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MEDIA CENTER

MEDIA CENTER

MEDIA CENTER

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.
On The Front Lines of Protecting 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

Podcast

Excessive Trading: When A Lot Becomes Too Much

News Release

FINRA Sanctions Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC More Than $2 Million for Supervisory Violations Related to Variable Annuity Switches

Podcast

COVID-19 Task Force: Staying Innovative and Collaborative Through Crisis

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News Release
FINRA Fines UBS Securities $2.5 Million for Regulation SHO Violations and Supervisory Failures
WASHINGTON—FINRA announced today that it has fined UBS Securities LLC (UBS) $2.5 million for Regulation SHO (Reg SHO) violations and supervisory failures spanning a period of nine years.
News Release
FINRA Fines BofA Securities, Inc. $5 Million for Large Options Position Reporting Failures
Firm Failed to Report Over-the-Counter Options Positions in More Than 7.4 Million Instances WASHINGTON—FINRA announced today that it has fined BofA Securities Inc. (BofAS) $5 million for failing to report over-the-counter (OTC) options positions to the Large Options Positions Reporting system (LOPR) in more than 7.4 million instances, including 26 positions that were over the applicable OTC position limit, and related supervisory failures.
Speech / Testimony
Statement of Gerri Walsh, President, FINRA Investor Education Foundation; and Senior Vice President, FINRA Investor Education Before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Testimony by Senior Vice President of Investor Education and President of the FINRA Investor Education Foundation Gerri Walsh Before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs United States Senate
News Release
FINRA Bars Two Individuals for Cheating on Online Qualification Exams
Regulator’s First Enforcement Actions for Online Cheating WASHINGTON — FINRA announced today that it has barred Brandon Autiero of New Jersey and Harris Kausar of New York from the securities industry for cheating during qualification examinations administered online. The enforcement actions are FINRA’s first in connection with cheating on remote exams.
News Release
FINRA Publishes Independent Counsel’s Report on Arbitrator Selection Process
Report Finds No Evidence of Improper Agreement to Remove Arbitrators From Cases; FINRA to Implement Recommendations to Provide Greater Transparency WASHINGTON – FINRA today published the report of independent counsel Lowenstein Sandler LLP, which found no evidence of an improper agreement to remove certain arbitrators from arbitration cases.
Media Center
Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS: Two Years In
We are marking the second anniversary of the implementation of Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS with a deep dive into everything FINRA has learned on the topic over the last two years. On this episode, we hear how FINRA is examining around the new regulations and explore some of the common problem areas and effective practices.
News Release
FINRA Orders Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. to Pay $15.2 Million in Restitution
WASHINGTON— FINRA announced today that it has ordered Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. to pay more than $15.2 million in restitution and interest to thousands of customers who purchased Class C mutual fund shares when Class A shares were available at substantially lower costs.
News Release
FINRA Fines Wefunder $1.4 Million for Crowdfunding Rule Violations; StartEngine Capital Separately Fined $350,000
WASHINGTON—FINRA announced today that it has fined two FINRA-registered funding portals a combined $1.75 million for failing to comply with securities laws and rules designed to protect crowdfunding investors.
Media Center
The Essential Senior Investor Protection Tools: FINRA Rules 2165 and 4512
Every year, millions of seniors become victims of financial exploitation, resulting in billions of dollars in losses. That’s why FINRA worked to update Rule 4512 and implement Rule 2165 to help broker-dealer firms and their representatives protect their senior and other vulnerable adult customers. On this episode, we learn more.
Blog Post
A Reflection on the Research Brief: Financial Education Matters
Testing the Effectiveness of Financial Education Across 76 Randomized Experiments

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