FINRA fines Webull $4.2 million over anti-money laundering and best execution failures
FINRA says Webull approved more than 120,000 accounts without reasonably verifying identities, missed suspicious activity and failed to review execution quality. The firm settled without admitting or denying the findings.
SEC charges adviser who allegedly held leveraged and inverse ETFs for elderly clients for an average of 798 days
The SEC says South Carolina adviser Cary Urich put 54 mostly elderly clients into leveraged and inverse ETFs and held them for years, against prospectus warnings. He has agreed to settle.
FCA secures High Court undertakings that stop HTX promoting crypto to UK consumers
The FCA settled its case with Huobi Global S.A. over HTX's crypto promotions, with High Court undertakings that HTX will not knowingly promote crypto services unlawfully in the UK.
The pattern day trader rule: the $25,000 minimum, the four-trade test and FINRA's new intraday margin rule
FINRA's pattern day trader rule demanded $25,000 after four day trades in five business days. An intraday margin rule replaced it on 4 June 2026, and brokers have until 20 October 2027 to switch.
FINRA extends its options and margin rules to binary options, including contracts on company metrics
FINRA has amended its options communications, options and margin rules so that binary options, including new contracts on companies' reported metrics, are treated like other listed options.
FINRA adopts Rule 3290 to replace its outside business and private securities transaction rules
FINRA's new Rule 3290 merges Rules 3270 and 3280 into one framework for registered persons' outside activities, covering crypto assets, commodities and derivatives. It takes effect on 25 October 2027.
UK regulators propose scrapping the Certification Regime in Senior Managers overhaul
The FCA and PRA are consulting until 22 January 2027 on a slimmer SM&CR that would end annual certification for around 139,000 staff below senior manager level.
What is a margin call? Margin levels, stop-outs and forced closures, explained
A margin call is the demand for more collateral when losses eat into a leveraged account. Here is how it works for CFDs, forex, shares and futures, and when a broker can close positions for you.
SEC examiners to focus on broker-dealer trading practices, complex products and tokenisation in fiscal 2027
The SEC's Division of Examinations has published its priorities for fiscal year 2027, covering more than 34,000 registrants, from broker-dealers and advisers to clearing agencies.
FCA bans former Vector Wealth chief executive who fronted for a disqualified director
The FCA has banned and fined Jeffrey Dawkins, who it says let a disqualified director run Vector Wealth to sell mini-bonds. Investors are expected to lose about £4 million.
CySEC fines Titanedge Securities €100,000 over client information and unlicensed advice
Cyprus's regulator has fined the investment firm for misleading client information, giving investment advice without authorisation and lacking adequate compliance procedures in 2023 and 2024.
ESMA counts more than 950 sanctions and almost €82 million in fines across the EEA
ESMA's third sanctions report shows market abuse and MiFID breaches still drive most EU enforcement, with Germany, France and Spain behind two thirds of the fines. It calls for more consistent enforcement.
Jarvis Investment Management enters special administration, FCA says
The FCA-authorised firm entered special administration on 14 October. Clients cannot trade or use their money and assets while the administrators plan how to return them.
SEC charges two former Linqto executives over pre-IPO investment platform
The SEC alleges William Sarris and Joseph Endoso misled retail investors who bought more than $430 million of pre-IPO investment vehicles through Linqto's online platform.
ESMA tells EU crypto firms to stop services in non-MiCA stablecoins
In an opinion published on 8 October, ESMA says MiCA-authorised crypto-asset service providers should stop offering EU clients services in stablecoins that do not comply with MiCA, and remediate existing exposures within three months.
SEC proposes crypto custody rules for investment advisers and funds
The SEC proposed rules on 1 October 2026 that would let advisers and regulated funds self-custody crypto assets in some cases and use state trust companies as custodians.
ESMA asks for tighter crypto marketing rules and new DeFi service in MiCA review
The EU markets regulator wants stricter rules on influencer promotion of crypto, disclosure for staking and lending, more powers against unauthorised firms, and a regulated DeFi access service.
Court orders Fundsz promoters to pay over $31 million in CFTC digital assets and precious metals fraud case
A Florida federal court has entered a default judgment against two Fundsz board members and consent orders against two others, resolving the CFTC's remaining claims over the scheme.
FCA opens authorisation for crypto firms ahead of UK regime starting 25 October 2027
Crypto firms that want to keep serving UK customers can now apply to the FCA, and should do so by 28 February 2027. Authorisation is not automatic.
How a US stock order gets filled: exchanges, wholesalers and payment for order flow
When you tap buy, your broker decides where the order goes. Much US retail flow never reaches an exchange. Here is how routing, the NBBO and payment for order flow work, and which public reports let you check your broker.
CFTC Charges Cash FX Group S.A., and CEO; Three Others With $950 Million Fraud Scheme
The CFTC sues Cash FX Group, its CEO and three others over an alleged multilevel-marketing forex pool that promised up to 15% a week from expert, algorithmic and AI trading; participants lost at least $406 million.
Leverage limits and negative balance protection: the rules retail traders rely on
Since 2018, regulators in Europe, the UK and Australia have capped retail CFD leverage and guaranteed that clients cannot lose more than their deposit. Here is what the rules say, and where they stop.
ECN, STP and market maker: what the execution labels really mean
Execution-model labels are marketing shorthand, not regulatory categories. What matters is who takes the other side of your trade, and how the broker manages the conflict that creates.
How to check a broker's licence in five minutes
A licence number on a website proves nothing until you have matched it against the regulator's own register. Here is the routine we use, step by step.
Statement on Rule Amendments Regarding Disclosure of Order Execution Information
SEC Commissioner Mark Uyeda backs expanding Rule 605 execution-quality reports to larger broker-dealers, and argues the Order Competition Rule and Regulation Best Execution should wait for the new data.
Customer Advisory: Eight Things You Should Know Before Trading Forex
A CFTC advisory urging retail customers to research over-the-counter forex dealers before depositing money, covering why registration matters and eight features of OTC forex trading.