OTCQX And OTCQB Rule Changes

In September 2021, the OTCQB and OTCQX tiers of OTC Markets instituted amendments to their rules, to, among other things, align with the market changes resulting from amended Rule 15c2-11.

The OTC Markets divide issuers into three (3) levels of quotation marketplaces: OTCQX, OTCQB and OTC Pink Open Market. The OTC Pink Open Market, which involves the highest-risk, highly speculative securities, is further divided into three tiers: Current Information, Limited Information and No Information. Companies trading on the OTCQX, OTCQB and OTC Pink tiers of OTC Markets have the option of reporting directly to OTC Markets under its Alternative Reporting Standards.  The Alternative Reporting Standards are more robust for the OTCQB and OTCQX in that they require audited financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and audited by a PCAOB qualified auditor in the same format as would be included in SEC registration statements and reports.

Companies that report to the SEC under Regulation A and foreign companies that