Dodd-Frank Act prohibits oil futures trades based on non-public White House decisions
FT
Freya Thatcher
SEC enforcement action · Apr 10, 2026
Source: The Digital Ledger Data Terminal
Traders holding positions before a March 23 social media post by President Trump threatening to strike Iranian power plants made enormous profits as oil prices soared. The post, which threatened to obliterate Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened, followed a large volume of well-timed positions taken in oil futures and related markets.
Democratic senators Elizabeth Warren and Sheldon Whitehouse have requested that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigate these trades, along with similar activity preceding announcements on Venezuela sanctions and tariff policies. The CFTC oversees futures, options, and swaps markets and has the authority to investigate and prosecute insider trading.
The Dodd-Frank Act prohibits the use of non-public information to trade futures, options, and swaps. Violations of this act can result in fines, trading bans, and prison time.
SEC enforcement actionstablecoin US legislation
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