CFTC launches “future-proofing” program

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has launched a new program called Future-Proof to modernize the rules for cryptocurrency assets and prediction markets.

CFTC Chairman Mike Selig said the agency’s current rules were originally written for agricultural futures and are no longer appropriate for today’s fast-growing cryptocurrency and financial technology markets. Selig explained that although prediction markets and digital assets have expanded rapidly, clear regulations have not kept pace. Cryptocurrency is now a trillion-dollar global industry, and the CFTC believes updated and transparent rules are needed to allow innovation to grow while protecting investors.

Today I am launching a “Future Proofing” initiative. @CFTC.

We are at a pivotal moment in the development of America’s financial markets. The CFTC must have the capacity to serve future markets.

Read my full commentary today. @Washington Post: https://t.co/zWAAjXt4Kg. /1

— Mike Selig (@ChairmanSelig) January 20, 2026

To guide this process, the agency will rely on its Innovation Advisory Board, which will make policy recommendations on cryptocurrencies, prediction markets, and other emerging asset classes. Selig also criticized the CFTC’s past approach, which relied primarily on enforcement actions. Under the Future-Proof initiative, the agency wants to transition to a balanced regulatory strategy that protects markets without stifling innovation.

CFTC pushes for clearer encryption rules

Selig also emphasized that rules should be clear, flexible and designed to fit a modern financial system. The program also recognizes the growing role of artificial intelligence and blockchain in finance. These technologies now allow for 24/7 trading. For example, the New York Stock Exchange announced plans to use blockchain for its tokenization platform to enable 24-hour trading of stocks and ETFs.

Selig said the CFTC must prepare for broader liability as the cryptocurrency market continues to expand. Under the proposed CLARITY Act, the CFTC and SEC would share more oversight of the industry. Selig believes the CFTC is well-positioned to regulate blockchain-based assets.

The announcement follows years of tension between U.S. regulators and cryptocurrency companies. Industry leaders, including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, have argued that unclear rules in the U.S. have slowed innovation and forced some companies to move overseas. Selig said the CFTC would move away from “regulation by enforcement” and introduce purpose-specific rules through public consultation.

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