Articles from FINRA

FINRA marks this month the 10th anniversary of the FINRA Securities Helpline for Seniors, an important resource for seniors and vulnerable investors that has assisted in recovering more than $9.3 million for investors as of Dec. 31, 2024.

FINRA has ordered Robinhood Financial to pay $3.75 million to its customers, and fined Robinhood Financial and Robinhood Securities $26 million for violating numerous FINRA rules, including failing to respond to red flags of potential misconduct.

FINRA’s Board of Governors met on February 25-26. The agenda included electing a new Board Chair, as well as discussions on FINRA’s proposed Outside Business Activities rule, TRACE reporting timeframes, ongoing technology initiatives, and the proposed allocation of FINRA’s 2024 fine monies.

FINRA has fined Apex Clearing Corporation $3.2 million for violations related to its fully paid securities lending program. This is the first time FINRA has charged a firm with violating FINRA Rule 4330, which establishes permissible use of customers’ securities to ensure customer protection.

FINRA published today the 2025 FINRA Regulatory Oversight Report—a vital information resource comprising observations from across FINRA’s Member Supervision, Market Regulation and Enforcement programs that member firms can use throughout the year to strengthen their compliance programs. The report reflects FINRA’s commitment to providing transparency to member firms and the investing public about its regulatory observations and activities.

FINRA has ordered three firms—Edward Jones, Osaic Wealth, Inc. and Cambridge Investment Research, Inc.—to pay more than $8.2 million in restitution to customers who were harmed by the firms’ failures to provide available mutual fund sales charge waivers and fee rebates on mutual fund purchases. FINRA did not impose any fines in connection with these matters in recognition of each firm’s extraordinary cooperation with FINRA’s investigations.

FINRA’s Board of Governors met on December 4-5. The agenda included discussions around FINRA’s 2025 budget, FINRA’s Outside Business Activities and Private Securities Transactions rules, and an overview of the 2025 FINRA Annual Regulatory Oversight Report.

FINRA published today a new report, The Metaverse and the Implications for the Securities Industry.

FINRA’s Board of Governors met on September 18-19. The agenda included discussions around FINRA’s long-term financial planning and engagement with key stakeholders, including representatives of the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and FINRA’s South and Mid-West Regional Committees.

FINRA announced today the results of its election of three Governors to its Board of Governors during the annual meeting of FINRA member firms on Wednesday.

FINRA has launched an online advertising campaign, Get Your Head in the Trade, encouraging new investors to understand investment risks and rewards as well as their own financial goals and risk tolerance before making an investment decision.

A total of 741 member firms volunteered to participate in FINRA’s Remote Inspections Pilot Program, FINRA announced today in a blog post.

FINRA published today the 2024 Industry Snapshot, the annual statistical report on registered representatives, brokerage firms and market activity that FINRA oversees.

FINRA announced today that it has appointed Julie Glynn and Tina Gubb as Senior Vice Presidents of Enforcement. Gubb’s appointment is effective July 22, while Glynn’s appointment is effective in September. Both will report to Bill St. Louis, Executive Vice President and Head of Enforcement at FINRA.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) and FINRA announced today that registration is now open for both in-person and virtual attendance of their Compliance Outreach Program for municipal market professionals. The event is open to the public and will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 20, and Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Denver, Colorado.

FINRA’s Board of Governors met on May 8-9 for the second time in 2024. The Board approved FINRA’s 2023 Annual Financial Report, appointed new members to Advisory Committees, was briefed on FINRA’s Advanced Analytics Strategic Initiative, received operational updates and continued discussions around FINRA’s long-term financial planning.

FINRA announced today that it has promoted Michael Solomon to Executive Vice President of Examinations and Membership Application Program, effective immediately. Solomon has taken on an expanded leadership role since rejoining FINRA in 2022 as a Senior Vice President and Head of Examinations. Solomon continues to report to Greg Ruppert, Executive Vice President, Member Supervision.

FINRA has begun disseminating individual transactions in active U.S. Treasury securities at the end of the day, raising the level of transparency in the market for these benchmark securities.

FINRA announced today that it has fined M1 Finance LLC $850,000 for social media posts made by influencers on the firm’s behalf that were not fair or balanced, or contained exaggerated, unwarranted, promissory or misleading claims. This case arises from FINRA’s targeted exam of firm practices related to the acquisition of customers through social media channels and represents the first formal FINRA Enforcement disciplinary action involving a firm’s supervision of social media influencers.

FINRA’s Board of Governors met on March 6-7 for the first time in 2024. The Board approved a rule proposal, received a briefing on examinations and investigations — including an update on the automation of a scheduling tool for exams as part of a multi-year initiative to enhance the exam program — and continued discussions around FINRA’s long-term financial planning.

