The SEC currently has several notable rule proposals that have received public comment but have not yet been finalized. The potential direction of these proposals is likely to be influenced by the leadership of the new SEC...more
2/10/2025
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Capital Markets ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Custody Rule ,
Digital Assets ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Investment Adviser ,
Proposed Rules ,
Public Comment ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Shareholder Proposals
Despite the SEC’s already prolific rulemaking under Chair Gensler, the agency still has a few dozen additional rulemaking initiatives in the queue. Broker-dealers, exchanges, and other trading and markets participants can...more
10/3/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cybersecurity ,
Nasdaq ,
NYSE ,
Regulation ATS ,
Regulation NMS ,
Regulation SCI ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Regulation ,
Stock Exchange
On November 14, 2023, the SEC announced its enforcement results for fiscal year 2023, which ended on September 30, reporting the following key metrics and highlights...more
In April 2023, the SEC re-proposed amendments to Exchange Act Rule 3b-16 to expand the definition of what it means to be an exchange. When the SEC initially proposed these amendments in January 2022, there were zero direct...more
10/12/2023
/ Alternative Trading System (ATS) ,
Blockchain ,
Comment Period ,
Compliance ,
Compliance Dates ,
Crypto Exchanges ,
Cryptoassets ,
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) ,
Digital Assets ,
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Investment Contract ,
Proposed Amendments ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ,
Securities Regulation
The proposal would codify for the first time the federal-level best execution standard for brokers and related obligations. New Regulation Best Execution would result in a pivot from what has been a principles-based approach...more
On December 14, 2022, the SEC proposed four separate equity market structure rulemakings, each of which, if adopted, will have significant effects on the markets and various industry participants. While designed to address...more
12/16/2022
/ 10b5-1 Plans ,
Best Execution ,
Comment Period ,
Equity Markets ,
Market Participants ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulation NMS ,
Retirement Plan ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Regulation
Securities law enforcement entered the metaverse recently in the form of an emergency cease and desist order issued by the Texas State Securities Board against individuals and a company using NFTs to finance multiple...more
4/22/2022
/ Casinos ,
Cease and Desist Orders ,
Failure To Disclose ,
Fraudulent Concealment ,
Gambling ,
Metaverse ,
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Violations ,
Texas ,
Unregistered Securities
On January 26, 2022, the SEC proposed rule changes that would greatly expand the scope of Regulation ATS, the regulatory regime that governs alternative trading systems (“ATSs”). Applicability to the fixed income markets was...more
On January 26, 2022, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler issued a brief statement noting the agency’s efforts to address the market volatility in January 2021 and beyond. The statement referenced the SEC staff report on volatility and...more
The SEC has made a concerted effort in recent years to look more closely at the fixed income markets. But under the new leadership of Chairman Gary Gensler, that spotlight seemed to have dimmed—or so some thought....more
The SEC has been increasingly focused on digital engagement practices (DEPs) and gamification in the marketplace. In August, for example, the SEC solicited public comment on broker-dealer and investment adviser DEPs and...more
The onset of fall signals a sad realization that summer has ended, but also the joy that “market structure” season has arrived for securities industry participants and policy wonks. Right on cue, in early October, SEC staff...more
In early November 2020, the staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Division of Investment Management (“IM Division”), in consultation with the SEC’s “FinHub” staff, issued a statement in response to a...more
On October 7, 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) voted 3-2 to propose a conditional exemption (“Exemption”) to permit natural persons to engage in limited securities activities as “finders” on behalf of...more
10/12/2020
/ Accredited Investors ,
Broker-Dealer ,
Capital Raising ,
Comment Period ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Exemptions ,
Finders ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investors ,
Private Offerings ,
Public Comment ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Transactions ,
Unregistered Brokers