The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is preparing to seek public comment on futures contracts tied to computing capacity, according to Bloomberg.
The CFTC sent its request for comment to the White House last week for review, with the posting made public Monday. The agency can begin its public-comment process after the White House’s Office of Management and Budget completes its review.
The comment period would typically run for 30 or 60 days. Feedback could be incorporated into a new CFTC policy or rule, per Bloomberg.
The CFTC’s review comes as exchanges develop futures tied to computing capacity. CME Group said last week that it plans to list two compute futures contracts on Oct. 5, pending regulatory approval. Silicon Data will provide the index information for CME’s contracts.
Meanwhile, the Intercontinental Exchange and Architect are also developing U.S. compute-futures products, though neither has announced a launch date.
Architect already offers compute futures outside the U.S. In May, the company announced plans to launch the American Innovation Exchange, a CFTC-regulated futures and options exchange focused on compute costs and other inputs in the AI supply chain, pending regulatory review.
Architect said its contracts would cover compute costs tied to multiple GPU vendors and models. The company also said the exchange would offer derivatives linked to metals, energy, and power.
The CFTC's request adds a formal review process to a developing U.S. market for compute derivatives, but it remains unclear whether the process will affect the exchanges’ planned launch timelines.
The agency has also sought public input on other derivatives-related proposals this year, including extending traditional commodity-futures trading hours and rules addressing conflicts of interest among brokers, exchanges, and clearing houses.