On September 17, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued an order (Release No. 34-106402; File No. 4-927) granting five-year, temporary exemptive relief allowing (1) qualifying tokenized securities venues that provide innovative automated market makers (“AMMs”) and liquidity pools (together referred to as “AMM Liquidity Pools”) to facilitate trading of National Market System
Broker-dealers
FINRA Aims to Strengthen Examination Program through Innovation & Transparency
In a post by its Head of Examinations, Jim Reese, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) announced a series of meaningful changes to its examination program as part of its “FINRA Forward” initiative. The changes are designed to make the exam process more transparent and efficient, and more closely tied to risk assessments. These…
Reg E-Delivery: Giant Leap or Baby Step?
On July 16, 2026, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) proposed new Regulation E-Delivery (“Reg E-Delivery”), a potential modernization of the default manner in which issuers, broker-dealers, investment advisers, and other market participants provide information to investors in our increasingly electronic world. In the words of SEC Chairman Paul Atkins, “[t]oday, the Commission…
Do Crypto User Interface Providers Need to Register as Broker-Dealers with the SEC? The Staff Offers Its View
The Staff of the Division of Trading and Markets (the “Staff”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or the “Commission”) recently issued a statement (the “Statement”) providing its views on the application of the broker-dealer registration requirements under Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), to…
“FINRA Forward: A Year of Progress” Report Highlights Achievements and Foreshadows Upcoming Proposals
In April 2026, FINRA published its report titled “FINRA Forward: A Year of Progress,” which provides a recap of the regulatory changes implemented by FINRA as part of its rule modernization initiative. The report also provides insight into pending rule proposals and other policy initiatives.
Rule Changes and Guidance
FINRA highlights significant rule changes, including…
Capital Markets Insight: Beyond Borders: How U.S. Broker-Dealers Can Engage Brazilian Clients Without Crossing Regulatory Lines
Brazil has emerged as one of the world’s most dynamic and tightly regulated wealth markets. Local investors are increasingly sophisticated, and appetite for offshore products has never been higher. For U.S. broker-dealers and investment advisers, the opportunity is clear: Brazilian clients want access to global markets and U.S. platforms are well positioned to provide it.…
SEC Staff Issues Guidance on Treatment of Payment Stablecoins under the Broker-Dealer Net Capital Rule (2% Haircut)
On February 19, the staff of the Division of Trading and Markets of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission issued an FAQ, stating the staff will not object if a broker-dealer treats a proprietary position in a payment stablecoin (as defined in the FAQ) as having a “ready market” under SEC Rule 15c3-1 and takes…
Treasury Clearing Update
In recent remarks, Commissioner Uyeda provided an update on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s progress toward implementation of the Treasury clearing rule. The Commissioner emphasized the benefits associated with central clearing, which include enhancing transparency and reducing bilateral exposures. In his remarks, he cites research from the Office of Financial Research on the benefits of…
SEC Staff No-Action Relief for DTC Pilot Provides a Pathway for Tokenized Securities
On December 11, 2025, the staff of the Division of Trading and Markets of the Securities and Exchange Commission issued a no-action letter to The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) concerning a pilot version (the “Preliminary Base Version”) of a securities tokenization program, referred to as the “DTCC Tokenization Services.” The letter permits DTC to conduct…
SEC Staff Statement on Broker-Dealer Custody (“Physical Possession”) of Crypto Asset Securities
On December 17, 2025, the Staff of the Division of Trading and Markets (the “Division”) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued a statement explaining its views on the application of paragraph (b)(1) of SEC Rule 15c3-3 to broker-dealers seeking to establish custody of crypto asset securities. The statement focuses on broker-dealers’ “physical…

