The SEC Has Adopted Final Amendments To Rule 15C2-11; Major Change For OTC Markets Companies
Despite an unusual abundance of comments and push-back, on September 16, 2020, one year after issuing proposed rules (see HERE), the SEC has adopted final rules amending Securities Exchange Act (“Exchange Act”) Rule 15c2-11. The primary purpose of the rule amendment is to enhance retail protection where there is little or no current and publicly available information about a company and as such, it is difficult for an investor or other market participant to evaluate the company and the risks involved in purchasing or selling its securities. The SEC believes the final amendments will preserve the integrity of the OTC market, and promote capital formation for issuers that provide current and publicly available information to investors.
From a high level, the amended rule will require that a company have current and publicly available information as a precondition for a broker-dealer to either initiate or continue to quote its securities; will narrow reliance on certain of the rules
SEC Proposes Amendments To 15c2-11
As anticipated, on September 26, 2019, the SEC published proposed amendments to Securities Exchange Act (“Exchange Act”) Rule 15c2-11. The purpose of the rule amendment is to enhance retail protection where there is little or no current and publicly available information about a company and as such, it is difficult for an investor or other market participant to evaluate the company and the risks involved in purchasing or selling its securities. The SEC release also includes a concept release regarding information repositories and a possible regulatory structure for such entities. The SEC believes the proposed amendments will preserve the integrity of the OTC market, and promote capital formation for issuers that provide current and publicly available information to investors.
The proposed rules entail a complete overhaul of the rule and its exceptions are complicated and, if enacted, will require the development of a new infrastructure, compliance procedures and written supervisory procedures at OTC Markets, new compliance procedures and
OTC Markets Issues Comment Letters On FINRA Rules 6432 And 5250; The 15c2-11 Rules
January 8, 2018, OTC Markets Group, Inc. (“OTC Markets”) submitted a comment letter to FINRA related to FINRA Rule 6432. Rule 6432 requires that a market maker or broker-dealer have the information specified in Securities Exchange Act Rule 15c2-11 before making a quotation in a security on the over-the-counter market. Although I summarize the salient points of the OTC Markets comment letter, I encourage those interested to read the entire letter, which contains an in-depth analysis and comprehensive arguments to support its position. On February 8, 2018, OTC Markets submitted a second comment letter to FINRA, this one related to FINRA Rule 5250. Rule 5250 prohibits companies from compensating market makers in connection with the preparation and filing of a Form 211 application.
Rule 6432 – Compliance with the Information Requirements of SEA Rule 15c2-11
Subject to certain exceptions, including the “piggyback exception” discussed below, Rule 6432 requires that all broker-dealers have and maintain certain information on a
