On May 15, 2025, the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Division of Trading and Markets (the “Staff”) published responses to certain frequently asked questions (“FAQs”) relating to crypto asset activities...more
On May 12, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) held a Crypto Task Force roundtable to explore an appropriate regulatory framework for tokenized securities. In the keynote address, Chair Paul Atkins, stated...more
On May 8, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) held the 31st International Institute for Securities Market Growth and Development. Commissioner Peirce used this opportunity to discuss an approach to regulating...more
On March 25, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) held a Crypto Task Force roundtable to explore regulatory considerations surrounding custody of crypto assets through broker-dealers and other financial...more
On February 28, 2025, House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AR), Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC), and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) sent a letter (the “Letter”) to Securities and Exchange...more
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) published its 2025 FINRA Annual Regulatory Oversight Report (the “Report”), which builds on the structure and content of FINRA’s prior reports for 2021-2024. This...more
2/25/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Automated Clearing House (ACH) ,
Cryptocurrency ,
Cybersecurity ,
Emerging Growth Companies ,
Financial Crimes ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Fraud ,
Information Technology ,
Innovative Technology ,
Investment ,
Investment Firms ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Third-Party Risk
On February 21, 2025, Commissioner Hester Peirce released a statement inviting input from interested parties on the regulation of crypto assets. Commissioner Peirce stated that greater crypto clarity requires the public’s...more
On February 19, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission” or “SEC”) dropped its appeal of a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (“District Court”) on November 6, 2024 that...more
On February 5, 2025, Robert Cook, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Industry Regulatory Industry, Inc. (“FINRA”), announced that FINRA will not set an effective date for its recent amendments (the...more
On December 31, 2024, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) issued Regulatory Notice 24-18 (“RN 24-18”) to provide updated guidance to members regarding Rules 15c3-1, 15c3-3 and 17a-5 under the...more
On December 16, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted amendments (the “Amendments”) requiring the electronic filing, submission, or posting of certain forms required under the Securities Exchange Act of...more
On October 21, 2024, the Division of Examinations (“EXAMS” or the “Division”) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) released its examination priorities (the “2025 Priorities”) for fiscal year 2025 (which...more
The Cyber and Analytics Unit within the Member Supervision program of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) recently published a cybersecurity advisory regarding increasing cybersecurity risks at...more
On August 14, 2024, FINRA published an update (the “Update”) on its ongoing efforts to engage with its members related to crypto asset activities. The Update describes “crypto assets” as assets that are issued or transferred...more
On July 31, 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) announced that it agreed to settle allegations that a California-based broker-dealer sold in excess of $13 million in “L bonds,” a speculative, unrated debt...more
The Division of Examinations (the “Division”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) recently issued a Risk Alert (the “Risk Alert”) to SEC-registered broker-dealers providing insight and additional information...more
On June 27, 2024, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) issued Regulatory Notice 24- 09 (the “Notice”) reminding member firms that FINRA’s rules and the securities laws apply to the use of artificial...more
7/1/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Innovative Technology ,
Investment Funds ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Risk Management ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Regulation
On May 15, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted amendments (the “Amendments”) to Regulation S-P under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), which governs the treatment of...more
On March 18, 2024, FINRA announced that it has fined a broker-dealer $850,000 in connection with the firm’s program to pay individuals with followings on social media sites (i.e., “influencers”) to promote the firm in social...more
3/19/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Influencers ,
Investment Adviser ,
Investment Opportunities ,
Online Advertisements ,
Online Platforms ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Social Media ,
Statutory Violations
On February 5, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted new rules – SEC Rules 3a5-4 and 3a44-2 (collectively, the “Final Rules”) – to further define the phrase “as part of a regular business” used in...more
2/23/2024
/ Broker-Dealer ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Liquidity ,
New Rules ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ,
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ,
Securities Exchanges ,
Securities Regulation ,
Securities Traders ,
Securities Transactions
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) announced via Regulatory Notice 24-02 (the “Notice”) the effective dates and other important timeframes for new FINRA Rules 3110.18 (Remote Inspections Pilot...more
On January 23, 2024, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) published an update to the targeted exam it launched in November 2022, which was designed to review – for compliance with FINRA Rule 2210 – the...more
New Topics and Content Highlight FINRA’s Increased Focus on Cybersecurity, Crypto Assets, Artificial Intelligence, Market Integrity, Off-Channel Communications and Other Key Risk Areas -
On January 9, 2024, the Financial...more
1/18/2024
/ Annual Reports ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
BSA/AML ,
Cryptoassets ,
Cybersecurity ,
Financial Crimes ,
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Machine Learning ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
On January 11, 2024, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) a proposed rule change (the “Proposal”) to amend FINRA Rule 6730 to reduce the Trade...more
On October 16, 2023, the Division of Examinations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Division” and the “SEC,” respectively) announced its examination priorities for 2024. While the Division typically...more
10/24/2023
/ Cryptoassets ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
ETFs ,
Financial Markets ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Investment Adviser ,
Market Participants ,
Registered Investment Advisors ,
Regulation Best Interest ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
SEC Examination Priorities ,
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)