Features |
- 2025 FINRA Annual Regulatory Oversight Report Coming Soon
Member firms should be on the lookout as early as next week for the report, which FINRA publishes at the beginning of each year to provide insight into our observations around systemic risk, and raise awareness of common challenges and compliance gaps. Firms can use the report to strengthen their compliance programs. You can listen to a special episode of our FINRA Unscripted podcast series focused on the report as soon as it is published.
- Protecting Your Investment Accounts from Gen AI Fraud
In a recent Investor Insight, FINRA highlighted ways in which fraudsters are using generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) tools to defraud unsuspecting investors. The article offers tips investors can take to help protect their accounts. It is available here, and firms are welcome to share it and other FINRA Investor Insights with customers.
- 2025 Third-Party Vendor Request
Firms are requested to provide FINRA with information about their vendors and banks via the 2025 Third-Party Vendor Request form in FINRA Gateway by Feb. 25. Register to attend two webinars to learn more about the effort.
- Reminder: Vote for National Adjudicatory Council (NAC) Seats
Members from large firms and small firms are eligible to vote between now and Feb. 10 for candidates running for the NAC seat in the same size category as their own firm. The names of the candidates and their profiles are listed in the Election Notice. Voting instructions were sent by email on Jan. 10 from [email protected].
|
Guidance, Upcoming Deadlines, Effective Dates |
New Reminders - Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) Fees: As of Jan. 1, the Historical CAT Cost Recovery Assessment 1 and Prospective CAT Cost Recovery Fee 2024-1 are no longer in effect for transactions in eligible securities executed by FINRA member CAT executing brokers. Also beginning Jan. 1, a new Prospective CAT Cost Recovery Fee—Prospective CAT Cost Recovery Fee 2025-1—is applied to members executing brokers' transactions.
- Four New Forms in FINRA Gateway: Visit FINRA’s website for more information about the new forms that are now available in FINRA Gateway. The compliance date for using them is March 31. Register to attend an upcoming webinar featuring a high-level overview of the new forms.
- Broker-Dealer and Investment Adviser Renewals for 2025: FINRA issued a Regulatory Notice to help firms review, reconcile, and respond to their final statements in E-Bill. Jan. 24 is the deadline to remit payment for any additional amount owed and to report any discrepancies to FINRA.
- 2025 and Q1 2026 Reports Filing Due Dates: Upcoming due dates have been announced for filings related to the Annual Report, Financial and Operational Combined Uniform Single (FOCUS), Form Custody and supplemental FOCUS Report The first is Jan. 27. These filings must be submitted electronically through FINRA Gateway.
- Review Your Contact Information: Firms are required to complete an annual review of their contact information within the first 17 business days of each calendar year. This year, the deadline to complete the review in the FINRA Contact System is Jan. 28. The Contact System can be accessed in FINRA Gateway. As part of this review, firms should review all contacts and update them as needed, per FINRA Rule 4517.
- Comment on FINRA Requirements Governing Day Trading: FINRA is requesting comments from registered representatives, investors, and other stakeholders on its requirements related to day trading. The request is part of FINRA's retrospective rule review to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of those requirements. The comment period ends Jan. 28.
- Rule Amendments Regarding Arbitration Document Production Lists: FINRA amended its Code of Arbitration Procedure for Customer Disputes to allow customers to decide whether to use Document Production Lists in “paper cases” (i.e., those without a hearing) and special proceedings. The amendments go into effect for arbitration cases filed on or after March 3 of this year.
- Comment on Proposed Changes to Corporate Financing: Members and other stakeholders have until March 20 to comment on proposed amendments to FINRA Rules 5110 (Corporate Financing Rule—Underwriting Terms and Arrangements), 5121 (Public Offerings of Securities With Conflicts of Interest) and 5123 (Private Placements of Securities) that would make substantive, organizational, and terminology changes.
- Amendments to FINRA Rule 3240: Updates to FINRA’s Borrowing From or Lending to Customers Rule go into effect April 28 to strengthen the general prohibition against borrowing and lending arrangements between registered representatives and their customers, narrow some exceptions, modernize the “immediate family” definition, and more.
|
Disciplinary Actions |
- FINRA publishes disciplinary actions to remind members of specific conduct that violates FINRA rules and may result in disciplinary action. The January 2025 Monthly Disciplinary Actions are available here.
|
Education and Compliance Programs |
|
Resources |
Member Firm Hub – The latest guidance, resources, educational opportunities and more. Membership Application Program (MAP) Tools – Guidance and other resources to help current members prepare for their continuing membership application (CMA) and new applicants prepare for a new member application (NMA). FINRA101 – An investor-focused video series firms can leverage to help customers avoid scams, understand trusted contacts and more. FINRA Unscripted – A biweekly podcast that discusses a range of topics important to the securities industry. |
Follow FINRA |
|
About FINRAFINRA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to investor protection and market integrity. FINRA regulates one critical part of the securities industry—member brokerage firms doing business with the public in the U.S. FINRA, overseen by the SEC, writes rules, examines for and enforces compliance with FINRA rules and federal securities laws, registers broker-dealer personnel and offers them education and training, and informs the investing public. In addition, FINRA provides surveillance and other regulatory services for equities and options markets, as well as trade reporting and other industry utilities. FINRA also administers a dispute resolution forum for investors and brokerage firms and their registered employees. For more information, visit www.finra.org. |
Regulatory Contacts
FINRA By-Laws require member firms to maintain an email account on behalf of their executive representatives, to facilitate firm notification of important information. In light of this, requests from executive representatives to be removed from this email list cannot be honored. Firms wishing to change the name or email address of their executive representative or designated assistant should use the FINRA Contact System: http://www.finra.org/FCS. SubscribersYou received this message because you are currently subscribed to the email subscription list on the FINRA website. To update, use our "update information" or "unsubscribe" forms located at http://www.finra.org/Industry/Subscriptions |
