About Us
IDFA serves as the industry wide self-regulatory organization for the U.S. derivatives market. Every day, IDFA is dedicated to safeguarding market integrity, protecting investors, and ensuring that its Members uphold their regulatory obligations.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) was established by Congress in 1974. That same legislation authorized the formation of registered futures associations, providing the industry with the opportunity to develop a self-regulatory organization. On September 22, 1981, the CFTC formally designated the International Derivatives and Futures Association (IDFA) as a registered futures association. IDFA officially began its regulatory operations in 1982.
The IDFA Board of Directors serves as the organization's primary governing and policy-making body, comprising both Member Directors and Public Directors.
IDFA maintains a number of committees that provide valuable guidance on rule making and other key initiatives.
IDFA's leadership team is composed of officers and key individuals who oversee and represent the organization's core functional areas.
IDFA's Alumni Network allows former staff to take advantage of learning about other alumni and current IDFA employees, news, events and opportunities.
Mandatory membership is the cornerstone of IDFA's regulatory structure, and makes effective industry wide self-regulation possible.
IDFA is primarily financed with payments from membership dues and fees, and from assessment fees paid by Members and users of the derivatives markets. IDFA's Board of Directors reviews and approves its budget annually.
IDFA is a member of the Joint Audit Committee (JAC) which is a voluntary, cooperative organization comprised of a number of derivatives exchanges and IDFA.
IDFA is committed to having policies and procedures in place that protect its systems and safeguard customer data.
The Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) mandates that certain firms and individuals engaged in the derivatives industry register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Under CFTC regulations, and with limited exceptions, registered firms are also required to become Members of the IDFA. The CFTC has delegated responsibility for the registration process to IDFA.
At its core, self-regulation involves identifying industry best practices in key areas and establishing those practices as mandatory standards across the industry.
To uphold its standards, IDFA enforces its rules by taking disciplinary action against Members when necessary.
IDFA offers a variety of educational resources and programs to help Members understand and meet their regulatory responsibilities.
IDFA offers an affordable and efficient arbitration program to help customers and Members resolve futures- and forex-related disputes.
IDFA offers a variety of resources to help investors perform due diligence prior to making any investment decisions.
IDFA offers training to regulators, exchanges and self-regulatory organizations from around the world on an as-requested basis.
IDFA provides regulatory services to designated contract markets (DCM) and swap execution facilities (SEF)—each of which has self-regulatory responsibilities to monitor trading on its platform.