US CFTC's Technology Advisory Committee To Discuss Blockchain Technology

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) will discuss the potential applications of blockchain technology in derivative markets. The CFTC's Technology Advisory Committee (``TAC'') will hold a public meeting at the CFTC's Washington, DC headquarters on 26 Jaunary, 2016.

The TAC will discuss “(1) The Commission's proposed Regulation Automated Trading (``Reg AT''); (2) swap data standardization and harmonization; and (3) blockchain and the potential application of distributed ledger technology to the derivatives market”.

According to the notice of the meeting published on the Federal Register website, the meeting will be open to the public with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Members of the public will also have option to listen to the meeting by telephone by calling a domestic toll-free telephone or international toll or toll-free number to connect to a live, listen-only audio feed. Call-in participants should provide their first name, last name, and affiliation.

Members of the public who wish to submit written statements in connection with the meeting should submit them by January 26, according to the announcement.

“The discussion comes in the wake of the CFTC’s announcement several months ago that it plans on treating cryptocurrencies as commodities for regulatory purposes”, DCE Brief noted.