Effective February 3, 2014, FINRA has implemented changes to the requirements for registering as an Alternative Display Facility (ADF) market participant. An applying firm must now agree to submit an ADF Deposit Amount of $250,000 into escrow (raised to $500,000 under certain conditions). The firm may lose some of the deposit if they fail to submit at least 75% of its quoting or trading volume to the ADF. The firm must also provide monthly projections of the volume of data it expects to submit to the ADF.
The rule provides for ways to earn back the deposit. The rule also specifies what happens to the deposit if the firm is sold, stops doing business, or fails to become or remain an ADF market participant.
A firm seeking registration as an ADF market participant must also execute a Participant Agreement with FINRA and execute a Certification Record. The Certification Record has the firm attest that it can comply with certain requirements of Regulation NMS.
This alert applies to the Series 7, Series 55, and Series 62.