27-8-2025 – The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has integrated Nasdaq’s surveillance program to strengthen its oversight of digital asset markets, the agency announced Wednesday. The system, designed to detect fraud, abuse, and manipulation, provides automated alerts and cross-market analytics, equipping the CFTC to handle growing cryptocurrency trading volumes.
Acting Chairman Caroline Pham emphasized the need to stay ahead of evolving markets, noting the program’s access to comprehensive order book data for real-time analysis. The initiative, first reported by the CFTC, aligns with the agency’s “Crypto Sprint” launched earlier this month, which focuses on crypto futures and recommendations from the President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets.
The CFTC’s move comes as Congress considers legislation, such as the Clarity Act, which could grant the agency exclusive jurisdiction over blockchain-based commodities and impose new compliance requirements on digital asset exchanges, brokers, and dealers. Amid these developments, the CFTC faces staffing challenges, with four commissioners, including Pham, expected to depart once a new chair is confirmed.
Nasdaq’s technology is poised to help the agency scale during periods of high volatility, enhancing its ability to monitor both traditional and crypto markets.
