CFTC Launches Fintech RFI to Cut Red Tape and Boost Market Innovation (91 FR 36774)

Q: What does the Federal Register notice at 91 FR 36774 address?

A: Published by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), this notice announces a Request for Information (RFI) titled “Identifying Regulations to Facilitate Innovation and Competition to Financial Products and Services for Fintech Firms.” The RFI was initiated pursuant to Executive Order 14405, which directs federal financial regulators to review existing rules, guidance, and supervisory practices to strip away outdated burdens and foster technological innovation, particularly for small and emerging fintech firms.

Q: What core areas and barriers are targeted under this RFI?

A: The CFTC is actively seeking public and industry input on how to modernize rules spanning multiple parts of Title 17 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR Parts 1, 3, 4, 23, 30, 36–45). Key targets include identifying regulations, orders, and no-action positions that:

• Impede Partnerships: Unduly restrict or discourage non-bank fintech firms from forming productive partnerships with federally registered entities and traditional institutions.
• Stifle Emerging Products: Create unnecessary compliance or capital friction for digital asset-related services, alternative payment processing, automated lending, and digital investment management.
• Overburden Market Entrants: Impose disproportionate reporting, registration, or operational hurdles on small-scale innovators attempting to integrate new technologies into the derivatives and commodity spaces.

Q: Why does this RFI matter for fintechs, exchanges, and market participants?

A: This initiative signals a strategic regulatory push to lower entry barriers and harmonize traditional derivatives compliance with modern financial technology. By inviting direct feedback from market operators and developers, the CFTC is laying the groundwork to reshape regulatory perimeters—making it an opportune moment for innovative firms to help rewrite the rules governing digital assets, prediction markets, and automated trading infrastructure.

Secure Your Regulatory and Legal Strategy Today

As the CFTC evaluates regulatory modernization and seeks industry input on fintech innovation, navigating compliance and shaping policy requires seasoned insight.

Whether you are scaling a digital asset platform, structuring novel fintech partnerships, or responding to federal agency requests for information, Peter Sanchez Guarda provides elite legal and financial regulatory advisory.

👉 Contact me today to secure specialized counsel tailored to your firm’s regulatory and commercial goals.