Law & Regulation

The Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) regulates the trading of commodity futures in the United States. Passed in 1936, it has been amended several times since then. The CEA establishes the statutory framework under which the CFTC operates. Under this Act, the CFTC has authority to establish regulations that are published in title 17 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

CFTC Regulations

• CFTC regulations are found at Title 17 Chapter I of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and are available at the U.S. GPO Access website.
• Prior to promulgation and inclusion in the CFR, CFTC proposed and final regulations are published in the Federal Register.
• CFTC Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions - Semiannual Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions from Reginfo.gov
  • Select "Commodity Futures Trading Commission" in the “Select Agency” box and click “Submit.”
  • For background on the Unified Agenda, click on the “About the Unified Agenda” link located above the “Select Agency” box.

Commodity Exchange Act

For convenience, we provide the following links to the CEA and related documents:

• Access the Commodity Exchange Act on the Cornell University Law School Website
• Commodity Exchange Act-U.S. Code Conversion Chart
  The CEA section numbers do not always correspond directly to the sections in the U.S. Code where the CEA is codified. As a research tool, we provide a conversion chart that lists the sections of the CEA and the corresponding sections in the U.S. Code. Section 3 of the CEA, for example, is codified at 7 USC 5. This chart has no legal force and is not intended to substitute for review of the statutes to which it refers.
• Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 (PDF)
  (Appendix E of P.L.106-554, 114 Stat. 2763) Title XIII of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, PL 110-246, 122 Stat. 2189, which made amendments to the CEA, and the Conference Report

Also in This Section

Public Comments
A list of all items open for comment. Includes Federal Register rules, Industry Filings, and other items announced via Press Releases.

Federal Register Information
The Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.

Enforcement Actions
The CFTC investigates and prosecutes alleged violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and Commission regulations and takes enforcement actions against individuals and firms.

CFTC Staff Letters
CFTC staff issues written guidance concerning the Commodity Exchange Act and the Commission's regulations, principally in the form of responses to requests for exemptive, no-action, and interpretative letters.

Dispositions
Includes dispositions in cases brought in the CFTC's Reparations program and in administrative enforcement cases brought by the CFTC Division of Enforcement.

Opinions and Adjudicatory Orders Issued by the Commission