On May 29, 2026, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission released a policy statement describing how it expects perpetual contracts to be listed and reviewed. It said perpetuals tied to asset classes not contemplated in its approval of KalshiEX LLC's BTCPERP contract should be voluntarily submitted for Commission review and approval under Regulation 40.3, rather than relying solely on self-certification.

On May 29, 2026, the CFTC's Market Participants Division said some crypto-asset perpetual contracts listed on Deribit FZE can be categorized as foreign futures under Regulation 30.1. The staff also issued a no-action position allowing customer-owned digital commodities and payment stablecoins to be posted as margin collateral for certain foreign futures and foreign options, subject to conditions.

On May 29, 2026, the CFTC approved KalshiEX LLC’s BTCPERP Contract, a bitcoin perpetual futures product that references the spot price of BTC. The approval permits Kalshi to list the contract for trading and make it available for clearing as a futures contract. The product is cash-settled, trades 24/7 subject to exchange halts, and uses a funding-rate mechanism rather than an expiration date.

On May 29, 2026, staff across three CFTC divisions released an advisory describing how existing rules apply when markets expand trading and clearing to a 24/7 model. The document flags crypto-asset derivatives as potentially well-suited to continuous trading, while warning venues and intermediaries to address surveillance, resilience, margining, collateral, and customer-risk disclosures. It also states the guidance does not add new obligations and encourages firms to engage with the agency before launching round-the-clock operations.

On May 27, 2026, the CFTC said it joined Gemini Trust Company LLC in a joint motion in SDNY seeking relief from a January 2025 consent order tied to a case the agency filed in June 2022. The regulator said an internal review led it to conclude the original complaint "should not have been filed" under current enforcement standards, and asked the court to vacate the order's prospective provisions.

On May 27, 2026, the CFTC filed a civil enforcement action against Google software engineer Michele Spagnuolo, alleging he used nonpublic Google search-trend data to trade Polymarket event contracts. The complaint says he earned about $1.2 million and that the agency is seeking restitution, disgorgement, monetary penalties, bans, and a permanent injunction. The filing also describes how Polymarket runs on Polygon and settles outcomes via the UMA Oracle, with winning positions redeemable for USDC.e.

On May 26, 2026, the UK government added 18 people and entities to its Russia sanctions list, including crypto firms Huobi Global S.A. (also listed as HTX) and EXMO Exchange Limited. The designations introduce measures such as asset freezes and, for some entities, limits on internet services access and restrictions on correspondent banking and payment processing.

On May 21, 2026, the CFTC and the National Hockey League said they signed a memorandum of understanding to set up an information-sharing and cooperation framework tied to professional hockey and related event contract markets. The agreement names points of contact for ongoing coordination, confidential exchanges, and communications on market integrity and oversight, and it can be ended by either party with 30 days' written notice.

On May 19, 2026, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission proposed wide-ranging rule changes affecting registered securities offerings and public-company reporting. The agency said the package aims to modernize U.S. public capital markets, lower compliance friction for issuers, and preserve investor protections. Key elements include broader shelf-offering eligibility, expanded communication and research flexibility, and reporting relief that the SEC said could apply to about 81% of current public companies.