MyComplianceOffice Blog

Compliance is a crucial business function for every large-scale and small-scale organisation. It is imperative that organisations monitor the compliance landscape on a consistent basis. However, doing so requires a great deal of time and resources, and remaining compliant at all times is an even bigger task.

Every single firm, no matter how big or small, has to adhere to all the latest regulations, requirements and laws. However, many small-sized firms struggle with meeting their compliance obligations, as they lack sufficient resources to properly manage this area.

The regulatory framework for Digital Assets and Cryptocurrencies (Crypto) has been rapidly evolving. Regulators expect that firms play their part to ensure that investing in crypto is as safe as possible for investors and customers or else enforcement will be pursued.

According to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s 2021 Examination Priorities, in the  last five years the number of Registered Investment Advisers the SEC Division of Examinations oversees increased from about 12,000 to more than 13,900, and the assets under management of RIAs increased from approximately $67 trillion to $97 trillion.

Because of the totality of assets managed, RIAs are always going to be a priority for the SEC. Examinations are not going anywhere. The Division has made significant process, staffing and technology updates to keep up with the growth and increase RIA coverage. In 2020, a year where COVID forced a mid-year switch to remote examinations, Division coverage of RIAs was 15%.

2020 and 2021 have been eventful years, dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic and political and regulatory changes across the globe. In their Cost of Compliance 2021 survey Thomson Reuters researchers asked over 720 global financial services professionals their thoughts on the state of compliance in today’s world. The results highlight the challenges and changes that compliance practitioners in the financial services industry expect to face in the year ahead.