FINRA announced today that Derrick Roman, former partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), and Gus Sauter, current member of FINRA’s Investment Committee, have been appointed as public governors on its Board of Governors. In addition, Naureen Hassan, President of UBS Americas and CEO of UBS Holdings, has been appointed as an industry governor to the Floor Member Governor seat. Together, these individuals bring extensive audit, risk management, regulatory policy and investing experience to the Board.

FINRA announced today that it has fined Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC $1.6 million for the firm’s repeated failures to timely close out failed inter-dealer municipal securities transactions and to take prompt steps to obtain physical possession or control of municipal security positions that are short more than 30 calendar days, and related supervisory failures. This is the first disciplinary action in which FINRA has charged a firm with violating the close-out requirements of Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) Rule G-12(h) and related supervisory failures. FINRA previously sanctioned Morgan Stanley for supervisory failures regarding short positions in municipal securities in 2015.

FINRA has identified potential violations of FINRA Rule 2210 (Communications with the Public) in 70 percent of crypto asset communications it reviewed, according to a report published today on the results of a targeted exam.

FINRA published today its 2024 FINRA Annual Regulatory Oversight Report, formerly known as the Report on FINRA’s Examination and Risk Monitoring Program. The report provides member firms with key insights and observations from recent activities of FINRA’s regulatory operations to use in strengthening their compliance programs.

FINRA announced today that it has appointed Feral Talib as Executive Vice President and Head of Surveillance and Market Intelligence. He will assume the role on January 2.

FINRA’s Board of Governors held its fifth and final meeting of the year on December 6-7. During the meeting, the Board approved two rule proposals and FINRA’s 2024 proposed budget, and continued discussions around FINRA’s financials, including expenses and the drawdown of reserves. The Board also appointed new members to the National Adjudicatory Council (NAC) and the Small Firm Advisory Committee (SFAC), and previewed the 2024 FINRA Annual Regulatory Oversight Report.

FINRA announced today that it has sanctioned four firms—M1 Finance LLC, Open to the Public Investing, Inc., SoFi Securities LLC, and SogoTrade, Inc.—a combined $2.6 million, including over $1 million in restitution to retail customers enrolled in fully paid securities lending programs and fines of $1.6 million for the firms’ related supervisory and advertising violations.

FINRA announced today that it has fined BofA Securities, Inc. $24 million for engaging in more than 700 instances of spoofing through two former traders in U.S. Treasury secondary markets and related supervisory failures spanning more than six years.

Jon Kroeper, Executive Vice President, Quality of Markets, is leaving FINRA, effective at year end, to pursue other opportunities.

FINRA announced today that after nine years in the Department of Enforcement, Christopher Kelly plans to leave FINRA on Nov. 1 to pursue other opportunities. In his most recent role of Senior Vice President and Deputy Head of Enforcement, Kelly oversaw the work of FINRA’s Enforcement attorneys throughout the country as well as Enforcement’s Litigation Group.

FINRA released today a new report, Quantum Computing and the Implications for the Securities Industry. While practical quantum computing remains nascent, the research examines how the emerging technology that relies on quantum mechanics to perform complex calculations could significantly alter the securities industry in the future. The report also looks at potential cybersecurity threats and regulatory considerations regarding the technology.

FINRA announced today that it has promoted Omer Meisel to Executive Vice President of the National Cause and Financial Crimes Detection Program (NCFC), effective October 2.

FINRA’s Maintaining Qualifications Program (MQP) is currently open for eligible individuals during a second enrollment period, until December 31, 2023.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB), and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) today announced that registration is open for a virtual Compliance Outreach Program for municipal market professionals. The free webcast is open to the public and will take place on Thursday, December 7, 2023, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.

FINRA’s Board of Governors met on September 13-14 in Philadelphia. In addition to continuing discussions around FINRA’s Regulatory Operations, the Board reaffirmed FINRA’s Financial Guiding Principles.

FINRA announced today the results of its election of two Governors to its Board of Governors. The announcement came after the Annual Meeting of FINRA firms, where Scott A. Curtis, president of Raymond James’ Private Client Group, was elected as a Large-Firm Governor, and Wendy Lanton, Chief Compliance Officer and Founding Principal of Herold & Lantern Investments, Inc., was re-elected as a Small-Firm Governor.

FINRA announced today that it has appointed Bill St. Louis as Head of Enforcement, effective immediately. St. Louis, an Executive Vice President, was most recently head of FINRA’s National Cause and Financial Crimes Detection Program (NCFC). St. Louis will be responsible for the management of approximately 350 enforcement staff in 11 offices across the United States and will report directly to FINRA CEO Robert Cook.

