Features - FINRA Encourages Member Firm Involvement
Engagement with our members is crucial for FINRA to carry out our mission of protecting investors and safeguarding market integrity. We encourage you to consider contributing your unique perspective and skillset with rotating terms on our committees and other opportunities detailed in the 2025 Involvement and Election Process Overview, including FINRA’s Advisory Committees, Regional Committees, Ad Hoc Committees, National Adjudicatory Council (NAC), Working Groups, Roundtable Meetings, and FINRA’s Board of Governors. You may submit an Indication of Interest to be considered to join a FINRA advisory committee or speak at a FINRA event by clicking here.
Other ways to engage include reaching out to your FINRA contacts such as your Risk Monitoring Analyst (RMA), contacting Member Relations and Education at [email protected], and sharing feedback via your Regional Committee representatives, who are elected annually by member firms headquartered in the same geographic area and who represent all firms in their region.
- FINRA Board of Governors Upcoming Election
The election season for the FINRA Board of Governors has begun. The Nominating and Governance Committee large firm nominee, and the start of a 45-day petition period for other individuals interested in being included as a petition candidate on the proxy for this election, are detailed in the annual Election Notice published last week.
- FINRA Holds Annual Conference in Washington, DC
Hundreds of member firms, FINRA staff, industry participants, and policymakers gathered in Washington, D.C. last week for FINRA’s 2025 Annual Conference. Discussions about investor protection, cybersecurity, the future of AI, and the value of self-regulation dominated the three-day event. Here are a few highlights:
- FINRA Forward: FINRA CEO and President Robert Cook outlined the spirit and rationale behind FINRA Forward, a new initiative to support members, markets, and investors. He encouraged member firms to offer their insights as FINRA undertakes a broad review of its rulebook. “We need your help, your input, your guidance,” Cook said at the opening session.
- Engagement: Members visited the IDEA exhibition to meet FINRA experts, ask questions, and share ideas on capital raising, modernizing regulations, enhancing compliance programs, and combatting cyber threats.
- Networking and connecting: During numerous breakout sessions and the opening night at D.C.’s landmark concert venue The Anthem, members got to know FINRA staff and their industry peers.
- Views from Congress and industry: Attendees heard from House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.) on trends in financial regulation. FINRA Board Chair Scott Curtis of Raymond James and FINRA President and CEO Robert Cook delved into FINRA’s unique approach as a self-regulatory organization. FINRA executives also led sessions ranging from how member feedback informs regulation to using data insights to empower compliance.
- FinPro to Adopt New, Modern Interface
Starting around June 12, FINRA’s Financial Professional Gateway (FinPro) will update its user interface. The new modern interface will have the look and feel of FINRA Gateway and make completing compliance assignments quicker and easier. Users do not need to take any action to prepare for this transition.
- ICYMI: SEC Off-Channel Communications Settlements
FINRA will consult with other self-regulatory organizations and the SEC to modify the collateral consequences for member firms that reached settlements with the SEC prior to this year over certain record-keeping violations involving the use of off-channel communications, FINRA President and CEO Robert Cook and Executive Vice President of Member Supervision Greg Ruppert announced in a blog on May 8 .
|
Guidance, Upcoming Deadlines, Effective Dates |
New - No new guidance, upcoming deadlines, or effective dates have been announced since the last edition of the Weekly Update.
Reminders - New Comment Periods for Modernization Notices: In response to feedback from FINRA members and advisory committees, FINRA extended the comment period for modernization notices by 30 days. See below for the new deadlines.
- FINRA Forward – Requests for Comment:
- Rule Modernization: Regulatory Notice 25-04 requests comment in connection with a broad review of FINRA’s regulatory requirements applicable to member firms and associated persons. Comments are due by June 11.
- Webinar on Comment Process: Members can view a FINRA webinar on how to provide comments on the rule modernization proposal, as well as learn about the impact of comment letters and how it is used. Register here to view the on-demand recording.
- Capital Formation: Regulatory Notice 25-06 requests comment on modernizing FINRA rules, guidance and processes to further facilitate capital formation and reduce unnecessary regulatory costs and burdens impacting the capital-raising process. Comments are due by June 18.
- The Modern Workplace: Regulatory Notice 25-07 requests comment on modernizing FINRA rules, guidance and processes for the organization and operation of member workplaces. Comments are due by July 14.
|
Disciplinary Actions |
- FINRA publishes disciplinary actions to remind members of specific conduct that violates FINRA rules and may result in disciplinary action. The April 2025 Monthly Disciplinary Actions are available here.
|
Education and Compliance Programs |
Joint Compliance Outreach Program for Municipal Advisors, Dealers, and Other Market Professionals | Hosted by FINRA, the SEC and the MSRB | Nov. 18-19 | Virtual Event | Link to Come |
Resources |
Member Firm Hub – The latest guidance, resources, educational opportunities and more. Membership Application Program (MAP) Tools – Guidance and other resources to help current members prepare for their continuing membership application (CMA) and new applicants prepare for a new member application (NMA). FINRA Unscripted – A biweekly podcast that discusses a range of topics important to the securities industry. |
Follow FINRA |
|
About FINRAFINRA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to investor protection and market integrity. FINRA regulates one critical part of the securities industry—member brokerage firms doing business with the public in the U.S. FINRA, overseen by the SEC, writes rules, examines for and enforces compliance with FINRA rules and federal securities laws, registers broker-dealer personnel and offers them education and training, and informs the investing public. In addition, FINRA provides surveillance and other regulatory services for equities and options markets, as well as trade reporting and other industry utilities. FINRA also administers a dispute resolution forum for investors and brokerage firms and their registered employees. For more information, visit www.finra.org. |
Regulatory Contacts
FINRA By-Laws require member firms to maintain an email account on behalf of their executive representatives, to facilitate firm notification of important information. In light of this, requests from executive representatives to be removed from this email list cannot be honored. Firms wishing to change the name or email address of their executive representative or designated assistant should use the FINRA Contact System: http://www.finra.org/FCS. SubscribersYou received this message because you are currently subscribed to the email subscription list on the FINRA website. To update, use our "update information" or "unsubscribe" forms located at http://www.finra.org/Industry/Subscriptions |
