News Centre

Nadex Temporarily Amends Binary Contracts Strike Width

Date 07/05/2020

Pursuant to Section 5c(c)(1) of the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“Act”), and Section 40.6(d) of the regulations promulgated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “Commission”) under the Act (the “Regulations”), North American Derivatives Exchange, Inc. (“Nadex”, the “Exchange”) hereby provides notice that due to increased volatility in the underlying markets upon which the Nadex contracts are based, Nadex made changes to the strike widths of various contracts during the week of May 4, 2020 as indicated in the Weekly Notice. 

CryptoCompare Analysis - Searches For “Bitcoin Halving” Hit Unprecedented Levels

Date 07/05/2020

As Bitcoin has surged in price over the past two weeks, Google searches for “Bitcoin halving” have surged in tandem, dwarfing numbers from the previous halvings. The chart below shows just how much search interest has increased compared to the spike around the last halving in July 2016.

Two New Directors Join ISDA Board

Date 07/05/2020

ISDA today announced that two new directors have joined its Board of Directors.

The new directors are:

• Tina Hasenpusch, Managing Director, Global Head of Clearing House Operations, CME Group
• Taihei Okabe, Managing Director, Head of Derivatives Trading, Mizuho Securities Co., Ltd.

CFTC Files Charges In $20 Million International Binary Options And Digital Asset Fraud Scheme

Date 07/05/2020

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today announced the filing of a multi-million dollar fraud action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, charging three individuals and three companies with fraudulently soliciting tens of millions of customers and prospective customers to open and fund off-exchange binary options and digital asset trading accounts. These accounts traded foreign exchange currency pairs, metals, and digital assets through websites operated by unregistered binary options and digital asset brokers. 

Ontario Securities Commission’s Investor Advisory Panel Releases 2019 Annual Report

Date 07/05/2020

The Investor Advisory Panel (the IAP) today released its 2019 Annual Report summarizing its activities, submissions, consultations, and meetings during the calendar year.

Opening Statement Of Commissioner Brian Quintenz Before The CFTC Energy And Environmental Markets Advisory Committee

Date 07/05/2020

Thank you Commissioner Berkovitz for convening today’s meeting of the Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee (EEMAC) to focus on one of the most significant rulemakings pending before the Commission:  position limits for derivatives.  I am interested in hearing from the Committee members, associate members and guest presenters about how the proposal can be improved to further promote credible, well-functioning derivatives and cash commodity markets and allow end-users to successfully manage and hedge their risks.  I would like to thank all of the presenters and members for their participation and engagement today.

Euronext Announces Volumes For April 2020

Date 07/05/2020

Euronext, the leading pan-European exchange in the Eurozone, today announced trading volumes for April 2020.

Monthly and historical volumes table are available at this address:

https://www.euronext.com/en/investor-relations#monthly-volumes

Opening Statement Of CFTC Chairman Heath P. Tarbert Before The Energy And Environmental Markets Advisory Committee

Date 07/05/2020

First, there is no more opportune time to salute all of the hard work being done on a daily basis by our staff here at the Commission than during Public Service Recognition Week.  This work is vital to keep our markets operating—markets that are necessary to get our economy moving again.  Industry has also been stepping up to the plate and we thank them for their efforts as well.  Indeed, participating in fora such as this is also a public service.

April Figures At Eurex And EEX

Date 07/05/2020

While total turnover on the international derivatives exchange Eurex fell by 25% year-on-year in April, the Leipzig-based European Energy Exchange (EEX) posted strong year-on-year growth.

Statement Of CFTC Commissioner Dan M. Berkovitz On Recent Trading In The WTI Futures Contract Before The Energy And Environmental Markets Advisory Committee Meeting

Date 07/05/2020

Summary

On April 20th, the price of the West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) crude oil futures contract for May delivery collapsed from about $18 per barrel to negative $37 per barrel, a fall of $55 per barrel in one trading session.  During this abrupt drop, the price of the May futures contract diverged from the price of crude oil in the physical market, just when the prices in the futures and physical markets should have been converging.  The CFTC must determine the causes of this unprecedented price movement and divergence from physical markets.  The Commission should work with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (“CME”) to ensure that trading in upcoming WTI expirations is orderly, supports convergence, and reflects supply and demand in the physical market, while maintaining sufficient liquidity for commercial market participants.  If convergence issues persist, the CFTC’s Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee (“EEMAC”) can play an important role in advising the Commission on how to achieve these objectives.