On March 11, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an advisory to announce that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has updated its list of jurisdictions with strategic anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) deficiencies.
Continue Reading NFA Publishes Series of Member Notices Related to Common Deficiencies and Other Regulatory Matters

On August 20, the National Futures Association (NFA) issued Notice I-20-31 highlighting recently published FAQs addressing customer due diligence requirements for covered financial institutions. The FAQs clarify the regulatory obligations of covered financial institutions with respect to obtaining customer information, establishing a customer risk profile and performing ongoing monitoring of the customer relationship.

The FAQs

On October 11, the leaders of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (collectively, the Agencies) issued a joint statement reminding persons engaged in activities involving digital assets of their anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) obligations under the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970 (BSA).
Continue Reading CFTC, FinCEN, and SEC Issue Joint Statement on Activities Involving Digital Assets

On July 22, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, in conjunction with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), issued interpretative guidance to introducing brokers in commodities (IBs) that do not introduce customers to a futures commission merchant (FCM) that carries their customers’ accounts.
Continue Reading CFTC Clarifies That the Customer Identification Program and Beneficial Ownership Rules are Not Applicable to Certain Introduction Brokers

On March 12, the National Futures Association (NFA) published Notice I-19-08, notifying Member futures commission merchants (FCMs) and introducing brokers (IBs) of a March 8 advisory published by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) regarding updates to the Financial Action Task Force’s list of jurisdictions with deficiencies regarding anti-money laundering and combating the financing of

On January 22, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) issued its annual Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter. This year’s letter includes a number of new areas for firms to consider in seeking to improve their compliance, supervisory and risk management programs.
Continue Reading FINRA Releases 2019 Annual Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an advisory to announce that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) updated its list of jurisdictions with strategic anti-money laundering and combatting the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) deficiencies. In the advisory, FATF has removed Iraq and Vanuatu from the list and added Pakistan to the list.

The advisory

On June 15, the National Futures Association (NFA) submitted to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission proposed amendments to NFA Compliance Rule 2-9(c) and the NFA Interpretive Notice entitled Compliance Rule 2-9: FCM and IB Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Program (collectively, the Amendments). Rule 2-9(c) requires futures commission merchants (FCMs) and introducing brokers (IBs) to develop and implement anti-money laundering programs designed to achieve compliance with the requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act.
Continue Reading NFA Proposes Amendments to Compliance Rule 2-9(c) and Interpretive Notice: Compliance Rule 2-9: FCM and IB Anti-Money Laundering Program

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) filed amendments to Rule 3310 to conform to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN’s) customer due diligence requirements. Specifically, the amendments to Rule 3310 require each member to include in its anti-money laundering program appropriate procedures for conducting ongoing customer due diligence, including but not limited to, “[u]nderstanding the