CFTC Explores Letting Futures Exchanges Trade Spot Crypto

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is looking at how to let some registered futures exchanges list leveraged digital assets like Ether and Bitcoin.

“There is a clear and simple solution the CFTC can implement now,” acting Chairman Caroline Pham said in a news release, referencing a March op-ed in which she suggested that the agency could use its authority to exempt companies from rules that currently limit futures exchanges to only listing derivatives products.

The regulator asked for public comment about trading spot crypto asset contracts that are listed on a CFTC-registered futures exchange by Aug. 18.

The agency is ...