U.S. SEC Division of Exams Announces 2024 Examination Priorities

On October 16, 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Division of Examinations (EXAMS or Division) issued its annual examination priorities, which, for the first time, was published at the start of the SEC’s fiscal year to “better inform investors and registrants of key risks, trends, and examination topics” the Division intends to focus on in the coming year.1

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Latest Wave of SEC Off-Channel Communications Enforcement Actions: Five Takeaways

On September 29, 2023 — the last business day of its fiscal year — the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued the latest in a series of actions charging 10 firms with recordkeeping failures in connection with employees’ use of unapproved applications on personal devices to engage in communications relating to the firms’ business (known as “off-channel communications”).1 The firms charged included broker-dealers, investment advisers, and dually registered broker-dealers and investment advisers as well as one family of firms that self-reported conduct to the SEC. To date, the SEC has charged over 40 registrants and leveled over $1.6 billion in penalties as part of its off-channel communications matters. Other regulators, including the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), have brought similar cases.

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SEC’s Cybersecurity Disclosure Rules Are Here. Is Your Company Ready to Comply?

Companies are facing more attacks on their information systems. And, as their cyber risk skyrockets, the SEC has stepped in with new regulations, telling businesses what to disclose about these incidents — and requiring detailed disclosures on cyber risk management more broadly. With the deadline for compliance fast approaching, businesses are scrambling to mitigate their legal risk and comply with regulations that some say may be an overreach.

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SEC Proposes Sweeping New Rules on Use of Data Analytics by Broker-Dealers and Investment Advisers

On July 26, 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC or Commission) proposed new rules for broker-dealers (Proposed Rule 15(1)-2) and investment advisers (Proposed Rule 211(h)(2)-4) on the use of predictive data analytics (PDA) and PDA-like technologies in any interactions with investors.1 However, as discussed below, the scope of a “covered technology” subject to the rules is much broader than what most observers would consider to constitute predictive data analytics. The proposal would require that anytime a broker-dealer or investment adviser uses a “covered technology” in connection with engaging or communicating with an investor (including exercising investment discretion on behalf of an investor), the broker-dealer or investment adviser must evaluate that technology for conflicts of interest and eliminate or neutralize those conflicts of interest. The proposed rules would apply even if the interaction with the investor does not rise to the level of a “recommendation.”

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U.S. SEC Public Company Cybersecurity Disclosure Regulation Finalized With Swift Effective Date

On July 26, 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission finalized its rule on Cybersecurity Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure by Public Companies (the Final Rule), which will become effective 30 days following publication in the Federal Register. The Final Rule applies to all public companies subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including foreign private issuers, smaller reporting companies, and business development companies, and will require disclosure of material cybersecurity incidents on Form 8-K and Form 20-F and periodic disclosure of cybersecurity risk management, strategy, and governance in annual reports on Form 10-K and Form 20-F.

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U.S. Congressional Leaders Introduce Two Landmark Bills to Create a Digital Assets Regulatory Scheme

This week, two committees in the House of Representatives will mark up legislation intended to clarify the regulatory framework applicable to digital assets in the United States. Earlier this month, leaders in the U.S. Senate also introduced legislation to establish a comprehensive and unified regulatory scheme for digital assets and digital asset derivatives.1 Both the House and Senate bills seek to integrate the regulation of digital assets and digital asset derivatives into the existing U.S. regulatory framework — primarily that of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) — rather than create a standalone framework, but both bills face significant barriers to enactment.

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SEC Delays Enactment of Cyber Rules Related to Investment Adviser and Public Companies to October 2023, Updates Timeline to April 2024 for Recently Proposed Cybersecurity Rules

On June 13, 2023, the Office of Management and Budget released its Spring 2023 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, which includes updates on Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) proposed rules.  The SEC pushed back  its estimate for the final action date to October 2023 for its proposed cybersecurity rules related to public companies, as well as for its investment advisers and funds proposal.  Notably, the SEC’s timelines are typically estimates for implementation, and the proposed rules could be introduced sooner or later than these dates. However, the updated timeline indicates that the SEC is prioritizing finalizing its cybersecurity rules related to public companies and investment advisers and funds.

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U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Proposes Three Rules Related to Cybersecurity, Reopens Comment for One Rule

On March 15, 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed three rules related to cybersecurity and the protection of consumer information and reopened the comment period for a proposed cybersecurity rule for investment advisers and funds. This significant action would impose new cybersecurity requirements for several SEC-registered entities, including with respect to these entities’ policies, incident response and notification procedures, and cybersecurity risk management. This Sidley commentary and analysis discusses the key features of each proposal, including new requirements and differences among each of the proposals.

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FINRA Issues 2023 Report on Its Examination and Risk Monitoring Program

On January 10, 2023, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) published its 2023 Report on its Examination and Risk Monitoring Program (the Report).1 The 75-page Report includes four new topic areas for 2023: (1) manipulative trading, (2) fixed income — fair pricing, (3) fractional shares — reporting and order handling, and (4) Regulation SHO.

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Preparing Your 2022 Form 10-K: A Summary of Recent Key Disclosure Developments, Priorities, and Trends

This Sidley Update highlights certain key disclosure considerations for preparing your annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2022, including recent amendments to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosure rules and other developments that impact 2022 Form 10-K filings, as well as certain significant disclosure trends and current areas of SEC focus for disclosures. As always, we invite you to contact us with any questions on these topics or any other SEC reporting and compliance matters.

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