Guidance

Overview

This guidance is intended to provide direction on key information for a prospective and existing FINRA member firm that is contemplating to engage in activities utilizing an online platform or mobile application.¹ Under Standard 6 of FINRA’s Standards for Admission (Standard), an applicant’s online platform or mobile application that the applicant intends to employ for the purpose of conducting business with customers and other members must be adequate and provide reasonably for business continuity.

Overview

FINRA is providing this checklist to help members assess their obligations under the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI) and Form CRS Relationship Summary (Form CRS). The checklist is not a substitute for any rule. Only the rule can provide definitive information regarding its requirements. Interpretive questions should be directed to the SEC, at [email protected].

In general, a member firm’s office or location is either registered as a branch office, if it meets the definitions contained in Rule 3110(f), or exempt from branch office registration (i.e., an unregistered office or non-branch location), if it fits within an express exclusion from the branch office definition listed in Rule 3110(f)(2)(A)(i)–(vii) or is designated as a residential supervisory location (or RSL) under the terms of Rule 3110.19. 

Q: Are members that provide FINRA an electronic feed (“eFeed”) of account transaction and position data via secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) for the accounts of FINRA employees also required to send duplicate account statements to FINRA under Rule 2070(a)? NEW

Utilize this checklist to determine if a private residence from which an associated person engages in supervisory functions meets the residential supervisory location (RSL) eligibility requirements and conditions. 

• Overview
• How to Request an Addition to the Eligible Multifamily Programs
• Additional Eligible Multifamily Programs

Overview

Rule 4210(e)(2)(H)(ii)a.2. provides that: 

FINRA recently released a number of Regulatory Notices that support the effort to modernize rules for member firms and associated persons. This webinar is designed to review the comment process, assist firms with how to comment and provide what type of information is helpful to receive in comments. FINRA staff share examples of the impact of comment letters and how they were used. 

General Ledger

1. A person (GL Clerk) who has limited roles that do not meet the criteria under Rule 1220(b)(3)(A)(i)a. or b., is responsible for making journal entries into the member’s general ledger some of which represent material amounts for the firm. The journal entries serve to record the firm’s transactions on its books and records but do not affect the movement of money or securities or otherwise commit the firm’s capital. The GL Clerk is not permitted to commit the member to any contract or agreement (written or oral).

Q: Is the exemption under paragraph (f)(1)(B) of Rule 4360 for “members whose business is solely that of a Designated Market Maker... and who does not conduct business with the public” available to members whose business consists solely of market making activities on one or more national securities exchanges, regardless of whether the member is designated or registered in such capacity on a particular exchange? 

This targeted educational series is designed specifically for Financial and Operations Principals (FINOPs) and compliance professionals. Each session delivers timely, practical guidance on regulatory updates and operational requirements that directly impact your firm's financial and operational compliance.

These events are open to FINRA member firms only. Participants must provide their firm's broker-dealer number when registering.

Upcoming Webinars

The FINRA Rule 5190 Report Card is a quarterly compliance report available to member firms. The report card displays all offerings captured by FINRA's surveillance pattern during a quarter and identifies potential exceptions related to the firm's compliance with Rule 5190 notification requirements. The purpose of the report card is to help firms monitor their compliance with SEC Regulation M notification requirements and compare their performance against industry benchmarks.

Overview

This guide explains how to use FINRA's Trade Data Consistency Interactive Report Card to identify and investigate discrepancies between your firm's CAT and TRF/ORF trade records.

Q: If a member firm performs securities counts, verifications and comparisons as described in the January 6, 2026, Raymond James No Action Letter (the Letter),* would compliance with all circumstances set forth in the Letter satisfy the requirements of FINRA Rule 4522(b)(1) with respect to capital balance funds, as defined in that Letter?

FINRA evaluates 11 broad risk categories as a foundation to monitor and assess member firm¹ risk and inform our risk-based examination program. We are sharing this risk framework and risk assessment methodology as part of our FINRA Forward Initiative to provide greater transparency into our risk assessment processes to further empower member firm compliance.

On March 23, FINRA introduced a new Reg M – Rule 5190 Filings Report Card. This resource is designed to provide firms with comprehensive insights into exceptions identified during submission reviews, showing information such as exceptions by exception type and exceptions by deal type, as well as compliance rates compared to industry benchmarks. By identifying potential areas of concern, and trends over time, this tool serves as both a compliance checkpoint and a resource for supervisory and compliance teams.

Stay informed about significant changes to FINRA's Membership Application Program (MAP). This webinar covers organizational and program updates, along with important information about Form NMA enhancements. Participants gain insight into the program's direction and understand key improvements to the application process.

This event is open to FINRA member firms only. Participants must provide their firm's broker-dealer number when registering.

FINRA Speakers:

FINRA partners with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and industry cybersecurity leaders for this webinar on emerging cybersecurity threats facing member firms. Panelists discuss current threat intelligence, observations from the field and strategies for strengthening cybersecurity programs.

FINRA Speakers:

• Brita Bayatmakou, VP, Strategic and Threat Intelligence 
• Bryan Smith, VP, Complex Investigations and Intelligence

External Speakers: