Exchange Giant FTX Releases 10 Proposals for Crypto Market Regulators

Crypto exchange giant FTX has released a list of 10 proposals for market regulators in the US looking to oversee the digital asset space.

In a new blog post, the exchange reveals what it calls “FTX’s Key Principles for Market Regulation of Crypto-Trading Platforms.”

First on the list is to have one primary market regulator that would be responsible for the listings of crypto assets in spot and derivatives markets.

FTX says spot markets and derivatives markets being subject to different regulatory programs creates inefficient and sub-optimal market structures.

“We propose as a solution an alternative regulatory approach that would provide market operators the ability to opt in to a unified regulatory regime for spot and derivatives marketplaces, through a primary regulator model.”

Also on FTX’s list are practices concerning the custody of crypto assets on behalf of clients. The exchange says that there should be more disclosure on how funds are handled behind the scenes.

“Key areas of focus and disclosure should include: wallet architecture; whether insurance is provided by the custodian; how private keys are kept secure, managed and transferred; managing risks related to insider collusion or fraud; and physical security of data centers.”

FTX also proposes standards on how exchanges deal with stablecoins. According to the exchange, some stablecoins may be at risk of not being sufficiently backed by proper assets.

“For example, a stable coin backed by risky and volatile assets and not transparently backed by an adequate amount of such assets with appropriate haircuts, could become exposed to price risk. This price risk could interfere with settlement finality on the platform, insofar as the value of the stable coin delivered as payment for the crypto assets in a transaction on the platform are suddenly not equal.”

FTX’s list of proposals concludes with a suggestion for standardized know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) protocols for the crypto industry.

“However accomplished, it is critical that crypto marketplace regulation continues to require significant focus on the performance of KYC and AML obligations. To ensure this, marketplace operators should be performing periodic self-audits and should also be subject to regular review and exam by their primary regulator on these requirements.”

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