CFTC Proprietary Information Act of 2026

The bill tells the CFTC to write rules, after a public notice and comment process, for how it handles proprietary information it gets from companies or individuals. This applies to any proprietary information that is not already covered by existing rules in Section 8 of the Commodity Exchange Act. The CFTC must set policies for when and how it requests proprietary information, how it will safeguard that information based on how sensitive it is, how it will limit access to only the appropriate staff, and how it will protect the information from unlawful use or disclosure. The bill also requires the CFTC to write rules about sharing proprietary information with other government entities. Before sharing, the CFTC must get assurances that the other agency has safeguards that match the goals of limiting access, protecting sensitivity, and preventing unlawful use or disclosure, and that follow existing confidentiality limits already in the law.

Businesses that trade or report to the CFTC often give the agency sensitive data, such as trading strategies or other proprietary information. Clear rules on how this information is collected, stored, and shared can affect how willing firms are to provide complete and accurate information. For the public and markets, better handling of proprietary information could support trust in financial oversight while aiming to prevent leaks or misuse of sensitive data. The exact impact on CFTC operations and on reporting burdens for firms would depend on how the agency writes and applies the new rules.