CFTC Hints at Future Digital Asset Regulatory Framework

CFTC Chairman Heath Tarbert. (Joe Jenkins/CoinDesk archives)

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which regulates the U.S. bitcoin and ether derivatives markets, plans to develop a digital asset innovation blueprint by 2024.

“We will develop a holistic framework to promote responsible innovation in digital assets,” the swaps regulator teased in its 2020-2024 Strategic Plan, released Wednesday.
This “holistic framework” will help keep the CFTC apace with the “risks and opportunities” of these so-called “21st century commodities,” the regulator said, though it was unclear at press time how far the document will ultimately go.
Chairman Heath Tarbert called for “principles-based regulation” of blockchain and digital assets in a June essay published by the Harvard Business Law Review, writing there that “overly prescriptive rules could stunt the development of this important market.”
On a related front, CFTC announced Thursday that it will host three fintech-focused virtual events this fall, including one talk on the future of finance and another on how regulators respond to financial innovation.

Disclosure

The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.

Share this: