HSBC is writing checks to the CFTC totaling $75 million via the resolution of two of the regulator’s orders — one involving alleged swaps transaction violations and a $45 million penalty, and the other based on charges of recordkeeping and supervisory failures that incurred a $30 million penalty. The swaps order encompasses allegations that HSBC… Read More >>
CFTC Approves 24th SEF & Other News
RTX Fintech & Research Launches a SEF Another swap execution facility (SEF) has gotten regulatory approval, raising the number of active SEFs to 24. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission last week issued an order of registration to RTX Fintech & Research LLC (RTX SEF) allowing RTX SEF to launch, according to the CFTC. The New York… Read More >>
CFTC Cracks Down on Swaps Data Noncompliance
The CFTC is cracking down on the alleged failures of supervisory systems and other controls that swap dealers and other swap industry participants have set up to be compliant. In particular, the regulator has just announced enforcement actions against Société Générale S.A., Mizuho Capital Markets, and the Refinitiv SEF, among others. “Swap dealer registrants must… Read More >>
BNY Mellon Staff to Stay Remote for 2020
BNY Mellon Mum About 2021 Custody bank BNY Mellon is telling its approximately 48,000 staff members across the globe to continue to work remotely for the rest of 2020. “Our top priority remains the health and safety of our employees and our clients,” a BNY Mellon spokesperson tells FTF News. “A majority of our global… Read More >>
CFTC Entices More Prime Brokerages to Use SEFs
CFTC Issues No-Action SEF Relief for Prime Brokers Prime brokerages are getting new encouragement to trade swaps via swap execution facilities (SEFs), according to a recent action via the CFTC’s Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (DSIO). Officials at the division announced that they will provide no-action relief to facilitate prime brokerage activities on… Read More >>
BNP Paribas Joins trueEX SEF
French banking giant BNP Paribas has joined the trueEX swap execution facility (SEF) offering its derivatives clients the ability to leverage direct clearing, broad support of global currencies, and low-cost execution of interest rate swaps via the trueFIX application programming interface (API) platform, officials say. In particular, the trueFIX API “provides asset managers and institutional… Read More >>
SEF for Rolling Hemp-Backed Trades Joins FinTech Sandbox
Seed CX, a Chicago-based, new swap execution facility (SEF) for trading hemp as a commodity, has just been selected by the FinTech Sandbox to join its community of innovators, an opportunity that follows shortly after the CFTC approved the SEF. The SeedCX SEF’s mission is to help agricultural market participants to hedge risk and to… Read More >>
Bats Exchange to Acquire Pioneering SEF
A pioneer in the push for swap execution facilities (SEFs), the Javelin SEF will likely become part of Bats Global Markets, according to an acquisition plan recently announced by Bats officials. Bats officials decline to reveal the financial details of the acquisition but say that the “deal is intended to accelerate Bats’ plans to offer… Read More >>
Massad Reinforces CFTC’s Push for Margining Uncleared Swaps
Five years after the onset of the Dodd-Frank Act (DFA), CFTC Chairman Timothy G. Massad outlined last week the regulator’s next phase in the DFA rule-making process, which will include margin collection for uncleared swaps, stress tests for clearinghouses, a new definition of a swaps dealer, SEF trading improvements, and cross-border harmony for swaps data… Read More >>
CFTC to Extend Relief for Swap Trade Errors
Speaking at the DerivOps North America conference this morning, CFTC Chairman Timothy Massad announced his agency will be issuing no-action letters providing relief for regulatory requirements concerning erroneous swap trades and swap trade confirmations. Massad said the relief is part of the CFTC’s ongoing efforts to ensure that post-financial crisis reforms in the derivatives markets… Read More >>