# CFTC Opens Comments on Rules for Leveraged Retail Crypto Trades

By Riza Dagoc

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/regulation/31208
Published: 2026-10-13T14:05:47.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-13T14:05:47.000Z
Section: Regulation

> The advance notice considers a registration category for exchanges offering certain crypto transactions involving margin, leverage or financing.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission opened a 60-day public-comment period Oct. 5 for an advance notice of proposed rulemaking covering certain retail crypto transactions and crypto-asset markets.

The notice addresses “Crypto Asset Transactions,” or CTXs, under Section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Commodity Exchange Act. The transactions involve retail crypto activity using margin, leverage or financing.

The CFTC is also considering a registration category called a “crypto asset market,” or CAM, for exchanges offering CTXs. The potential framework could include market-surveillance requirements, customer-fund protections, safeguards against abusive practices and proof-of-reserves obligations for certain omnibus customer accounts.

Exchanges offering futures, options or swaps would remain under the existing designated contract market framework. Ordinary spot activity would remain primarily subject to state money-transmission laws, along with the CFTC’s existing anti-fraud and anti-manipulation authority.

CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig said the action was intended to advance federal oversight while recognizing the limits of the agency’s authority.

“Today’s action is a critical step in the CFTC’s ongoing efforts to ensure America remains the crypto capital of the world,” Selig said Oct. 5.

The advance notice does not require every crypto exchange to register with the CFTC. Selig said only Congress can impose such a mandate, stating, “Only Congress has the authority to mandate that all crypto asset exchanges register with the Commission.”

Selig also said agency action cannot permanently replace legislation. The CFTC has not adopted final CTX or CAM rules.

Comments are due within 60 days of the notice’s publication in the Federal Register.