Why did the CFTC send crypto rules to the White House?

The CFTC sent the proposal for OMB review after the CLARITY Act failed to advance in the Senate, allowing the agency to pursue crypto market rules under its existing authority.

What are the CFTC crypto rules expected to cover?

The CFTC has not disclosed the proposal’s details, including which crypto assets, exchanges or restrictions would be covered.

How is the CFTC proposal different from the CLARITY Act?

The CFTC proposal is an agency rulemaking, while the CLARITY Act is legislation that would establish a broader statutory framework for US crypto markets.

What does the CFTC proposal mean for crypto exchanges?

The immediate effect on exchanges is unclear because the CFTC has not disclosed which platforms or requirements the proposal would cover.

Why is the SEC also changing crypto rules?

The SEC has introduced a five-year conditional exemption for qualifying platforms to offer onchain trading of certain tokenised stocks without registering as securities exchanges.

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CFTC submits crypto rules amid CLARITY Act stall

Written by Brie CarterPublished Sep 18, 2026, 11:28 PM

The CFTC has sent a new crypto market rule proposal to the White House for review.
The proposal follows the Senate’s failure to advance the CLARITY Act this week.
The rules remain undisclosed, with the CFTC planning further action after White House review.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has sent a new crypto market rule proposal to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review.

The submission follows the Senate’s failure to advance the CLARITY Act, leaving the CFTC and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to pursue rules under existing authority.

“The CFTC is locked in and ready to ship its rules for the new frontier of finance,” said CFTC Chair Michael Selig.

The CFTC has not disclosed which crypto assets or exchanges the proposal covers, or what restrictions it would introduce.

After OMB review, the proposal would return to the CFTC for a commission vote and public comments before another vote would be required to make it effective.

The CFTC has also issued no-action relief for certain passive software providers, including some crypto wallet interfaces, allowing them to connect users with regulated derivatives markets without registering as introducing brokers.

The SEC separately introduced a five-year conditional exemption for qualifying platforms offering onchain trading of certain tokenised stocks, as both agencies continue developing digital-asset rules under their existing authority.