Podcasts: FINRA Unscripted

In late May, certain amendments to FINRA's margin rule, Rule 4210, went into effect to address a significant source of potential systemic risk and risk to FINRA member firms. The amendments introduced specific margin requirements related to covered agency transactions. On this episode, we learn more about the purpose of the change and what firms need to think about to ensure compliance.

Protecting investors from harm is a top FINRA priority. And when it comes to specific individuals who may pose a risk, FINRA's High Risk Representative Program is on the case, identifying and monitoring individuals who pose an elevated risk of misconduct to protect investors and maintain the integrity of the market.

Every day, FINRA's Insider Trading Detection Program uses sophisticated technology and analytics to monitor 100% of trading in stocks, options and bonds for potentially suspicious activity around material news events, resulting in hundreds of referrals to the SEC and law enforcement every year. On this episode, we hear how the team connects trading data, information from public sources and from companies and FINRA firms to pull together actionable intelligence.

On this episode, we hear from members of both the Vulnerable Adults and Seniors (VAST) Intake and Investigations teams to hear how the groups work with individual investors, firms, states and other regulators to prevent and detect financial exploitation of senior and other vulnerable investors.

On May 28th, U.S. markets are moving to a one-day settlement cycle, familiarly known as T+1. On this episode, we hear from four individuals across FINRA about what all market participants need to be thinking about and testing ahead of the transition.

These days, it's not a matter of if, but when, when it comes to cybersecurity incidents, which is why it's essential for all firms to ensure they're prepared for the inevitable. On this episode, we're catching up with two members of FINRA's Complex Investigations and Intelligence Team for an update on the cyber threat landscape and what firms should be thinking about and doing in response to the latest trends.

Recently, FINRA's Market Regulation and Transparency Services (MRTS) team realigned its structure around specific functions, rather than around specific rules or products. On this episode, we hear from three of the group's senior leaders to learn how the change allows MRTS to be more nimble in addressing and anticipating risks, to better leverage its data and more.

While Generative AI and large language models present numerous opportunities to create business efficiencies and offer many potential benefits to firms, regulators and investors, they also introduce unique risks. On this episode, we hear from three experts at FINRA who are closely looking at these technologies and following developments in this space.

On this episode, we dig into a new report from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, Investors of Color in the United States, that highlights interesting trends related to the pace at which Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino and Asian American/Pacific Islander investors are entering the market, their views on risk, where they're receiving information and more.

FINRA Enforcement works tirelessly on the front lines of investor protection, and this tremendous undertaking demands steadfast leadership. On this episode of FINRA Unscripted, we are reintroduced to Bill St. Louis, FINRA's new Executive Vice President and Head of Enforcement, to learn more about what's on the horizon for Enforcement in the new year.