Commodity Futures Trading Commission ♦ Office of Public Affairs ♦ 202-418-5080

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Office of Public Affairs

Three Lafayette Centre

1155 21st Street, NW

Washington, DC 20581

www.cftc.gov

Final Rules Regarding Real-Time Public Reporting of 

Swap Transaction and Pricing Data

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced its intent to publish in the Federal Register final 

regulations concerning the real-time public reporting of swap transaction and pricing data. The rules implement 

provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd Frank Act).

Dodd-Frank Act added to the CEA new Section 2(a)(13) governing the real-time public reporting 

of swap transaction data.

Section 727 of the Dodd-Frank Act amends the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) by inserting a new Section 

2(a)(13), which requires public availability of swap transaction data. CEA Section 2(a)(13) authorizes the 

Commission to make swap transaction and pricing data available to the public in such form and at such times as the 

Commission determines appropriate to enhance price discovery. CEA Section 2(a)(13) specifies that data relating to 

a swap transaction, including price and volume, be reported to the public as soon as technologically practicable after 

the time at which the swap transaction has been executed. CEA Section 2(a)(13) also requires that the publicly 

reported information not identify the transaction participants, market position or business transactions of any 

person.

Proposed real-time public reporting rules

On December 7, 2010, the Commission published a notice of proposed rulemaking, entitled Real-Time Public 

Reporting of Swap Transaction Data (Real-Time NPRM), which addressed the real-time reporting and public 

dissemination of swap transaction and pricing data. 

 The Real-Time NPRM proposed requirements relating to the reporting in real-time of swap transaction and 

pricing data, including provisions relating to:

o Determination of the parties responsible for reporting

o Timing of reporting – “as soon as technologically practicable”

o Recordkeeping 

 The Real-Time NPRM also addressed the public dissemination of real-time swap transaction and pricing 

data, including provisions relating to:

o Method of public dissemination

o Timing of public dissemination

o Hours of operation

o Data elements to be publicly disseminated

o Protecting anonymity

 Section 727 of the Dodd-Frank Act authorizes and requires the Commission to prescribe rules to specify 

the criteria for determining what constitutes a large notional swap transaction (block trade) and the 

appropriate time delays for such swaps. Pursuant to that authority, the Real-Time NPRM included 

provisions relating to:

o Determination of appropriate minimum block sizes
Commodity Futures Trading Commission ♦ Office of Public Affairs ♦ 202-418-5080

o Time delays for block trades and large notional swaps

Final real-time public reporting rules

Although the Commission has determined to adopt the part 43 rules substantially as proposed, it has—after 

reviewing the comments received and consulting with other financial regulators—made the following significant 

revisions to the proposed rules.

 Reporting to and public dissemination by registered swap data repositories – All swap transaction and 

pricing data must be reported to the appropriate registered swap data repository, regardless of whether the 

swap is executed on a regulated trading platform or bilaterally. Registered swap data repositories must 

ensure the public dissemination of all publicly reportable swap transactions. 

 Definition of “publicly reportable swap transaction” – “Publicly reportable swap transactions” (those 

transactions subject to the part 43 real-time public reporting rules) must be either (1) any executed swap that 

is an arm’s length transaction between two parties that results in a corresponding change in the market risk 

position between the two parties or (2) any termination, assignment, novation, exchange, transfer, 

amendment, conveyance, or extinguishing of rights or obligations of a swap that changes the pricing of the 

swap.

 Data fields to be publicly disseminated – Certain data fields described in Appendix A to part 43 have been 

revised, deleted or added for clarification and to enhance price discovery.

 Recordkeeping requirements – With the exception of the recordkeeping requirements relating to 

timestamps, the final rules remove all other recordkeeping requirements. 

 Time delays for public dissemination – The final rules provide that time delays for public dissemination 

differ based on the type of execution, underlying asset and market participant, among other things. The 

time delays are described in § 43.5 and Appendix C to part 43.

 Appropriate minimum block sizes – The final rules do not contain rules relating to categorizing swaps and 

determining the appropriate minimum size relating for block trades and large notional off-facility swaps.

 Public dissemination of certain swaps in the “other commodity” asset class –The final rules do not address 

the public dissemination of publicly reportable swap transactions in the “other commodity” asset class that 

are not executed on or pursuant to a registered swap execution facility or designated contract market or 

listed on Appendix B to part 43 – as a result, such publicly reportable swap transactions will not be subject 

to the part 43 rules at this time.