On March 19, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued an exemption to Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (HKSFC) permitting US customers to deal directly with Hong Kong brokers pursuant to CFTC Regulation 30.10. 

This exemption permits HKSFC-licensed corporations to solicit and accept orders and funds from US customers for trading on any exchange subject to HKSFC’s oversight without having to register with the CFTC as futures commission merchants. The relief is to be effective as to each foreign firm upon the filing of certain representations with the National Futures Association. 

For more information on HKSFC’s exemption, as well as a list of other CFTC Regulation 30.10 exemptions, please refer to the List of Foreign Part 30 Exemptions available here. 

CFTC Release PR7138-15 is available here.