Tr?id=566623520170033&ev=PageView&noscript=1

SEC Focuses on Increased Scrutiny for Hybrid Firms in 2024 Examination Priorities

Posted on November 15th, 2023 at 1:16 PM
SEC Focuses on Increased Scrutiny for Hybrid Firms in 2024 Examination Priorities

From the desk of Jim Eccleston at Eccleston Law 

As the ranks of hybrid advisor-brokers, registered with both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), continue to grow, regulators are intensifying their scrutiny.

According to AdvisorHub, in the coming year, SEC examiners will shift their focus to the economic incentives and conflicts of interest associated with advisers who are dually registered as broker-dealers, utilize affiliated firms to provide client services, and have financial professionals catering to both brokerage customers and advisory clients, as stated in the report. Examiners will actively search for instances where these dual registrants recommend investments, proprietary products, and affiliated service providers to clients, even when lower-cost alternatives are available.

At FINRA's annual conference, officials expressed their interest in compliance violations by dual registrants. Chris Kelly, who served as the interim head of enforcement at FINRA, pointed out that some hybrid advisors exploit their dual status to maximize the fees and commissions they receive from customers. He highlighted what he termed the "BD-IA arbitrage," wherein hybrids sell high-commission products in a brokerage account and promptly convert them into an advisory account with an annual fee.

 

Eccleston Law LLC represents investors and financial advisors nationwide in securities, employment, transition, regulatory, and disciplinary matters.

Tags: eccleston, eccleston law, sec

Return to Archive

TESTIMONIALS

Previous
Next
Quotes Bigger

I am so glad I found you! Wow! I appreciate your help, concern and guidance.

RB

LATEST NEWS AND ARTICLES

1776353258 Law
April 16, 2026
Former Financial Advisor Pleads Guilty to $10 Million Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly Client

A former financial advisor has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after orchestrating a scheme that stole nearly $10 million from an elderly client, according to reporting by Financial Advisor News.

1776286541 Law
April 15, 2026
Court Issues Split Ruling in Edelman Advisor Dispute

A federal court in Delaware has delivered a mixed decision in a dispute between Edelman Financial Engines and Prime Capital Financial, underscoring the legal limits of restrictive covenants in the advisory space.

1776182162 Law
April 14, 2026
FINRA Seeks Public Comment on Potential Overhaul of Arbitration Rules

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has issued Regulatory Notice 26-06, requesting public comments on proposed changes to its arbitration framework.