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Dispute Resolution Services Statistics

Arbitration Statistics Through October

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2025Total: 2,166
Customer: 1,349 (62%)
Intra-Industry: 817 (38%)
2,1722,863Overall*: 13.4
Regular Hearing Decisions: 15.8
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.0
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2024Total: 2,147
Customer: 1,406 (65%)
Intra-Industry: 741 (35%)
2,6392,938Overall*: 12.3
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.1
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.3
Paper Decisions: 5.4
2023Total: 2,929
Customer: 1,547 (53%)
Intra-Industry: 1,382 (47%)
2,4663,494Overall*: 15.1
Regular Hearing Decisions: 18.1
Special Proceeding Decisions: 8.1
Paper Decisions: 5.0
2025 vs 2024Total: +1%
Customer: -4%
Intra-Industry: +10%
-18%-3% Overall*: +9%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -2%
Special Proceeding Decisions: -4%
Paper Decisions: -7%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
20252,1662,172
20242,4693,108
20233,3823,027
20222,6713,564
20212,8934,029
20203,9023,564
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20193,7574,011
20184,3253,756
20173,4563,735
20163,6813,635
20153,4353,489
20143,8223,838
YearCases FiledCases Closed
20133,7144,498
20124,2994,877
20114,7296,099
20105,6806,241
20097,1374,571
20084,9823,757

Top 15 Controversy Types in Customer Arbitrations

A single arbitration case may include multiple controversy types.

ControversyTime Period2025 Cases served2024202320222021
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough October9451,1241,2411,0871,259
Year-End--1,2521,5181,3401,445
NegligenceThrough October8921,0041,1501,0191,195
Year-End--1,1261,4081,2611,371
MisrepresentationThrough October8179298967991,049
Year-End--1,0321,0789901,181
Failure to SuperviseThrough October8109409428891,056
Year-End--1,0501,1291,0751,218
Breach of ContractThrough October722891912842965
Year-End--9931,0951,0481,110
Omission of FactsThrough October702761734661851
Year-End--851881825958
SuitabilityThrough October640770761756922
Year-End--8539318991,071
FraudThrough October529610575577653
Year-End--679687699744
Breach of Regulation BI**Through October42538534815534
Year-End--44840821640
ManipulationThrough October292290233215257
Year-End--325273266285
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough October243309343318314
Year-End--342414402355
Elder AbuseThrough October169105179160134
Year-End--170212188162
Unauthorized TradingThrough October135102144124136
Year-End--119175149160
Errors-chargesThrough October1077211685113
Year-End--7913299127
TransferThrough October6461313742
Year-End--70385246

*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 Period2025 Cases Served2024202320222021
Common StockThrough October264263328259380
Year-End--304393349433
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough October140148158184383
Year-End--164197211429
Mutual FundsThrough October105101217121148
Year-End--113294159161
Private EquitiesThrough October1038392123138
Year-End--94120146161
OptionsThrough October10279106109134
Year-End--87121153157
Corporate BondsThrough October8614920919644
Year-End--16923623957
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough October7359734163
Year-End--68956076
Limited PartnershipsThrough October605152102119
Year-End--5768122134
AnnuitiesThrough October5977604586
Year-End--87785798
401(k)Through October5464423230
Year-End--69503541
Structured ProductsThrough October5479402529
Year-End--83473833
Variable AnnuitiesThrough October4851683867
Year-End--56814875
Municipal Bond FundsThrough October4343654149
Year-End--51755057
Cryptocurrency*Through October26--------
Year-End----------
Preferred StockThrough October2635643321
Year-End--39734231

*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 Period2025 Cases Served2024202320222021
Breach of ContractThrough October226242248184224
Year-End--283294225268
Promissory NotesThrough October13514413273107
Year-End--17115484126
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through October6881907578
Year-End--901048489
CompensationThrough October64136676970
Year-End--156747784
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough October5165796249
Year-End--74916959
Wrongful TerminationThrough October5056614753
Year-End--65665062
CommissionsThrough October3258333246
Year-End--74363755
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough October3024121818
Year-End--27142123
Raiding DisputesThrough October2112192013
Year-End--16242413
Discrimination or Harassment*Through October1926232230
Year-End--28252536
MisrepresentationThrough October147899
Year-End--771212
FraudThrough October1297116
Year-End--116138
NegligenceThrough October896127
Year-End--85149
WhistleblowerThrough October881140
Year-End--121250
IndemnificationThrough October561244
Year-End--61276

* 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 ArbitratorsOct-2025 (% of Cases)2024202320222021
After Regular Hearing358 (17%)431 (14%)436 (15%)533 (15%)497 (12%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing14 (1%)24 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)34 (1%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)67 (3%)64 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)102 (2%)
Total439 (20%)519 (17%)530 (18%)635 (18%)633 (15%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansOct-2025 (% of Cases)20242023202220212020
Direct Settlement by Parties953 (44%)1,724 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)2,418 (59%)2,060 (58%)
Settled via Mediation311 (14%)362 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)458 (11%)477 (13%)
Withdrawn266 (12%)304 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)384 (9%)329 (9%)
All Others181 (8%)169 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)216 (5%)243 (7%)
Total1,711 (80%)2,559 (83%)2,463 (82%)2,917 (82%)3,476 (85%)3,109 (87%)

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
2025 YTD21415%28% (60 cases)
202423213%26% (61 cases)
2023 27414%24% (67 cases)
202231113%36% (111 cases)
202132813%31% (103 cases)
20201939%32% (62 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
2025 YTD1505010033%
20241604911131%
2023 2005914130%
20222379214539%
20212318614537%
2020120417934%

*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 One or More 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
202542241857%
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
202558213836%
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
2025 YTD130130%
20242041620%
2023150150%
20221971237%
20211621413%
202051420%

 

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
2025 YTD51104120%
20245284415%
20235985114%
202255124322%
202181156619%
202068204829%

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
2025 YTD9937% (37 cases)2928% (8 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)
20207633% (25 cases)2623% (6 cases)
201914953% (79 cases)4728% (13 cases)

Arbitrators by Type and Location

Arbitrator TypeTotal
Public4,031
Non-Public4,055
Total8,086

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

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 October

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
2025419412 (83%)125
2024417426 (87%)130
2023544488 (85%)124
2025 vs 20240%-3% -4% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through October

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
202516039 (24%)
202414233 (23%)
202319573 (37%)

* 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.