On April 4, 2025, the staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or “Commission”) Division of Corporation Finance (“Staff”) issued a statement on stablecoins (the “Stablecoin Statement”), outlining the Staff’s...more
4/9/2025
/ Cryptoassets ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Markets ,
Howey ,
Investment Contract ,
Popular ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Stablecoins
On March 14, 2025, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland declined to grant a temporary injunction to the City of Baltimore and the Economic Action Maryland Fund. The plaintiffs had requested an...more
3/21/2025
/ Bank Secrecy Act ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FDIC ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
FinTech ,
Military Lending Act ,
OCC ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Stablecoins
Each week of the first 100 days of the new Trump administration, we will publish updates on key federal financial services regulatory and related developments.
This week, we review the following developments as of Wednesday:...more
On February 27, 2025, the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporate Finance (the “staff”) released its views on “meme coins,” stating that under certain circumstances, the offer and sale of “meme...more
On February 7, 2025, newly confirmed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Russell Vought replaced Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent as acting director of the CFPB....more
2/14/2025
/ CFTC ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Funding ,
Federal Reserve ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
OMB ,
Regulatory Agenda
Each week of the first 100 days of the new Trump Administration, we will publish updates on key federal financial services regulatory and related developments. This week, we review the following developments as of Wednesday:...more
2/7/2025
/ Banking Sector ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Digital Assets ,
Enforcement Actions ,
FDIC ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Government Efficiency ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Trump Administration
The new year always marks the start of a busy regulatory filing season for registered investment advisers, including investment advisers that file Form PF (“Form PF Filers”). This year could be especially challenging since,...more
2/5/2025
/ CFTC ,
Compliance ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Form PF ,
Hedge Funds ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
Private Equity ,
Private Funds ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
On December 20, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or the “Commission”) announced charges against several entities that failed to file a Form D within 15 days of a private sale of securities. These entities,...more
1/8/2025
/ Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Compliance ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Filing Requirements ,
Form D Filing ,
Investment Adviser ,
Private Equity ,
Private Funds ,
Registration Requirement ,
Regulation D ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations
The end of 2018 was notable for two SEC enforcement actions against private equity fund managers for violations of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 arising from improper allocations of expenses, undisclosed conflicts of...more
In a recently settled enforcement matter, the SEC imposed a $1 million penalty on an investment adviser based on findings that the adviser violated the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”) and caused...more
In a series of enforcement actions this week, the SEC made it clear that investment advisers need to substantiate the performance records of investment management firms they recommend to their clients. In these cases,...more
Add fund administrators to the list of service providers the SEC expects to act as “gatekeepers.” In two separate settled actions last week, the SEC found that a private fund administrator “caused” the managers’ unregistered...more
Regulation -
OCIE Cautions Advisers on Outsourcing Compliance Activities:
In a Risk Alert dated November 9, 2015, the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) said it found that outsourced...more
11/18/2015
/ Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) ,
Anti-Money Laundering ,
CFTC ,
Compliance ,
Cybersecurity ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Investment Management ,
Investor Protection ,
OCIE ,
Outsourcing ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Swap Dealers ,
Swing Pricing ,
Volcker Rule
The SEC recently instituted proceedings against a registered investment adviser and its founder, CEO and majority shareholder for allegedly making material misstatements and omissions regarding the amount of assets...more
9/14/2015
/ CEOs ,
Compliance ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Enforcement Actions ,
False Advertising ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ,
Material Misstatements ,
Omissions ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Sanctions ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
In This Issue:
- SEC Proposes Rule Requiring Hedging Disclosure
- SEC Reports the Result of its Cybersecurity Sweep of Broker-Dealers and Investment Advisers
- House Passes Bill to Ease Volcker Rule and Other...more
2/27/2015
/ Background Checks ,
Broker-Dealer ,
CFTC ,
Compliance ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Protection ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Enforcement ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Equity Swaps ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Hedging ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Management ,
OCIE ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
FINRA recently sanctioned a broker-dealer (the “Firm”) for failure to deliver prospectuses in connection with its sale of ETFs. FINRA also found that the Firm failed to implement a supervisory system reasonably designed to...more
In This Issue:
- Regulation: Long-Awaited Money Market Fund Rules Adopted
- SEC Staff Offers Guidance Regarding Investment Advisers and Proxy Advisory Firms
- SEC Staff Closes Loophole on BDC Asset...more
9/17/2014
/ Banks ,
CFTC ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
CPO ,
Dodd-Frank ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Hedge Funds ,
Investment Adviser ,
Liquidity Fees ,
Money Market Funds ,
Municipal Advisers ,
NAV ,
Pay-To-Play ,
Proxy Advisors ,
Redemption Gates ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Strategic Enforcement Plan ,
Whistleblowers
Clearly signaling its intention to support whistleblowers who provide actionable evidence of wrong-doing, the SEC this week settled the first case brought under the authority granted by the Dodd-Frank Act enabling...more
In a recent speech, Andrew Bowden, Director of the SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) “spread sunshine” on private equity industry practices gathered through so-called “presence exams” of newly...more
Recently announced cases against two registered investment advisers and certain of their executives serve as timely reminders of where the SEC is focusing its attention. Although the SEC’s actions are based on alleged...more
On October 28, 2013, the SEC sanctioned three registered investment advisers for, among other things, violating Rule 206(4)-2 under the Advisers Act (the “Custody Rule”). These settled actions, the subject of a special SEC...more
In a recent formal disciplinary proceeding, FINRA reaffirmed member firms’ obligations to maintain adequate procedures for conducting due diligence on private placements, including the review of sales materials, and systems...more