As soon as Bitcoin was officially recognized in the United States, a company was accused of it

     Beijing time, September 18th afternoon news, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced on Thursday that it will regulate Bitcoin as a commodity like crude oil and wheat.

The CFTC announced the same day that it had charged a bitcoin exchange that offered options trading and reached a settlement with it. The agency said in a press release: "In this order, the CFTC found for the first time that bitcoin and other virtual currencies should be defined as commodities."

While market participants have long debated whether bitcoin should be defined as a commodity, the CFTC has been considering whether the cryptocurrency falls within its jurisdiction, a move that could have significant implications.

After this statement, the CFTC confirmed that it will regulate Bitcoin futures and options trading, and once violations such as futures manipulation occur, the agency will initiate lawsuits against violators.

If a company wants to operate a bitcoin derivatives and futures trading platform, it must register as a swap contract execution agency or a designated contract market. Coinflip, the company sued by the CFTC this time, is not the only company that provides bitcoin derivatives or futures trading.

“While Bitcoin and other virtual currencies have generated excitement among many, innovation should not excuse participants in this space from complying with the same rules that all participants in all commodity derivatives markets must follow,” CRTC Enforcement Director Aitan Goelman said in the statement.

Coinflip CEO has not yet commented. The company accepted the verdict but did not admit or deny any wrongdoing.

Since Coinflip is not the only platform that offers bitcoin derivatives and futures trading, Gurman’s statement suggests that other platforms that operate outside of regulation will soon attract the CFTC’s attention.