FINRA’s Board of Governors met on July 12-13 for the third time in 2023. During the meeting, the Board re-elected Eric Noll as Board Chair, re-appointed three public governors and approved three rulemaking items. The Board also continued its engagement with key stakeholders, hearing from Commissioner Hester Peirce of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on her priorities and perspectives regarding issues impacting the securities markets and the broker-dealer industry.

FINRA announced today that it has fined Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. $6 million for failing to establish and implement policies, procedures, and internal controls reasonably designed to cause the reporting of suspicious transactions as required by the Bank Secrecy Act. In particular, Merrill Lynch failed to apply the correct threshold to report suspicious activities for more than 10 years and, as a result, failed to file nearly 1,500 Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs).

FINRA announced today that it has expelled Monmouth Capital Management for churning and excessively trading customer accounts in violation of Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), failing to supervise its representatives, and providing false and misleading disclosures to retail customers on its client relationship summary (Form CRS). This is the second firm expulsion that has included violations of Reg BI, to date.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) and FINRA will be co-hosting the Senior Safe Act Webinar: Identifying and Reporting Suspected Exploitation. The discussion will build on the SEC, NASAA and FINRA’s joint training released in 2021 on Addressing and Reporting Financial Exploitation of Seniors and Vulnerable Adult Investors.

FINRA’s Board of Governors met on May 17-18 for the second time in 2023. During the meeting, the Board appointed a new public governor, approved FINRA’s 2022 Annual Financial Report and added new members to Advisory Committees.

FINRA announced today that it has expelled broker-dealer SW Financial for multiple violations, including making misrepresentations to customers in its sales of private placement offerings of pre-initial public offering (pre-IPO) securities, churning customer accounts, and failing to supervise its representatives.

FINRA and NFA recently held a special summit focused on crypto assets and agreed to expand their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to address crypto activities that fall within their respective regulatory mandates.

FINRA today published the 2023 Industry Snapshot, the annual statistical report on registered representatives, brokerage firms, and market activity that FINRA oversees. This year’s edition adds new data about options trading activity, and certain demographic changes of FINRA-registered representatives.

FINRA’s Board of Governors met on March 9-10 for the first time in 2023. The board approved a rule proposal to amend FINRA rules to conform to the SEC’s rule changes to shorten the securities settlement cycle and discussed a variety of regulatory topics and technology initiatives.

FINRA announced today that it has fined Webull Financial LLC $3 million for not exercising reasonable due diligence before it approved customers for options trading; not maintaining a supervisory system reasonably designed to identify and respond to customer complaints; and not reporting certain written customer complaints to FINRA as required.

FINRA announced today that Jessica Hopper plans to leave FINRA on February 3, after an 18-year tenure culminating in her leadership of the Department of Enforcement. During her time as Head of Enforcement, FINRA brought numerous significant disciplinary actions to protect investors and markets, including its largest-ever enforcement action; prioritized returning money to harmed investors; and completed an initiative to combine previously separate units into an integrated “One Enforcement” department.

FINRA published today its 2023 Report on FINRA’s Examination and Risk Monitoring Program to provide member firms with key insights and observations to use in strengthening their compliance programs.

FINRA’s Board of Governors held its fifth and final meeting of the year on Dec. 14-15. During the meeting, the Board approved two rule proposals and FINRA’s 2023 proposed budget, appointed members to the Small Firm Advisory Committee (SFAC) and National Adjudicatory Council (NAC), and previewed the 2023 Report on FINRA’s Examination and Risk Monitoring Program.

FINRA announced today that it has promoted Jonathan Sokobin to Executive Vice President and Head of the newly created Office of Regulatory Economics and Market Analysis (REMA).

FINRA announced today that it has established an Industry Diversity Advisory Committee, advancing its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the securities industry.

FINRA announced today that Penny Pennington, Managing Partner of Edward Jones, was elected as a large-firm governor of the FINRA Board of Governors at a special meeting of large-firm members.

FINRA announced today that it has launched a machine-readable rulebook initiative designed to enhance firms’ compliance efforts, reduce costs and aid in risk management.

FINRA announced today that it has fined Barclays Capital Inc. (Barclays Capital) $2 million for failing to comply with its best execution obligations in connection with its customers’ electronic equity orders.

FINRA announced today that it has fined UBS Securities LLC (UBS) $2.5 million for Regulation SHO (Reg SHO) violations and supervisory failures spanning a period of nine years.

FINRA announced today that an extended hearing panel has expelled broker-dealer NYPPEX, LLC and barred its former CEO Laurence Allen for failing to respond in a timely and complete manner to FINRA requests for information and documents. The panel also found that NYPPEX and Allen engaged in securities fraud. In addition, the panel barred NYPPEX’s current CEO and Chief Compliance Officer Michael Schunk in any principal or supervisory capacity for his failure to supervise Allen, and suspended him for two years in all capacities for engaging in other misconduct—the maximum suspension under FINRA’s sanction guidelines.

