulemaking process for cryptocurrency regulation, moving ahead without waiting for Congress to pass legislation. This step comes as crypto-related bills have stalled in the legislative process. The CFTC's action represents an attempt to establish regulatory clarity through agency authority rather than new laws.

WHY IT MATTERS

In the United States, two main agencies watch over financial markets: the SEC (which regulates stocks and similar investments) and the CFTC (which regulates commodities like oil and gold, plus related contracts). Crypto has not fit neatly into either category, and Congress has not passed a law saying who is in charge of what. Think of it like two referees on a sports field with no clear rules about which one calls which fouls — the game gets confusing for everyone. The CFTC is now essentially writing its own rulebook for the parts of crypto it believes it should oversee, rather than waiting for Congress to sort it out. For people new to crypto, this matters because clearer rules from regulators can affect which products are available, how exchanges operate, and what protections exist for users.

The CFTC has long shared an uneasy jurisdictional overlap with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over which agency has authority to regulate different parts of the crypto market.

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