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Dispute Resolution Services Statistics

Arbitration Statistics Through May

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2026Total: 1,099
Customer: 763 (69%)
Intra-Industry: 336 (31%)
1,0782,826Overall*: 13.7
Regular Hearing Decisions: 17.0
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.9
Paper Decisions: 5.6
2025Total: 1,004
Customer: 627 (62%)
Intra-Industry: 377 (38%)
1,1232,680Overall*: 13.6
Regular Hearing Decisions: 15.5
Special Proceeding Decisions: 5.6
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2024Total: 1,066
Customer: 693 (65%)
Intra-Industry: 373 (35%)
1,4313,046Overall*: 11.7
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.6
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.5
Paper Decisions: 5.3
2026 vs 2025Total: +9%
Customer: +22%
Intra-Industry: -11%
-4%+5% Overall*: +1%
Regular Hearing Decisions: +10%
Special Proceeding Decisions: +23%
Paper Decisions: +12%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
20261,0991,078
20252,5972,567
20242,4693,108
20233,3823,027
20222,6713,564
20212,8934,029
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20203,9023,564
20193,7574,011
20184,3253,756
20173,4563,735
20163,6813,635
20153,4353,489
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20143,8223,838
20133,7144,498
20124,2994,877
20114,7296,099
20105,6806,241
20097,1374,571

Top 15 Controversy Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

ControversyTime Period2026 Cases served2025202420232022
NegligenceThrough May559400510565443
Year-End--1,1131,1261,4081,261
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough May529435556621485
Year-End--1,1621,2521,5181,340
Failure to SuperviseThrough May510361470464387
Year-End--1,0221,0501,1291,075
MisrepresentationThrough May466377463442351
Year-End--1,0151,0321,078990
Breach of ContractThrough May432316430465363
Year-End--8999931,0951,048
Omission of FactsThrough May410324384369283
Year-End--867851881825
SuitabilityThrough May337296383382330
Year-End--786853931899
FraudThrough May326248305282258
Year-End--632679687699
Breach of Regulation BIThrough May26118319117737
Year-End--528448408216
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough May164110152185124
Year-End--318342414402
ManipulationThrough May1421341439891
Year-End--343325273266
Elder AbuseThrough May10574798462
Year-End--207170212188
Unauthorized TradingThrough May8265627863
Year-End--159119175149
Errors-chargesThrough May6351397140
Year-End--1257913299
Third Party Fraud*Through May6124------
Year-End--84151--

*These categories were not tracked for the years in which no data appears.

Top 15 Security Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple security types.

SECURITYTime Period2026 Cases Served2025202420232022
Common StockThrough May154137132169161
Year-End--318304393349
Private EquitiesThrough May8050453854
Year-End--12894120146
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough May6858927998
Year-End--166164197211
OptionsThrough May5350356252
Year-End--13187121153
Mutual FundsThrough May5154559354
Year-End--125113294159
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough May4341273022
Year-End--86689560
Structured ProductsThrough May412241187
Year-End--64834738
Limited PartnershipsThrough May3727222551
Year-End--665768122
Corporate BondsThrough May32478611148
Year-End--101169236239
AnnuitiesThrough May3032402926
Year-End--65877857
Cryptocurrency*Through May2514------
Year-End--343----
401(k)Through May2429422218
Year-End--61695035
Variable AnnuitiesThrough May2128252722
Year-End--53568148
Preferred StockThrough May1415203414
Year-End--27397342
Municipal Bond FundsThrough May1325233021
Year-End--51517550

*These categories were not tracked for the years in which no data appears.

Top 15 Controversy Types in Intra-Industry Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

CONTROVERSYTime Period2026 Cases Served2025202420232022
Breach of ContractThrough May1071211209891
Year-End--257283294225
Promissory NotesThrough May5671865434
Year-End--16717115484
Wrongful TerminationThrough May5524272424
Year-End--64656650
CompensationThrough May5336572937
Year-End--751567477
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough May4623372732
Year-End--61749169
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through May4235474336
Year-End--829010484
Discrimination or Harassment**Through May27981011
Year-End--21282525
CommissionsThrough May2218191318
Year-End--36743637
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough May10231046
Year-End--31271421
MisrepresentationThrough May106300
Year-End--157712
WhistleblowerThrough May84452
Year-End--1012125
FraudThrough May76315
Year-End--1211613
PartnershipsThrough May76315
Year-End--5643
Failure to SuperviseThrough May52012
Year-End--4337
Raiding DisputesThrough May4149612
Year-End--23162424

* This category combines the following discrimination controversy types: disability, age, gender, race, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, employment discrimination, and sexual harassment. This number does not represent the number of cases served, as one case may have multiple discrimination claims.