FINRA announced today that the National Adjudicatory Council (NAC) has made significant improvements to the Sanction Guidelines to ensure that they accurately reflect the levels of sanctions imposed in FINRA disciplinary proceedings and serve as an efficient resource for member firms, individuals and adjudicators.

FINRA’s Board of Governors held its fourth meeting of the year—the first with Eric Noll as Chair—on Sept. 21-22 in New York. The Board approved two rulemaking items and continued its engagement with key stakeholders by hosting officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

FINRA announced today that it has fined BofA Securities Inc. (BofAS) $5 million for failing to report over-the-counter (OTC) options positions to the Large Options Positions Reporting system (LOPR) in more than 7.4 million instances, including 26 positions that were over the applicable OTC position limit, and related supervisory failures.

FINRA announced today that it has ordered Joseph Stone Capital LLC to pay restitution of approximately $825,000 to customers whose accounts were excessively traded by the firm’s representatives. In related settlements, FINRA suspended eight current or former Joseph Stone representatives and required them to pay, collectively, an additional $211,000 in restitution to the firm’s impacted customers. In addition, FINRA suspended three supervisors at the firm for failing to reasonably identify or respond to red flags of excessive trading, and barred two representatives for refusing to respond to FINRA’s requests for information in connection with the investigation.

FINRA announced today that it has promoted Nathaniel Stankard to Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff to the CEO for Regulatory Operations, effective immediately. In this new role, Stankard will be responsible for providing strategic direction on the integration of FINRA’s regulatory operations, and for helping advance FINRA’s unified approach to regulatory policy.

The FINRA Board of Governors elected current FINRA Public Governor Eric Noll as its next Chair. Noll succeeds Eileen Murray, whose term on the Board and service as Chair concluded at the Aug. 19 annual meeting of FINRA firms. FINRA also announced the re-election of a Small-Firm Governor, the appointment of two new Public Governors and the reappointment of two Public Governors.

On many measures of financial capability, U.S. adults generally fared better in 2021 than in the decade leading up to the pandemic, according to the FINRA Investor Education Foundation’s nationwide, triennial study, published today. However, the research also shows that Americans’ financial wellbeing remains uneven across different demographic groups.

FINRA announced today that it has barred Brandon Autiero of New Jersey and Harris Kausar of New York from the securities industry for cheating during qualification examinations administered online. The enforcement actions are FINRA’s first in connection with cheating on remote exams.

FINRA today published the report of independent counsel Lowenstein Sandler LLP, which found no evidence of an improper agreement to remove certain arbitrators from arbitration cases. FINRA also said it would promptly implement the report’s recommendations to provide greater transparency to the arbitrator-selection process.

FINRA announced today that it has sanctioned National Securities Corporation (NSC) approximately $9 million, including disgorgement of $4.77 million in net profits the firm received for underwriting 10 public offerings in which NSC attempted to artificially influence the market for the offered securities.

FINRA announced today that it has ordered Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. to pay more than $15.2 million in restitution and interest to thousands of customers who purchased Class C mutual fund shares when Class A shares were available at substantially lower costs.

FINRA announced today that it has fined two FINRA-registered funding portals a combined $1.75 million for failing to comply with securities laws and rules designed to protect crowdfunding investors.

FINRA today issued Special Notice 3/31/22 to encourage securities industry professionals and non-industry stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to become involved in FINRA’s advisory committees.

FINRA announced today that a FINRA extended hearing panel has expelled Salt Lake City-based broker-dealer Alpine Securities Corp. from FINRA membership, and ordered the firm to pay more than $2.3 million in restitution to customers for converting and misusing customer funds and securities, engaging in unauthorized trading, charging customers unfair prices in securities transactions and unreasonable fees, and making an unauthorized capital withdrawal.

FINRA today issued a Regulatory Notice reminding member firms about the scope of broker-dealer chief compliance officer (CCO) supervisory liability under FINRA rules.

FINRA announced today that it has hired the Lowenstein Sandler law firm to conduct an independent review of how FINRA Dispute Resolution Services (DRS) complied with its rules, policies and procedures for arbitrator selection in an arbitration proceeding whose award was recently vacated by an Atlanta Superior Court judge.

FINRA announced today that it has fined Robinhood Financial LLC $57 million and ordered the firm to pay approximately $12.6 million in restitution, plus interest, to thousands of harmed customers. The sanctions represent the largest financial penalty ever ordered by FINRA and reflect the scope and seriousness of the violations. In determining the appropriate sanctions, FINRA considered the widespread and significant harm suffered by customers, including millions of customers who received false or misleading information from the firm, millions of customers affected by the firm’s systems outages in March 2020, and thousands of customers the firm approved to trade options even when it was not appropriate for the customers to do so.