The US derivatives regulator continues to foster FinTech adoption and leadership in US markets.

By Yvette D. Valdez, Douglas K. Yatter, and Deric Behar

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has affirmed its commitment to engaging the fast-moving financial technology world by elevating its LabCFTC unit to be an independent operating office within the CFTC, reporting directly to Chairman Heath Tarbert. LabCFTC is the agency’s FinTech hub, led since October 10, 2019, by Chief Innovation Officer and Director Melissa Netram. The announcement about LabCFTC’s new status was made at the agency’s second annual FinTech conference, “Fintech Forward 2019: Exploring the Unwritten Future,” held on October 24, 2019.

LabCFTC initiatives such as the annual FinTech conference provide a way for FinTech innovators to access the CFTC, while also allowing the CFTC to keep apace of new technologies and ideas impacting the financial markets. The CFTC also uses the forum to evaluate the potential of new technology for agency oversight activities.