How Arbitration Cases Close

Cases Decided by ArbitratorsMay-2026 (% of Cases)2025202420232022
After Regular Hearing165 (15%)412 (16%)431 (14%)436 (15%)533 (15%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing13 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)48 (4%)79 (3%)64 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)
Total226 (21%)508 (20%)519 (17%)530 (18%)635 (18%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansMay-2026 (% of Cases)2025202420232022
Direct Settlement by Parties459 (43%)1,118 (44%)1,724 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)
Settled via Mediation134 (13%)371 (15%)362 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)
Withdrawn174 (16%)310 (12%)304 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)
All Others77 (7%)232 (9%)169 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)
Total844 (79%)2,031 (80%)2,559 (83%)2,463 (82%)2,917 (82%)

Results of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases

Year DecidedAll Customer Claimant Cases Decided (Hearings, Special Procedures & Paper)Percentage Decided of All Customer Claimant Cases ClosedPercentage (and Number) of Cases where Customer Awarded Damages
2026 YTD13120%26% (34 cases)
202524014%28% (67 cases)
202423213%26% (61 cases)
2023 27414%24% (67 cases)
202231113%36% (111 cases)
202132813%31% (103 cases)

Result of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases (Regular Hearing Only)*

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Decided (Hearing Only)Hearing Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesHearing Customer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Award Hearing Cases
2026 YTD80245630%
20251635410933%
20241604911131%
2023 2005914130%
20222379214539%
20212318614537%

*The data in this chart includes cases dismissed prior to the hearing on the merits, and are counted as cases in which the customer claimant was not awarded damages.

Awards on the Merits of the Case with Zoom Evidentiary Hearings*

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesCustomer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages
20262181338%
202544251957%
202431141745%
202353213240%
2022116516544%
2021136607644%
202030121840%

*The data in this chart excludes cases dismissed prior to the hearing on the merits.

Awards on the Merits of the Case with In-Person Evidentiary Hearings*

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesCustomer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded Damages
202628131546%
202568234534%
202475294639%
202391345737%
202274344046%
202146222448%
202034171750%

*The data in this chart excludes cases dismissed prior to the hearing on the merits.

 

Result of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases (Special Proceeding Hearing Only)

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Decided (Special Proceeding Only)Special Proceeding Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesSpecial Proceeding Customer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Award Special Proceeding Cases
2026 YTD134931%
2025150150%
20242041620%
2023150150%
20221971237%
20211621413%

 

Result of Customer Claimant Arbitration Award Cases (Paper Only)

Year DecidedCustomer Claimant Cases Decided (Paper Only)Paper Customer Claimant Cases Where Customer Awarded DamagesCustomer Claimant Not Awarded DamagesPercentage of Customer Award Paper Cases
2026 YTD3863216%
202562134921%
20245284415%
20235985114%
202255124322%
202181156619%

Results of All-Public Panels and Majority Public Panels in Customer Cases

Year DecidedCases Decided by All-Public PanelsPercentage (and Number) of Cases Decided by 3 Public Arbitrators where Customer Awarded DamagesCases Decided by Majority-Public PanelsPercentage (and Number) of Cases Decided by 2 Public Arbitrators and 1 Non-Public Arbitrator where Customer Awarded Damages
2026 YTD4941% (20 cases)186% (1 case)
202510935% (38 cases)3129% (9 cases)
202410231% (32 cases)2818% (5 cases)
202312232% (39 cases)4626% (12 cases)
202214142% (59 cases)5137% (19 cases)
202113939% (54 cases)4630% (14 cases)

Arbitrators by Type and Location

Arbitrator TypeTotal
Public4,092
Non-Public4,120
Total8,212

Number of Cases and Arbitrators* per Hearing Location Through May.

Click on each hearing location below to view the number of cases and a breakdown of available arbitrators by type. View in table format.

We expand arbitrator pools in select hearing locations as case demand requires.

* Arbitrators can serve in multiple hearing locations, thus, these figures cannot be totaled to produce the overall number of arbitrators on the roster.
** These figures include the arbitrators designated on the Local Public Chair list.
*** These figures include the arbitrators designated on the Non-Local Public Chair list.

Mediation Statistics Through May

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
2026191183 (81%)100
2025218214 (84%)120
2024218236 (89%)140
2026 vs 2025-12%-14% -17% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through May

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
20269324 (26%)
20257733 (43%)
20248420 (24%)

* As of January 1, 2020, Number of Requests only includes cases subject to FINRA’s jurisdiction. Previously, these statistics included all requests to mediate, including those not subject to FINRA’s jurisdiction.