From the category archives:

cftc

New Forex Regulations: Overview of Public Comments

February 23, 2010

Leverage, Inaccessibility for Smaller Traders, and Offshore Threat are Focus of Public Comments
As we’ve discussed in related posts, the CFTC has proposed rules regulating the off-exchange spot forex industry (see Retail FOREX Registration Regulations Proposed).  The CFTC has requested comments from the public and there are currently about 100 public comments on CFTC’s website written in response [...]

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CPO Annual Financial Report Filing

February 16, 2010

Information on Filing Annual Report with NFA
Commodity Pool Operators (”CPOs”) are required to distribute an Annual Report, certified by an independent public accountant, to each participant in each pool it operates (i.e. the investors in the commodity/futures hedge fund) within 90 days after the pool’s fiscal year-end (normally December 31).  CPOs are also required under the [...]

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NFA Self-Examination Checklist 2010 | FCMs, IBs, CPOs and CTAs

February 8, 2010

Easy Step by Step Guide for NFA Member Firms
NFA Member Firms are all required to complete a yearly self-examination checklist to ensure that the Member Firm is complying with all the NFA Rules (as well as the CFTC Regulations and other applicable laws).  The NFA has provided some resources on their website.  We believe that [...]

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CFTC Provides Annual Guidance to CPOs

January 28, 2010

Annual Report Guidance for Commodity Pool Operators
In a recent release, which we have reprinted in full below, the CFTC reminds CPOs of their annual reporting requirements under Regulation 4.22.  The release includes a link to the 2010 CPO Annual Guidance Letter.  In general the letter provides another reminder to CPOs to file their annual reports [...]

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CTA and CPO Foreign Language Disclosure Documents

January 20, 2010

Translating a Disclosure Document to Another Language is Fine
NFA Member Firms are required to have their disclosure documents reviewed by the NFA generally before such firms can distribute the documents to potential investors.  One issue which sometimes arises is when the firm (generally either a CTA or CPO) has potential clients/investors who are non-U.S. citizens [...]

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Eligible Contract Participant (ECP) Definition

January 15, 2010

The term “eligible contract participant” is important with regard to managers who provide advice on futures and commodities investments (including off-exchange spot foreign currency or “forex”).  In general there are exemptions from various CTA, CPO and IB registration provisions for those managers who only provide advisory services to those clients who fall within the definition [...]

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Retail FOREX Registration Regulations Proposed

January 14, 2010

Forex Managers Required to be Registered Under New Regulations
The much anticipated off-exchange retail foreign currency regulations were proposed today by the CFTC.  The release announcing the publication in the Federal Register is reprinted below and can be found here.  We will be providing an overview of the major provisions shortly.
The full proposed rules are posted [...]

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NFA Provides Social Networking Compliance Guidance

January 12, 2010

Member Firms Subject to Increased Oversight & Compliance Responsibilities
In early December the National Futures Association (“NFA”) submitted two proposed amendments proposed amendments to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) regarding NFA Member Firms and their use of the internet and social media networks.  The amendments focus on communications by firms over the internet in various [...]

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NFA Annual Questionnaire

January 11, 2010

Reminder to NFA Member Firms
As part of the annual processes and procedures NFA Members will need to make sure that they complete the NFA Annual Questionnaire.  As discussed below in the NFA’s most recent notice to members, it is important that NFA Members complete the questionnaire because some of the answers will appear as BASIC [...]

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Qualified Eligible Person (QEP) Definition

December 24, 2009

The securities laws can be written obtusely and the definition of a qualified eligible person (QEP) may be one of the best examples of this.  There is no quick and easy definition of a what a QEP is so we are trying to make it as easy as possible to understand.  This post discusses the [...]

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