FINRA - Financial Industry Regulatory Authority

About the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is the largest independent regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. FINRA's mission is to protect America's investors by making sure the securities industry operates fairly and honestly. All told, FINRA oversees about 4,290 brokerage firms, about 161,265 branch offices and approximately 630,390 registered securities representatives.

FINRA has approximately 3,440 employees and operates from Washington, DC, and New York, NY, with 20 regional offices around the country.

Learn more about who we serve and what we do.

Mission Statement

FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation of the securities industry. 

Chairman's Message

For more than 70 years, FINRA has played a critical role in America's financial system, working to protect investors. Today, nearly 53 million American investing households count on us to make sure the securities markets operate fairly and honestly.

... an organization that plays a role in regulating nearly every aspect of the securities business.

 FINRA,  protect investors by registering and educating all brokers, examining securities firms, writing the rules they must follow and enforcing those rules and federal securities laws.  

... monitor trading in the U.S. stock markets and administer the largest securities-related dispute resolution forum in the world. 
Given the pace of change in the marketplace, it's more important than ever that regulators be prepared to act quickly.

 ... ability to identify high-risk firms, brokers, activities and products 

...regulatory programs in order to focus on the greatest risks to investors.

When the rules are broken, FINRA takes action. 

... strong and vigorous enforcement program brings discipline where investors have been harmed. 

In 2012, FINRA barred 294 individuals and suspended 549 brokers from association with FINRA-regulated firms, levied fines totaling more than $68 million and ordered $34 million in restitution to harmed investors.

.... increased our efforts to fight fraud, and to that end, have established several programs to help us root out bad actors and help consumers protect themselves.

In early 2009,  created the Office of the Whistleblower, and  established the Office of Fraud Detection and Market Intelligence.

Through this office, staff with expertise in fraud detection and investigation can provide a heightened review of potentially serious frauds.

FINRA believes that investor education is a critical component of investor protection.

 Over the last decade, we have worked hard to develop a strong investor education outreach program. 

- produce alerts, interactive tools and educational content to help investors make wise financial decisions.

 -  BrokerCheck tool, for example, provides investors with a quick way to check a broker's disciplinary and professional background. 

Encouraging people to take this simple step before doing business—or continuing to do business—with a broker is part of our greater commitment to protecting investors.

- offer information and tools to help investors stay on top of what's happening in the markets.  

-  Market Data Center, investors can find information and data on equities, options, bonds, mutual funds and more. 

- Trade Reporting and Compliance Engine (TRACE) system helps investors better monitor their bond investments by providing them with timely and accurate pricing information for corporate and agency bonds.
In addition to FINRA's work to educate the general public, the FINRA 

Investor Education Foundation—the largest foundation in the United States dedicated to investor education—also plays a key role in serving the unique financial education needs of certain under-served populations, such as military service members and older investors.

These efforts are just part of what they do each day to support our important mission of protecting investors.



 Get to know FINRA:

 FINRA is the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
 
We’re an independent, not-for-profit organization
with a public mission: to protect America’s investors
by making sure the securities industry operates fairly
and honestly. 

We do that by writing and enforcing rules
governing the activities of nearly 4,400 securities firms
with approximately 630,000 brokers. By examining
firms for compliance with those rules. By fostering
market transparency. And by educating investors.
 
Our independent regulation plays a critical role
in America’s financial system—by enforcing high
ethical standards, bringing the necessary resources
and expertise to regulation and enhancing investor
safeguards and market integrity—all at no cost to
taxpayers.

FINRA continues that tradition today with a
commitment to protect investors through strong
enforcement and effective investor education. Because
in an often unpredictable marketplace, investors need
to know someone is looking out for them.
Contents
who we serve 1
what we do 2
why our role matters 4
how we make a difference 6
where you can find us 8

https://www.finra.org/web/groups/corporate/@corp/@about/documents/corporate/p118667.pdf



Source:
FINRA - Home Page

https://www.finra.org/