The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has updated its crypto guidance, giving regulated firms more clarity on tokenized assets and blockchain-based recordkeeping. The guidance says customer funds may be invested in tokenized versions of assets that are already permitted, provided the tokenized asset gives holders the same or functionally equivalent legal and economic rights.
The CFTC also said regulated firms can use blockchain technology to create and maintain records required under its rules, subject to appropriate controls. The updated guidance was issued on September 24, 2026, as financial institutions increasingly use blockchain networks to represent traditional assets digitally.
.@CFTC Staff Releases Updates to FAQs Concerning Registrants and Registered Entity Activities Relating to Crypto Assets and Blockchain Technologies: https://t.co/tv5lxpk74X
— CFTC (@CFTC) September 24, 2026
Tokenization involves representing an asset, or rights linked to an asset, as a digital token recorded on a blockchain. The underlying asset can remain a traditional financial product while ownership or transactions are recorded digitally.
The CFTC’s update focuses on two areas. The first concerns customer funds invested in tokenized forms of permitted investments. The second deals with the use of blockchain technology for maintaining records required under CFTC regulations.
The agency said a tokenized asset must provide investors with legal and economic rights that are the same as, or functionally equivalent to, those associated with the traditional asset. The assets must also be properly held.
The CFTC also said its staff would not object to the use of blockchain or distributed-ledger technology for creating and maintaining regulatory records.
Firms using a public, permissionless blockchain would, however, need systems and controls allowing them to retain and produce records even during network disruptions or emergencies.
Firms using private networks may not necessarily need separate off-chain versions of their records. CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig welcomed the update, saying it provides greater regulatory clarity for the crypto industry.
The guidance comes as tokenized real-world assets continue to expand. According to data cited from Token Terminal, the tokenized RWA market reached about $46 billion in market capitalization on September 24.
Funds accounted for $34.7 billion, while commodities represented $7.7 billion and tokenized stocks about $3.5 billion. The CFTC’s latest guidance provides a clearer indication of how blockchain-based assets and recordkeeping can fit within existing U.S. derivatives regulations.
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