On The Front Lines of Protecting Investors
FINRA’s priorities are clear: getting bad brokers out of the industry, returning money to harmed investors, and preventing and deterring future misconduct. We stand ready on the front lines of investor protection to act quickly, root out potential fraud, and aggressively stop those who take advantage of vulnerable investors.
To carry out our mission, FINRA monitors and examines for member firm compliance with FINRA rules, MSRB rules, and federal securities laws and rules, and works to detect and address possible fraud or other misconduct. We investigate possible misconduct and bring disciplinary actions for violations of industry rules and regulations. We coordinate closely with the SEC and other federal and state regulators.
We register and administer qualification examinations to securities industry personnel who conduct business with the investing public, and require them to achieve and maintain certification as members of FINRA. We operate a fair and efficient dispute resolution forum for investors, brokerage firms and their registered employees.
We provide BrokerCheck®, a free online tool that allows the investing public to research the background and experience of financial brokers, advisers and firms. We offer investors financial tools and resources through the FINRA Investor Education Foundation®.
Protecting investors—this is our core mission.
Featured
News Release
FINRA and FINRA Foundation Issue Special Notice Soliciting Comment on Ways to Reach and Educate Novice Investors
WASHINGTON—FINRA today announced it has launched a multi-year, multi-faceted $30 million initiative to explore innovative ways to reach and educate investors, especially new, self-directed retail investors who conduct transactions through online accounts or using mobile apps.
News Release
Firm Ordered to Pay Approximately $70 Million for Systemic Supervisory Failures and Significant Harm Suffered by Millions of Customers
WASHINGTON—FINRA announced today that it has fined Robinhood Financial LLC $57 million and ordered the firm to pay approximately $12.6 million in restitution, plus interest, to thousands of harmed customers. The sanctions represent the largest financial penalty ever ordered by FINRA and reflect the scope and seriousness of the violations.
Podcast
Intelligence means different things to different people. But for FINRA, at its most basic, it is the actionable information that allows employees, from an organization’s senior executives to its examiners or investigators, to make informed decisions. On this episode, we sit down to learn about FINRA’s new Financial Intelligence Unit, and how it is looking to transform how FINRA takes in, analyzes, and shares data.
News Release
WASHINGTON—FINRA announced today that it has ordered Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. to pay more than $8.4 million in restitution to more than 3,000 customers who incurred potentially excessive sales charges in connection with early rollovers of Unit Investment Trusts (UITs). FINRA also fined the firm $3.25 million for failing to reasonably supervise early UIT rollovers.
News Release
Regulators Providing Free Training in Recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day; Program Aims to Assist Firms in Implementing Requirements of Senior Safe Act
WASHINGTON—In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) today announced a new resource intended to assist securities firms in implementing the training requirements of the Senior Safe Act.
News Release
Following consultations with the SEC staff, we temporarily withdrew from SEC consideration our rule filing establishing specialized arbitration panels for expungement requests so that we can further consider whether modifications to the filing are appropriate.
News Release
Studies Advance Understanding of Financial Capability in the United States
WASHINGTON – The FINRA Investor Education Foundation (FINRA Foundation), in partnership with the American Council on Consumer Interests (ACCI), announced today the recipients of its higher-education awards to recognize early-career researchers who are advancing the understanding of consumer financial wellness and the complex relationships among financial literacy, financial capability and financial well-being.
Speech / Testimony
Chairwoman Waters, Ranking Member McHenry and Members of the Committee:
Introduction
News Release
New study finds lack of financial literacy linked to high levels of stress and anxiety
WASHINGTON (April 28, 2021)—A substantial number of adults in the United States between the ages of 21 and 62 felt anxiety and stress about their personal finances well before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report published today. Researchers found that financial stress and anxiety are highly linked to low levels of financial literacy, problematic financial behaviors and decreased financial security.
News Release
WASHINGTON – The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that it has barred former Goldman Sachs & Co. research analyst Brian Maguire for twice purchasing securities after he learned a fellow analyst was upgrading his recommendation in impending research reports and for lying to FINRA staff about his trading.
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