FINRA Unscripted

On this episode, tune in to a conversation from FINRA’s 2026 Annual Conference, where FINRA Board Chair Scott Curtis and FINRA President and CEO Robert Cook discussed the partnership between board governance and executive leadership, and the strategic priorities shaping FINRA's direction.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Ep. 185: How FINRA Is Streamlining Data Requests

Ep. 187: How FINRA Is Enhancing Member Firm Examinations

FINRA Forward: A Year of Progress

FINRA Forward

FINRA Quarterly Regulatory Policy Agenda

Blog Post: FINRA Forward’s Rule Modernization—An Update

Blog Post: Vendors, Intelligence Sharing and FINRA’s Mission

Blog Post: FINRA Forward Initiatives to Support Members, Markets and the Investors They Serve

Blog Post: A Progress Update on Rule Modernization

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Examinations are a cornerstone of FINRA's regulatory oversight, but how we conduct them is evolving. As part of FINRA Forward, we're making our approach more risk-informed, more efficient, and more transparent.

On this episode, J. Koutros, Senior Vice President of Member Supervision, Operations, Procedures, and Standards, Jim Reese, Senior Vice President of Examinations, and John Martino, Vice President of Examinations explore the changes reshaping FINRA's examination program: streamlined first firm exams for lower-risk firms, extended exam cycles where warranted, more targeted data requests, and advance notice about exam timing. The guests also look ahead to new technology, enhanced transparency around preliminary findings, and the ongoing feedback that drives FINRA’s continuous improvement.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

FINRA Examination and Risk Monitoring Programs

Ep. 185: How FINRA is Streamlining Data Requests

FINRA Forward: A Year of Progress

FINRA Forward

FINRA Quarterly Regulatory Policy Agenda

Blog Post: FINRA Forward’s Rule Modernization—An Update

Blog Post: Vendors, Intelligence Sharing and FINRA’s Mission

Blog Post: FINRA Forward Initiatives to Support Members, Markets and the Investors They Serve

Blog Post: A Progress Update on Rule Modernization

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Every time you check a stock price on your phone or watch a ticker scroll across a screen, you are seeing the result of a complex reporting system most investors never think about. Behind that number is a vast infrastructure capturing and consolidating trades from exchanges and over-the-counter markets in milliseconds—and that system is undergoing major enhancements.

On this episode, Chris Stone, FINRA Vice President, Transparency Services, takes us inside the systems that make market transparency possible. Stone explains how FINRA recently extended trade reporting hours to 4 a.m. ET, why the industry is preparing for 23-hour, 5-day-a-week trading by December 2026, and how FINRA’s recently implemented fractional share reporting is eliminating what researchers called "phantom volume."

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Trade Reporting Facility (TRF)

Reg. Notice 25-15: FINRA Adopts Amendments to Extend the Trade Reporting Facilities Operating Hours

Trade Reporting Notice 1/14/26: Upcoming Trade Reporting Enhancements for Fractional Share Transactions

FINRA Forward

Blog Post: FINRA Forward’s Rule Modernization—An Update

Blog Post: Vendors, Intelligence Sharing and FINRA’s Mission

Blog Post: FINRA Forward Initiatives to Support Members, Markets and the Investors They Serve

Blog Post: A Progress Update on Rule Modernization

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Data is at the heart of everything we do at FINRA—from examining firms to detecting suspicious trading to protecting investors. But the process of requesting, gathering, and analyzing data involves significant effort across the board.

So, the question is: How do we work smarter? How do we use technology and collaboration to be more targeted in what we ask for, more efficient in how we use it, and more effective in the oversight we provide?

On this episode, Sam Draddy, Senior Vice President of Surveillance and Market Intelligence, and J. Koutros, Senior Vice President of Member Supervision Operations, Procedures, and Standards, explore how FINRA's approach to data requests is evolving. This effort embodies FINRA Forward, our commitment to continuous improvement, regulatory efficiency, and reducing burden while strengthening investor protection and market integrity.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

FINRA Rule 8210

Electronic Blue Sheets (EBS)

FINRA Quarterly Regulatory Policy Agenda

FINRA Forward

Blog Post: FINRA Forward’s Rule Modernization—An Update

Blog Post: Vendors, Intelligence Sharing and FINRA’s Mission

Blog Post: FINRA Forward Initiatives to Support Members, Markets and the Investors They Serve

Blog Post: A Progress Update on Rule Modernization

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Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Google Play and by RSS.

Financial security is about more than just building wealth: It's about resilience, preparation, and having the tools to weather whatever comes your way. And right now, with rising costs, market volatility, and evolving fraud risks, investors need that security more than ever. 
On this episode, FINRA Investor Education Foundation President and Senior Vice President of Investor Education Gerri Walsh discusses what financial security really means in 2026, and how firms can help protect and empower their customers. This conversation sits at the heart of FINRA Forward, our commitment to evolving alongside the rapidly changing securities industry in support of our mission of protecting investors and market integrity.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
BrokerCheck
Market Data Center
Fund Analyzer
Fixed Income Data
FINRA Investor Education Foundation
Protecting Consumers from Fraud
FINRA Forward
Blog Post: FINRA Forward’s Rule Modernization—An Update
Blog Post: Vendors, Intelligence Sharing and FINRA’s Mission
Blog Post: FINRA Forward Initiatives to Support Members, Markets and the Investors They Serve
Ep. 168: Investing Wisely in 2025: Avoiding Scams and Achieving Your Financial Goals
Ep. 183: Investors in the United States: Key Trends and Insights from the National Financial Capability Study

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