In a press release, interim chair Caroline D. Pham announced that the launch of Crypto Sprint aims to rapidly integrate digital assets into federal market oversight. This marks the first formal step in implementing the report from the Presidential Task Force on Digital Asset Markets.
Crypto Sprint focuses on allowing spot cryptocurrency trading on futures exchanges registered with the CFTC, also known as designated contract markets (DCM). Therefore, an exchange like CME will be able to list BTC, ETH, XRP, and SOL on a spot basis.
Interim chair Pham confirmed that the initiative is coordinated with the SEC's Crypto Project. She stated that the initiative will use existing authority under the Commodity Exchange Act.
This includes rules requiring that retail trading of leveraged or margined commodities be conducted on regulated platforms. According to Pham, the CFTC is now inviting market participants to contribute to shaping the Crypto Sprint framework for spot cryptocurrency listing.
Stakeholders will provide feedback on how to adapt these contracts to comply with Section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Commodity Exchange Act and Part 40 of the CFTC regulations. The Crypto Sprint initiative also seeks to clarify how digital assets unrelated to securities should be listed or sold in open markets, applying federal standards.
Pham emphasized that this action aligns with her proposals since 2022 regarding federal oversight of spot digital markets. In her statement, Pham praised President Trump's leadership in advancing cryptocurrency regulation.
She added that the agency is committed to making the U.S. the global center for regulated cryptocurrency trading. The CFTC is accepting written comments until August 18. Proposals will be published on the official CFTC website.
This measure highlights the growing momentum to combine spot and futures cryptocurrency trading under a single regulatory framework. The Crypto Sprint initiative could accelerate reforms in market structure and establish clearer rules for cryptocurrency exchanges and investors.
