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Dispute Resolution Services Statistics

Arbitration Statistics Through February

YearNew Case FilingsCases ClosedOpen CasesTurnaround Time (in months)
2026Total: 428
Customer: 292 (68%)
Intra-Industry: 136 (32%)
3922,867Overall*: 13.4
Regular Hearing Decisions: 15.5
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.4
Paper Decisions: 4.9
2025Total: 392
Customer: 253 (65%)
Intra-Industry: 139 (35%)
4462,751Overall*: 13.4
Regular Hearing Decisions: 16.0
Special Proceeding Decisions: 7.0
Paper Decisions: 4.5
2024Total: 414
Customer: 267 (64%)
Intra-Industry: 147 (36%)
5743,226Overall*: 12.0
Regular Hearing Decisions: 17.3
Special Proceeding Decisions: 6.5
Paper Decisions: 4.7
2026 vs 2025Total: +9%
Customer: +15%
Intra-Industry: -2%
-12%+4% Overall*: 0%
Regular Hearing Decisions: -3%
Special Proceeding Decisions: +6%
Paper Decisions: +9%

* Includes cases closed for any reason.

Historical Statistics for Cases Filed and Closed 

YearCases FiledCases Closed
2026428392
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
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough February206158218238170
Year-End--1,1621,2521,5181,340
NegligenceThrough February203151190218166
Year-End--1,1131,1261,4081,261
Failure to SuperviseThrough February191130176170143
Year-End--1,0221,0501,1291,075
MisrepresentationThrough February170142175157127
Year-End--1,0151,0321,078990
Breach of ContractThrough February167118160176132
Year-End--8999931,0951,048
Omission of FactsThrough February160123141141106
Year-End--867851881825
SuitabilityThrough February134107135145109
Year-End--786853931899
FraudThrough February1149110811084
Year-End--632679687699
Breach of Regulation BIThrough February956761637
Year-End--528448408216
Violation of Blue Sky LawsThrough February6141667834
Year-End--318342414402
ManipulationThrough February4649414633
Year-End--343325273266
Elder AbuseThrough February3622343820
Year-End--207170212188
Unauthorized TradingThrough February3223252339
Year-End--159119175149
Third Party Fraud*Through February267------
Year-End--84151--
Errors-chargesThrough February2419172422
Year-End--1257913299

*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 February5751567668
Year-End--318304393349
OptionsThrough February2217163323
Year-End--13187121153
Private EquitiesThrough February1918221622
Year-End--12894120146
Mutual FundsThrough February1915333124
Year-End--125113294159
Real Estate Investment TrustThrough February1524363433
Year-End--166164197211
Exchange-Traded FundsThrough February1524363433
Year-End--86689560
Structured ProductsThrough February137952
Year-End--64834738
AnnuitiesThrough February11111896
Year-End--65877857
Limited PartnershipsThrough February101112119
Year-End--665768122
Variable AnnuitiesThrough February10101159
Year-End--53568148
401(k)Through February9112358
Year-End--61695035
Corporate BondsThrough February81637356
Year-End--101169236239
Cryptocurrency**Through February84------
Year-End--343----
Municipal Bond FundsThrough February6711911
Year-End--51517550
Preferred StockThrough February569175
Year-End--27397342

*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 February4957584432
Year-End--257283294225
Promissory NotesThrough February3125381613
Year-End--16717115484
Wrongful TerminationThrough February26713135
Year-End--64656650
CompensationThrough February221815148
Year-End--751567477
Libel or Slander on Form U-5Through February15923168
Year-End--829010484
Libel, Slander, or DefamationThrough February15915814
Year-End--61749169
Discrimination or Harassment**Through February121362
Year-End--21282525
CommissionsThrough February88686
Year-End--36743637
WhistleblowerThrough February6114-
Year-End--1012125
Breach of Fiduciary DutyThrough February314511
Year-End--31271421
Raiding DisputesThrough February310544
Year-End--23162424
MisrepresentationThrough February31301
Year-End--157712
Breach of ContractThrough February24---
Year-End--257283294225
Failure to SuperviseThrough February21--1
Year-End--4337
FraudThrough February12310
Year-End--1211613

* 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 ArbitratorsFeb-2026 (% of Cases)2025202420232022
After Regular Hearing50 (13%)412 (16%)431 (14%)436 (15%)533 (15%)
After Special Proceeding Hearing3 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)17 (1%)24 (1%)
After Review of Documents (Paper Cases)20 (5%)79 (3%)64 (2%)77 (3%)78 (2%)
Total73 (19%)508 (20%)519 (17%)530 (18%)635 (18%)
Cases Resolved by Other MeansFeb-2026 (% of Cases)2025202420232022
Direct Settlement by Parties187 (48%)1,118 (44%)1,724 (56%)1,496 (50%)1,752 (49%)
Settled via Mediation39 (10%)371 (15%)362 (12%)489 (16%)700 (20%)
Withdrawn54 (14%)310 (12%)304 (10%)265 (9%)290 (8%)
All Others33 (9%)232 (9%)169 (5%)213 (7%)175 (5%)
Total313 (81%)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 YTD4518%31% (14 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 YTD25101540%
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 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
202684450%
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
2026115645%
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 YTD31233%
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 YTD1731418%
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 YTD1844% (8 cases)520% (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
Public4,031
Non-Public4,045
Total8,076

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

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 February

YearCases in AgreementCases Closed (Percent Settled)Turnaround Time (in days)
20266940 (75%)105
20259789 (82%)136
20247886 (87%)91
2026 vs 2025-29%-55% -23% 

Pre-Arbitration Requests for Mediation Through February

Year to DateNumber of Requests*Parties Agreed (%)
20264110 (24%)
2025247 (29%)
2024284 (14%)

* 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.