Two powerful extensions of the U.S. federal government – the Department of Justice and the SEC – are gearing up to counter the fraud, scams, and abuse that are the dark side of cryptocurrencies and emerging digital assets. Lisa O. Monaco, deputy Attorney General for Justice, launched the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) this week… Read More >>
RBC Capital Markets Resolves Deal-Flipping Charges
The Securities and Exchange Commission has ordered RBC Capital Markets to pay “more than $800,000 to resolve charges that it engaged in unfair dealing in municipal bond offerings.” While RBC Capital Markets neither admits nor denies the SEC allegations, it has agreed to pay the financial penalty and be censured. In a related settlement, two… Read More >>
SEC Sought ISITC’s Advice on T+1: Q&A
(FTF News recently spoke with Lisa Iagatta, the ISITC chair for the past three years, as ISITC’s Virtual Fall Forum 2021, held earlier this month, was winding down. Iagatta touched on the T+1 shorter settlement cycle push, led by the DTCC, SIFMA, and the ICI, and looked back at her time at the helm, which… Read More >>
SEC Bars Two People from Whistleblower Program
I should not have been surprised to learn that the SEC can bar people from becoming whistleblowers. In an unusual press release, the regulator, which in these cases, cannot name names, has “barred two individuals from the SEC’s whistleblower award program, each of whom filed hundreds of frivolous award applications.” It appears that the regulator’s… Read More >>
CME Group Offers Clearing for Sustainable Derivatives
Clearing Service to Launch Next Week CME Group is claiming a first for derivatives trading with the September 27 launch of the Sustainable Clearing service intended to help firms “track and report on how their hedging activities are advancing their sustainability goals,” officials announce. “This service will allow clients to demonstrate commitment to ESG-positive business… Read More >>
Gensler Wants Proof That Firms Are Going Green
In the future, funds with a green sales pitch will need to prove that they understand and appreciate the importance of an ESG agenda. In other words, that it’s more than just a good story to con a customer to sign on the bottom line. “ESG” stands for environmental, social, and corporate governance, and it… Read More >>
State Street Adopts Hybrid Model & Closes NYC Offices
State Street to Exit Midtown Manhattan The Boston-based State Street will be closing its midtown Manhattan offices and embracing a hybrid working model in response to staff members that have been working remotely in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a prepared statement from the custodian banking giant. “Like most other companies, we… Read More >>
Robo Adviser Settles Conflicts of Interest Case
San Francisco-based robo adviser SoFi Wealth, LLC stands accused by the Securities and Exchange Commission of “breaches of fiduciary duty” regarding approximately 20,000 exchange-traded-funds (ETF) customers. In the customary formulation, the advisory firm neither admits nor denies the SEC charges. However, it is paying the $300,000 penalty. And it has agreed to be censured and… Read More >>
SEC Reveals Geeky Side via APIs for EDGAR
Wow. Who knew that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had a seriously geeky side? It’s no secret that the SEC and its documentation constitute an endless well of legal gobbledygook that will cure insomnia for many, instill zombie-like behavior in others, and force some individuals into an existential crisis. It is news, though, that… Read More >>
TriOptima Launches Tri-Party Links via SWIFT
Four Tri-Party Agents Endorse New Connection TriOptima reports that its triResolve Margin offering now provides integration via the SWIFT financial services messaging and systems cooperative to four tri-party agents: BNY Mellon, Clearstream, Euroclear, and JPMorgan. “TriOptima’s clients will have direct connectivity to tri-parties via SWIFT for sending instructions as well as receiving status messages and… Read More >>
