CFTC Clears Launch of Perpetual Futures on Individual U.S. Stocks

Perpetual futures contracts on individual equity securities can begin trading for the first time on certain U.S. exchanges, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Michael S. Selig said on November 3, 2026. The products, referred to as “Equity Perps,” may be listed on designated contract markets that are also registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as notice-registered national securities exchanges for security futures products. The development expands the range of perpetual futures products available within U.S. regulated markets. In his statement, Selig said the contracts could allow U.S. market participants to access the risk-management and price-discovery functions associated with perpetual futures while operating under the CFTC’s regulatory framework. Selig said bringing Equity Perps to CFTC-registered exchanges would give American investors and traders access to the products within established regulatory protections, rather than requiring them to use offshore venues that may be unregulated. The statement framed the move as an effort to provide a regulated domestic route for an emerging product category. The CFTC chairman said the Equity Perps build on the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 and the CFTC-SEC Memorandum of Understanding. He also said the two agencies had moved beyond a period of regulatory uncertainty surrounding security futures and equity perpetual futures, describing their cooperation as intended to provide greater clarity and a path to market for innovative products. The announcement did not identify specific exchanges or contracts scheduled to launch.