It's no surprise that exchanges are shutting their derivatives arm left and right. Kraken is no different.
Derivatives and leveraged products are heavily regulated and are generally quite sensitive.
So in that regard, it definitely makes sense for exchanges to mitigate their risk of getting cracked down/getting fined by removing futures/options trading. And some of the leverage offered were insane anyway so it's probably a good riddance.
Topic: [2021-09-28] CFTC Imposes A $1.25 Million Penalty against Kraken exchange (Read 94 times)
September 30, 2021, 07:44:57 PM
September 28, 2021, 06:07:13 PM
Washington, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today issued an order filing and settling charges against Kraken for illegally offering margined retail commodity transactions in digital assets, including Bitcoin, and failing to register as a futures commission merchant (FCM). Kraken, founded in 2011, is one of the largest digital asset exchanges in the U.S.
The order requires Kraken to pay a $1.25 million civil monetary penalty and to cease and desist from further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), as charged.
The CFTC’s order finds that from approximately June 2020 to July 2021, Kraken offered margined retail commodity transactions in digital assets to U.S. customers who were not eligible contract participants. According to the order, Kraken served as the sole margin provider and maintained physical and/or constructive custody of all assets purchased using margin for the duration of a customer’s open margined position.
Where a customer purchased an asset using margin, Kraken supplied the digital asset or national currency to pay the seller for the asset. Kraken required customers to exit their positions and repay the assets received to trade on margin within 28 days. Customers could not transfer assets away from Kraken until satisfying their repayment obligation. If repayment was not made within 28 days, Kraken could unilaterally force the margin position to be liquidated. Kraken could also initiate a forced liquidation if the value of the collateral dipped below a certain threshold percentage of the total outstanding margin. As a result, actual delivery of the purchased assets failed to occur.
These transactions were unlawful because they were required to take place on a designated contract market and did not. Additionally, by soliciting and accepting orders for and entering into retail commodity transactions with customers, and accepting money or property (or extending credit in lieu thereof) to margin these transactions, Kraken illegally operated as an unregistered FCM.
The Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this action are Daniel Jordan, Rishi Gupta, Erica Bodin, and Rick Glaser. Philip W. Raimondi of the Legal Division, Richard Mo of the Division of Data, Rachel K. Reicher of the Division of Market Oversight, and former staff member of the Division of Market Oversight, Thomas Leahy assisted in this matter.
Source
The order requires Kraken to pay a $1.25 million civil monetary penalty and to cease and desist from further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), as charged.
The CFTC’s order finds that from approximately June 2020 to July 2021, Kraken offered margined retail commodity transactions in digital assets to U.S. customers who were not eligible contract participants. According to the order, Kraken served as the sole margin provider and maintained physical and/or constructive custody of all assets purchased using margin for the duration of a customer’s open margined position.
Where a customer purchased an asset using margin, Kraken supplied the digital asset or national currency to pay the seller for the asset. Kraken required customers to exit their positions and repay the assets received to trade on margin within 28 days. Customers could not transfer assets away from Kraken until satisfying their repayment obligation. If repayment was not made within 28 days, Kraken could unilaterally force the margin position to be liquidated. Kraken could also initiate a forced liquidation if the value of the collateral dipped below a certain threshold percentage of the total outstanding margin. As a result, actual delivery of the purchased assets failed to occur.
These transactions were unlawful because they were required to take place on a designated contract market and did not. Additionally, by soliciting and accepting orders for and entering into retail commodity transactions with customers, and accepting money or property (or extending credit in lieu thereof) to margin these transactions, Kraken illegally operated as an unregistered FCM.
The Division of Enforcement staff responsible for this action are Daniel Jordan, Rishi Gupta, Erica Bodin, and Rick Glaser. Philip W. Raimondi of the Legal Division, Richard Mo of the Division of Data, Rachel K. Reicher of the Division of Market Oversight, and former staff member of the Division of Market Oversight, Thomas Leahy assisted in this matter.
Source
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