FINRA recently updated the industry on observations to date from its August 2021 sweep on broker-dealer practices and controls concerning the opening of options accounts and related issues (options account supervision, communications, and diligence).
Potentially in connection with the recent events rocking the crypto industry, FINRA is conducting a new sweep on “Crypto Asset Communications” by broker-dealers. If they haven’t already received the request, broker-dealers with crypto-related affiliates likely will be contacted. Notably, this is the first announced sweep that FINRA has issued in over a year.
Covering six key priorities related to digital assets. While this does not constitute a change in policy, it does highlight the administration’s desire to encourage both regulation and innovation in this space.
On June 7, 2022, Senators Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY) and Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced a bill to regulate digital assets and promote financial innovation. The proposed legislation is the first significant, bipartisan effort to apply comprehensive regulation to digital assets.
On March 21, 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or Commission) issued its long-awaited proposed ruleset (Rule Proposal) that, if adopted as currently drafted, would mandate both domestic and foreign registrants to make a variety of climate-related impact and risk disclosures in registration statements and in annual filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act).
On March 17, 2022, FINRA issued Regulatory Notice 22-10 clarifying the scope of potential liability for CCOs related to supervision lapses. Specifically, unless a CCO is actually designated, directly or indirectly, with supervisory responsibilities, within the meaning of the relevant rule, supervision failures or deficiencies will not result in a FINRA enforcement action against a CCO.