Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) officials said they are addressing intellectual property issues as patent cases continue to send shock waves through the
industry.

On 16 March, CFTC acting chairman Sharon Brown-Hruska told reporters at the Futures Industry Association conference in Boca Raton, Florida that Commission officials have met with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to discuss the rising trend of patent filings and subsequent patent suits that are changing the landscape of the industry. The agency is also scheduled to meet with its technology advisory committee on 23 April to discuss ways to address the intellectual property issue.

The agency is...