(Applications and systems that use artificial intelligence (A.I.) technologies such as chatbots are on the radar of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the self-regulatory organization for U.S. broker-dealers. The regulator has issued guidances, updates, and alerts about the subject noting the “benefits for investors include enhanced access to customized products and services, lower costs,… Read More >>
Should the GAO Audit the CFTC?
Caroline D. Pham, a Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) commissioner, started the Open Meeting on May 10 with a bang — she wants the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the CFTC because she thinks the regulator has expanded its jurisdiction without a proper mandate, and, as a consequence, has strayed far from its… Read More >>
T+1 is Stealing the Spotlight from Securities Lending
(Editor’s note: This past October, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted Rule 10c-1a in an effort to increase the “transparency and efficiency of the securities lending market,” according to the SEC. The new rule required the reporting of “specified information about securities loans to a registered national securities association (RNSA)” by 2026. The new rule… Read More >>
SEC Report Offers Useful Stats On Trillions of Dollars
The SEC mostly taketh when it comes to data, regulatory forms, and ongoing reports. But every once in a while the regulator giveth as far as key data about trillions of dollars flowing through the securities industry. In particular, SEC staff has just released a new report, “Registered Fund Statistics,” that is based on “aggregated… Read More >>
FINRA Is Closely Watching for Inaccurate CAT Reporting
The controversial Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT), which has already been fending off lawsuits and industry pushback, has had “instances of millions if not billions of late or inaccurately reported order events,” says Bill St. Louis, executive vice president and head of enforcement at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The need to stay on top… Read More >>
The SEC Is Charging More to Regulate You
As the SEC very publicly takes on major matters such as its climate disclosure requirements — the fate of which is playing out in court and in Congress — the regulator has quietly moved ahead with an increase in the rate that securities exchanges and broker-dealers pay to be regulated by the commission. “Starting on… Read More >>
SEC’s Recordkeeping Crackdown Is Just the Start
(Editor’s note: As many firms have found out, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was serious when it announced a crackdown on the recordkeeping culture of the U.S. securities industry. Nearly 30 of the industry’s top financial services firms have been accused of violating recordkeeping rules. In fact, during the SEC’s 2023 fiscal year, 25… Read More >>
Time to Step Up Your T+1 Game?
Another T+1 readiness survey has highlighted a persistent lack of preparedness among buy-side firms as the summer deadline for the T+1 transition for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico approaches. Despite the Depository Trust and Clearing Corp.’s (DTCC) assurances, recent reports from vendors and banks depict concerning levels of unpreparedness among investment managers. This lack of… Read More >>
Wall Street’s Recordkeeping Culture Must Change: Q&A
(For the past two years, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has cracked down on 25 of the securities industry’s top firms for violating its recordkeeping rules. In fact, during fiscal year 2023 those 25 firms paid a total of $400 million in fines and penalties. The enforcement focus on recordkeeping rules, particularly about the… Read More >>
Buy Side Seeks FX T+1 Settlement Workarounds
Gary Gensler, chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) descended upon a European Commission workshop on T+1 settlement last week to urge regulators to include foreign exchange (FX) in their efforts to reduce settlement times in coordination with central banks, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), and CLS Bank. One trade association in… Read More >>
