US Crypto Regulation: CFTC Eyes Revival of Perpetual Futures Trading

Key Insights:

• In the new crypto regulation, CFTC plans to reintroduce perpetual futures in the US.
• SEC and CFTC coordinate to simplify the crypto regulatory framework.
• New guidance classifies major tokens like XRP and Solana as digital commodities

The United States may be gearing up for a major shift in crypto regulation, especially focusing on derivatives trading. As much of the activity now occurs on offshore platforms, the US CFTC Chair plans to bring crypto-perpetual futures back under new regulations.

US Eyes Return of Perpetual Futures in New Crypto Regulation

According to the latest developments in US crypto regulation, CFTC Chair Michael Selig is proposing to reintroduce perpetual futures trading in the country. He stated, “Bringing true crypto perpetual futures back to the United States is a key task of pro-innovation policy.”

His statement signals that the CFTC is increasingly focusing on updating regulatory frameworks to better accommodate emerging digital financial instruments. These include complex derivatives and on-chain products.

While Selig’s statements underscore the agency’s priorities, they don’t give any hints on exactly how or when these changes will happen.

This development comes on the heels of the CFTC Chair’s previous remarks. In early March, Selig said the CFTC is working to restore “true professional futures” in the US. Highlighting that the previous policies restricted this trading and liquidity offshore, he added that the new crypto regulation would restore it.

How New Rules Could Reshape the US Crypto Market

Notably, perpetual futures are a type of crypto derivative that can be traded continuously without any expiry date. Currently, most of these trades are occurring on offshore platforms like Binance. Here, crypto regulations on derivatives are more flexible.

However, in the US, perpetual futures trading was largely restricted due to strict crypto regulations. But the CFTC chair’s latest remarks suggest that the country is now considering a significant shift. The regulators are making efforts to bring this trading activity back to domestic, regulated markets instead of leaving it overseas.

According to experts, this new crypto regulation could bring major changes to the country. If clearer rules are introduced and onshore derivatives trading is allowed to grow within a regulated framework, it could attract more institutional players.

Over time, this could make the US crypto market more structured, stable, and appealing to large investors. It could even boost overall market confidence and liquidity.

The Bigger Picture: US Crypto Regulation in 2026

The US crypto regulation system is undergoing rapid changes in 2026 as the CFTC and SEC undertake major efforts. The agencies will work together to establish clear guidelines for the United States crypto market.

The SEC and CFTC have worked together to establish their respective regulatory functions through their joint partnership. The initiative will establish unified procedures for crypto regulation. That will simplify compliance requirements for cryptocurrency businesses and their offerings.

The CLARITY Act, which people have been waiting for, has reached a new stage of development. The White House and Senate have reached a stablecoin yield agreement. It enables the market structure bill to move toward final approval.

Meanwhile, guidance from regulators this year has provided new definitions for the classification of digital assets. Many tokens, including Solana, XRP, Cardano, and Chainlink, are classified as “digital commodities.” This helps reduce uncertainty about whether tokens are treated as commodities or securities.