There has been a lot of attention the last few years on the rise of retail trading. The meme stock craze highlighted the power of this community to express a forceful point of view in the markets. Retail participants, especially Gen Z, are the driving force behind cryptocurrencies and their promise. Even the futures markets have shown an increase in retail participation, especially in micro-sized contracts. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission estimates that retail trading volume in futures contracts on US exchange now averages about 50% higher than during the pre-pandemic period.
CONTINUE READINGTrading on the Taiwan Futures Exchange (TAIFEX) continued its upward trajectory with more than 384 million contracts traded in 2022, recording the second highest annual volume and three consecutive years to trade over 300 million contracts. The increased trading in its core products, strong international participation, and the popularity of the Exchange’s night session were the major driving forces for the impressive growth.
CONTINUE READINGLast year was a rollercoaster for energy and commodity markets. Will markets return to business as usual in 2023 or have some been transformed in the aftermath of last year’s events? Here, we highlight key themes and events that emerged in 2022 and look at how they may play out this year.
CONTINUE READINGFIA has expressed concern that the proposed requirements could have negative effects on the timing and operational complexity of returning funds to clients, hindering CMs' ability to dynamically meet the needs of their clients.
CONTINUE READINGStartups are helping drive innovation in the trading and clearing of futures, options and swaps, and alumni from FIA’s Innovators Pavilion are among the companies that provide a window into the technology trends transforming the industry.
CONTINUE READINGFIA has submitted a letter to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) related to a proposed rule titled Beneficial Ownership Information Access and Safeguards, and Use of FinCEN Identifiers for Entities. In its comments to FinCEN, FIA noted its supports for a separate comment letter from the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) that would make the proposed rule more useful and cost-effective for FIA members who operate in futures and derivatives markets.
CONTINUE READINGThe total amount of customer funds in futures accounts at US FCMs reached $347.6 billion in December, up 7.1% over the last 12 months.
CONTINUE READINGThe US Commodity Futures Trading Commission held the first meeting of the Global Markets Advisory Committee (GMAC) on 13 February, the first meeting under the sponsorship of Commissioner Caroline Pham.
CONTINUE READINGFIA has filed comments with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission that respond to the pending notice of proposal rulemaking on reporting requirements for derivatives clearing organizations (DCOs).In its letter, FIA supports the CFTC’s proposal to codify no-action relief for variation margin reporting, highlighting the importance of clear rules for DCOs and their clearing members.
CONTINUE READINGFIA has responded to an International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) public consultation on recommendations for establishing sound Compliance Carbon Markets (CCMs) and on key considerations for enhancing the resilience and integrity of Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCMs).
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