CFTC's Division of Data Publishes Limited Modifications to Technical Specification

​The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Data (DOD) has announced it has published limited modifications to Version 3.0 of the CFTC Technical Specification, issued in September 2021. The Technical Specification provides detailed instructions for swap data reporting and public dissemination requirements under Parts 43 and 45 of the CFTC's regulations. The Technical Specification includes the definitions, formats, and allowable values for data elements that are to be reported to swap data repositories (SDRs).

The limited modifications in Version 3.1 of the CFTC Technical Specification:

• Provide clarity to market participants with respect to compliance obligations;

• Ensure that SDRs do not erroneously reject swap data submissions due to the validations currently in the Technical Specification;

• Align reporting requirements with international standards developed by the CFTC and other global regulators; and

• Enable market participants to build compliant systems that can withstand changing market conditions.

The modifications address 14 data elements for several swap data reporting topics including: clearing, counterparty identification, price, valuation, collateral and margin, and transaction-related data fields. Publishing these modifications is a proactive effort to provide timely, transparent, and useful form and manner instructions to reporting counterparties and the SDRs as they continue to implement the swap data reporting rules by December 5, 2022.

The Technical Specification, as well as other swap reporting rules, forms, and requirements, are on CFTC official website.