Perpetual futures on single stocks can now trade on US exchanges, CFTC chairman says

Perpetual futures contracts on individual stocks can begin trading on US-regulated exchanges for the first time, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Chairman Michael S. Selig said in a statement on 3 November 2026.

Selig said the move extends the perpetual futures contract in the US beyond digital commodities and into traditional securities.

What the CFTC said

According to the statement, the contracts, which Selig calls “Equity Perps”, were deemed approved by the Commission under CFTC Regulation 40.3 as security futures products under the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000. That makes them subject to the Commodity Exchange Act, the federal securities laws, and the rules of both the CFTC and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

They can trade only on designated contract markets that are also notice-registered with the SEC as national securities exchanges for security futures. The statement does not name the exchanges or the stocks involved.

Selig said the step builds on the CFTC’s approval in May 2026 of the first true bitcoin perpetual futures contract on a CFTC-regulated exchange, and on the memorandum of understanding the CFTC and SEC signed in March 2026 to coordinate their oversight. He said bringing these products onshore means US traders can use them within a regulated framework “rather than being forced to turn to offshore, and often unregulated, venues.”

What it means for traders

Single-stock perpetual futures listed on these exchanges come under both the CFTC’s and the SEC’s rules, according to the statement. Our guide to perpetual futures and funding rates explains how the contracts work. For the earlier step on index contracts, see our brief on the CFTC no-action letter on perpetual index futures.