Guidance

We offer guidance to firms in the form of podcasts, webinars, FAQs, reports, and more. Use the toggle below to find guidance by topic, type or date. 

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Podcast
Encore | At, By or Through: Fraud in the Broker-Dealer Industry
This episode originally aired in April 2021.The brokerage industry has an important role to play when it comes to detecting, preventing and reporting fraud. On this episode, we hear from the then-head of FINRA's National Cause and Financial Crimes Detection Programs about recent trends and how firms can work to protect themselves and their customers.
December 14, 2021
Webinar
Webinars

FINRA webinars are free online video programs delivered right to your desktop. Webinars include panel discussions with FINRA staff and/or industry experts and feature online resource materials that participants can access from their own computers.

Upcoming Webinars

Organization Reporting: Forms BD and BDW

During this webinar, FINRA will provide an overview of completing and submitting Forms BD Initial, BD Amendment and BDW.

December 03, 2021
Arbitration and Mediation
Neutral Workshop Audio and Video Files
The Neutral Workshops provide practicing arbitrators and mediators with updates on developments within FINRA's dispute resolution program. They provide information about the latest proposed rule changes, procedures, recent Regulatory Notices as well as best practice tips.
December 01, 2021
Media Center
The Cornerstone of FINRA’s Market Surveillance Program: A Historical Commitment to Market Transparency
Transparency plays a central role in promoting the fairness and efficiency of U.S. markets, lowering transaction costs, leveling the playing field and enhancing public trust in our markets. And the data market transparency provides serves as the lifeblood of FINRA's surveillance program. On this episode, we hear about FINRA's historical commitment to market transparency and how it has impacted FINRA's regulatory regime.
November 30, 2021
Podcast
2021 Small Firm Conference: A Fireside Chat with Robert Cook and Greg Ruppert
The small firm community, those firms with 150 or fewer registered financial professionals, came together in October to discuss and engage on key areas of concern at the Small Firm Conference. On this episode, we're taking you behind the scenes of this year's event with an abridged look at the fireside chat with FINRA CEO Robert Cook and Executive Vice President Greg Ruppert.
November 16, 2021
Podcast
FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship Program: Assisting Service Members and Their Families
For service members, a missed credit card payment might do more than just ding their credit report, it could also jeopardize a hard-fought promotion. And for their spouses, move after move might be more than just a logistical hardship, it might also be the biggest hurdle in their own career growth. The FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship Program is just one program that is aiming to address both challenges.
November 02, 2021
Podcast
Encore | Overlapping Risks: Anti-Money Laundering and Cybersecurity
This episode originally aired in October 2020. Firm regulatory risks and priorities don't exist in a vacuum. And that is perhaps nowhere clearer than when it comes to a firm's anti-money laundering responsibilities. A firm's AML risks can overlap with any number of other priorities. On this episode we look at the overlapping risks of AML and cybersecurity.
October 19, 2021
Guidance
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”)
FINRA is examining firms’ offering of, and services provided to, Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (“SPACs”) and their affiliates (e.g., sponsors, principal stockholders, board members, and related parties).  Unless otherwise noted, the relevant period for each request is July 1, 2018, through September 30, 2021 (the “Relevant Period”).  In addition, if your response varies over the Relevant Period, please explain the differences in your response. 
October 07, 2021
Podcast
2021 Ketchum Prize: Expanding Financial Capability in Native Communities
Shawn Spruce’s advocacy work earned him the 2021 Ketchum Prize, the FINRA Foundation’s highest honor. On this episode, we talk to Spruce about his teaching and outreach as a tireless champion of investor education and expanded financial capability in Native communities.
October 05, 2021
Podcast
Single Points of Accountability: Navigating Firms’ Experiences with FINRA
As part of FINRA’s Member Supervision Transformation, each firm was assigned a Single Point of Accountability – a senior leader in Member Supervision that helps firms navigate their experience with FINRA. On this episode, we are joined by two SPOAs to learn more about their roles and priorities.
September 21, 2021
Guidance
Social Media Influencers, Customer Acquisition, and Related Information Protection - UPDATED
FINRA is conducting a review of firm practices related to the acquisition of customers through social media channels and how firms manage their obligations related to information collected from those customers and other individuals that may provide data to firms. Please note that each item requested is specific to the subsection header.
September 16, 2021
Podcast
Make Your Voice Heard: FINRA's Regional Committees
As a Self-Regulatory Organization, FINRA benefits from the expertise and industry knowledge of member firms to react more quickly to emerging challenges and write more effective and efficient regulations. FINRA’s Regional Committees play an important role in this process, supplying FINRA with real-time insights that help us fulfill our mission of investor protection and market integrity. On this episode, we learn more.
September 07, 2021
Podcast
The Journey to the Cloud: Implications for the Securities Industry
Cloud computing is transforming how broker-dealers operate by providing opportunities to enhance agility, efficiency, resiliency and security within firms’ technology and business operations while potentially reducing costs. On this episode, two members of FINRA’s Office of Financial Innovation join us to discuss the group’s latest report on cloud computing.
August 24, 2021
Report / Study
Cloud Computing in the Securities Industry

