Breaking: U.S. CFTC Kicks off Crypto Sprint, Explores Spot and Futures Trading Together

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has launched a Crypto Sprint to allow spot crypto trading on futures exchanges. The aim is to unify U.S. market regulation.

CFTC’s Crypto Sprint is to Regulate Spot Trading via Futures Exchanges

In a press release, Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham announced that the launch of Crypto Sprint, is aimed at rapidly integrating digital assets into federal market oversight. This marks the first formal step in implementing the President’s Working Group report on digital asset markets.

Crypto Sprint focuses on allowing spot crypto contracts to be traded on CFTC-registered futures exchanges, also known as designated contract markets (DCMs). So, an exchange like CME will be able to list spot BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL.

Acting Chairman Pham confirmed that the effort is in coordination with the SEC’s Project Crypto. She stated the initiative will use existing authority under the Commodity Exchange Act.

This includes rules requiring retail commodity trades involving leverage or margin to occur on regulated platforms. According to Pham, the CFTC now invites market participants to help shape the Crypto Sprint framework for spot crypto listings.

Stakeholders will give their feedback on how these contracts can be adapted to meet section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Commodity Exchange Act and Part 40 of CFTC regulations. The Crypto Sprint initiative also aims at explaining the way non-security digital assets should be listed or sold on open markets using federal rules.

Pham stressed that this action aligns with her proposals since 2022 on federal oversight for digital spot markets. In her statement, Pham praised President Trump’s leadership in advancing crypto regulation.

She added that the agency is committed to making the U.S. the global hub for regulated crypto trading. The CFTC is accepting written comments until August 18. Submissions will be made public on the official CFTC website.

The move highlights a growing push to combine spot and futures crypto trading under one regulatory roof. The Crypto Sprint initiative may accelerate market structure reforms and provide clearer rules for crypto exchanges and investors.