On 10 August 2026, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced the inaugural meeting of its Innovation Advisory Committee (IAC). The meeting will take place in Washington on 20 August 2026 at 1 p.m. EST. Chairman Michael S. Selig sponsors the IAC. The Committee advises the CFTC on issues involving technology, law, policy and finance. Its mandate covers technological innovation affecting financial services and markets. The CFTC has previously identified blockchain, artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies within its innovation agenda. The inaugural meeting places the IAC within the Commission's continuing work on the regulatory implications of technological change in US financial markets. The meeting will be publicly livestreamed through the CFTC's website.1
Innovation Advisory Committee to Hold Inaugural Meeting
Chairman Michael S. Selig announced that the Innovation Advisory Committee will hold its inaugural meeting in Washington on 20 August 2026 at 1 p.m. EST. The meeting will also be livestreamed through the CFTC's website.1
The CFTC describes the IAC as a body established to advise the Commission on complex matters arising at the intersection of technology, law, policy and finance. The Committee is intended to provide insights and recommendations concerning the regulatory implications of innovation in financial markets.1
The US CFTC in its statement said: "The Innovation Advisory Committee was created to advise the Commission on complex issues at the intersection of technology, law, policy, and finance. This council of American innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, and builders will provide insights and recommendations to the Commission to help ensure its regulations keep pace with the rapid speed of innovation on the new frontier of finance."
IAC Mandate Covers Technological Innovation in Financial Markets
The Innovation Advisory Committee was launched by Chairman Selig in January 2026. The IAC was renamed from the former Technology Advisory Committee and was established to gather expertise and recommendations concerning innovation in financial markets.
Its amended charter states that the IAC provides advice and recommendations to the Commission concerning the impact and implications of technological innovation in financial services and markets. It may also advise on the application and use of new technologies in financial services, derivatives and commodity markets. The Committee is established as a discretionary advisory committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
Footnotes
- US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, ‘Chairman Selig Announces Inaugural CFTC Innovation Advisory Committee Meeting on August 20 in Washington’, Release No. 9279-26, 10 August 2026.
