Commodity Futures Trading Commission April 2018 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In May 2017, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') launched a new initiative, LabCFTC, to spearhead the CFTC's effort to facilitate the development and implementation of market-enhancing financial technologies (``FinTech''). As part of that effort, CFTC staff are exploring opportunities to play a constructive role to stimulate innovation and leverage FinTech solutions that can enhance our regulated markets and help make the Commission more effective and efficient in satisfying its mission. The Science Prize Competition Act (``SPCA'') authorizes the CFTC to invest federal funds in science and early-stage technology research and development as well as in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education. Under this authority, the CFTC may implement a competition and award prizes to stimulate innovation designed to advance the CFTC's mission. Accordingly, the Science Prize Competition Act may offer a useful mechanism to further the goals of LabCFTC and the CFTC's mission. This Request for Input solicits feedback on focus areas for potential prize competitions, and how competitions could best be structured and administered. The Commission welcomes all public comments.