HomeGlossaryCommodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
U.S. agency regulating futures, options on commodities, and swaps tied to physical markets—overlapping with SEC and banking regulators after derivatives reform.
The CFTC registers custodians of customer funds, sets position limits in some products, oversees designated contract markets, and writes rules for swap execution facilities. Energy and agricultural contracts link macro shocks to localized production—relevant when trade and labor data intersect with commodity swings.
Post-2008 Title VII of Dodd-Frank expanded its turf relative to the SEC, though jurisdictional seams and overseas venues still complicate enforcement.
Where it sits in U.S. regulation
Derivatives that reference oil, rates, or crops often touch CFTC rules even when the same shock surfaces in banking or securities law—one reason post-crisis reform split oversight across agencies.