Cloud computing is transforming how broker-dealers operate by providing opportunities to enhance agility, efficiency, resiliency and security within firms’ technology and business operations while potentially reducing costs. As a result, cloud computing is increasingly seen by many firms as an important architectural component to their infrastructure.

August 16, 2021
Guidance
FINRA Targeted Examination Letter on Option Account Opening, Supervision and Related Areas - UPDATED

August 2021

FINRA is conducting a review of Firm Name practices and controls related to the opening of options accounts and related areas, including account supervision, communications and diligence. 

August 10, 2021
Podcast
Introducing Stephanie Dumont
In March, Stephanie Dumont became the new Executive Vice President of FINRA’s Market Regulation and Transparency Services department. On this episode, we sit down with Stephanie to hear her priorities, her vision for the department, and how FINRA is responding to recent market events.
July 13, 2021
Compliance Tools
Small Firm Cybersecurity Checklist

Protecting investors means protecting their data, too. Our Small Firm Cybersecurity Checklist supports small firms in establishing a cybersecurity program to:

July 12, 2021
Podcast
FINRA’s Financial Intelligence Unit: Connecting the Dots
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.
June 29, 2021
Report / Study
Diversity & Inclusion Report - 2020 Year in Review
diversity and inclusion 2020 year in review

Download the

June 17, 2021
Training
Addressing and Reporting Financial Exploitation of Senior and Vulnerable Adult Investors

Training for the Securities Industry

NASAA, the SEC, and FINRA have provided this training presentation as a resource for the securities industry. Firms can use this presentation to train associated persons about how to detect, prevent, and report financial exploitation of senior and vulnerable adult investors.

June 15, 2021
Podcast
Building Board Diversity: FINRA’s Ongoing Commitment
Diversity has been a focus for FINRA’s Board of Governors for several years— and recently the Board achieved a significant milestone from a diversity perspective. On this episode we talk to FINRA’s Corporate Secretary and Deputy Corporate Secretary to hear how FINRA’s Board of Governors got to where it is today, and also to hear why diversity very much remains a perpetual work in progress.
June 15, 2021
Media Center
2021 Annual Conference: Robert Cook and Eileen Murray Fireside Chat
The 2021 FINRA Annual Conference was like no other with the event held entirely online. On this episode, take a behind-the-scenes look at the fireside chat between FINRA CEO Robert Cook and FINRA Board Chair Eileen Murray as they talk about everything from return to the office to the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion.
June 01, 2021
About FINRA
Report on Use of 2020 Fine Monies

FINRA is a not-for-profit, self-regulatory organization (SRO) dedicated to promoting investor protection and market integrity in a manner that facilitates vibrant capital markets. One of FINRA’s tools for achieving this objective is fair and effective enforcement of our member firms’ compliance with securities laws and regulations.

May 27, 2021
Report / Study
2021 Industry Snapshot
FINRA regulates a critical part of the securities industry – member brokerage firms doing business in the U.S. In an effort to increase public awareness and understanding about the broad range of FINRA-registered firms and individuals, FINRA shares an annual snapshot of some of the data collected in the course of its work.
May 25, 2021
Media Center
Zoom Arbitration One Year Later: Lessons Learned, Tips for Practitioners and the Road Ahead
The pandemic forced the world to re-evaluate how it works—and FINRA’s Arbitration & Mediation Forum was no exception. To keep processes moving, FINRA Dispute Resolution Services allowed hearings to proceed virtually. A year later, we are looking at lessons learned, tips for practicing remotely and plans for the future of arbitration and mediation.
May 18, 2021