Financial Compliance

FINRA Fines Firms for Rule Violations

FINRA has fined two firms, SG Americas Securities, LLC and Wedbush Securities Inc., a total of $240,000 for rule violations. The violations include inaccurate reporting of order handling and failure to maintain possession or control of customer securities. These actions were reported in FINRA's January 2026 disciplinary actions.

FINRA Fines Five Firms $585,000 for Reporting and Supervisory Violations

FINRA announced disciplinary actions against five firms in February 2026, imposing fines totaling $585,000. The actions address violations related to trade reporting accuracy, customer trade confirmations, and supervisory systems for employee outside brokerage accounts.

SEC Rescinds Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121

The SEC has rescinded Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121, which provided guidance on the accounting for obligations to safeguard crypto-assets held for platform users. This rescission is effective April 11, 2022, and was done in conjunction with the publication of SAB No. 122.

SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin 118 on Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Income Taxes

The SEC staff has published Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 to provide guidance on applying accounting standards for income taxes following the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. This bulletin clarifies interpretations for registrants regarding ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes.

SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin 119 on Credit Loss Guidance

The SEC's Office of the Chief Accountant published Staff Accounting Bulletin 119 to update guidance on measuring credit losses on financial instruments. This update aligns SEC staff interpretations with the FASB's Accounting Standards Codification Topic 326, which introduces an expected credit loss model.

SEC Rescinds SAB 121, Issues SAB 122 on Crypto-Asset Custody

The SEC has rescinded Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 121 and issued SAB 122, which provides new guidance on accounting for crypto-asset custody obligations. This change affects how entities recognize and measure liabilities related to safeguarding crypto-assets for platform users.

SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin 120: Fair Value Guidance for Share-Based Payments

The SEC's Office of the Chief Accountant and Division of Corporation Finance have issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) 120, updating guidance on estimating the fair value of share-based payment transactions when a company possesses material non-public information. This update aligns existing interpretive guidance with current accounting standards, specifically FASB ASC Topic 718.

Madoff Claims: $253M Distributed, Total Payout Nears $15.38B

The SIPA Trustee for the Madoff liquidation announced the seventeenth pro rata interim distribution of over $253 million to eligible customers. This distribution brings the total payout to nearly $15.38 billion, representing approximately 72.848% of allowed claims.

FHFA House Price Index Report - October Data

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) reported that U.S. house prices increased by 0.4% in October, with an annual rise of 1.7%. The September data was revised to a 0.1% decline. This notice provides the latest monthly and annual house price index data.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Housing Goals Rule

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued a final rule establishing new affordable housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for 2026-2028. This rule aims to support middle-class homeownership by adjusting previous mandates.