SEC Answers Questions on Form for Advisors With Private Fund Assets

Q: The form specifies that a commodity pool is categorized as a hedge fund for reporting purposes. Under Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) interpretations, a private fund that holds a single commodity interest position may be a commodity pool. Am I required to treat a private fund as a commodity pool if such private fund’s commodity interest positions are de minimis?

A: You should not categorize a private fund as a commodity pool for reporting purposes if the private fund’s commodity interest positions satisfy either of the de minimis tests in Regulation 4.13(a)(3)(ii) issued by the CFTC. Accordingly, you would only have to categorize such a private fund as a hedge fund if it otherwise meets the definition of a hedge fund (i.e., it may charge a performance fee, employ large amounts of leverage, or sell assets short).