FiSolve Weekly News Digest: January 23, 2026

Here is what we are reading in the news this week...

SEC Division of Investment Management

Updates Marketing Rule FAQs

The SEC’s Division of Investment Management updated its frequently asked questions guidance relating to the marketing rule.  The update issued on January 15, 2026, contemplates instances where advertising the net performance of a portfolio reflects the deduction of the actual fees charged to the portfolio, when the fees to be charged to the advertisement’s intended audience are anticipated to be higher than the actual fees charged.  The appropriateness of using actual fees depends on all facts and circumstances of a specific advertisement, including, but not limited to, relevant disclosures.  The Staff’s view is that consistent with principles of fair and full disclosure, advisers may use various means to illustrate the effect of differences between actual fees and anticipated fees on performance.  Read more here.

FINRA Sanctions Financial Services Firm for Supervisory, AML, and Recordkeeping Failures  

Over a more than two-year period, FINRA found a financial services firm and its affiliates’ supervisory systems and written procedures were not reasonably designed to achieve compliance with applicable securities laws.  This includes Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933 and FINRA Rules 3110 and 2010, particularly with respect to handling and selling low-priced securities; an anti-money-laundering (AML) compliance program that failed to detect and report suspicious transactions in low-priced securities under FINRA Rule 3310; and inadequate supervision, dissemination and preservation of consolidated reports in violation of Exchange Act and FINRA record-keeping and supervisory rules.  As a result, the firms were jointly censured, agreed to an undertaking, and assessed a total fine of $1.1 million, without admitting or denying the findings.  Read more here.

Survey: CEOs Start 2026 on Edge,

Citing Uncertainty as Top Threat

According to a new Conference Board survey, CEOs in the United States say uncertainty is their biggest economic worry for 2026.  Their concern exceeds that of CEOs worldwide: 43% of US CEOs rank uncertainty as a top threat versus 29% of CEOs globally.  The Conference Board survey also found CEOs worldwide are struggling to pin down AI’s business value: 33% of CEOs globally say their top AI priority is measuring its return on investment. The share of US CEOs who say the same is even higher, at 46%. Among CEOs globally, 36% say a downturn/recession is the top economic threat for 2026, however, in the United States, 43% of CEOs rank uncertainty as a top threat, followed by 35% citing the risk of a downturn/recession.  Read more here.

CFTC and SEC to Hold Joint Event on Harmonization, U.S. Financial Leadership in the Crypto Era

Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael S. Selig and Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul S. Atkins will hold a joint event Tuesday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at CFTC headquarters to discuss harmonization between the two agencies.  For online attendance, registration is not necessary. For in-person attendance, you must register in advance.  Registration is available here, and you can read more here.

UK and EU Regulators Sign MOU to

Strengthen Oversight of Critical Third Parties

The Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), Bank of England and Prudential Regulation Authority have together signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) with the European Supervisory Authorities to enhance cooperation and oversight of critical third parties (“CTPs”) that fall under the UK’s CTP regime.  The MoU establishes a framework for coordinating and sharing information on the oversight of CTPs under the UK regime and critical third-party providers under the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), including during incidents such as power outages or cyber-attacks.  The MoU aims to manage potential risks to financial stability and market confidence, as well as strengthen international cooperation.  Read more here.

FiSolve Hosts Webinar on 2026 Compliance

This week, FiSolve hosted a webinar discussing Form ADV filing requirements and annual compliance reviews under Rule 206(4)-7 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.  Moderated by FiSolve’s Founder and CEO, Steven Yadegari, this session featured insights from FiSolve team members Samantha Bonamassa and Megan Druss.  Together, they shared practical guidance on regulatory expectations, best practices, and key issues to help firms prepare for upcoming 2026 compliance obligations.  View the webinar here.

💡FiSolve's Negotiation Tip of the Week💡

Diffusing Anger

A useful way to diffuse anger in a negotiation is to acknowledge emotion without validating the aggression.  When tension rises, pause and calmly name what you are observing.  For example, “I can see this issue is causing real frustration.”  This signals respect and emotional intelligence without conceding any substantive point.  This simple recognition helps deactivate the other party’s fight-or-flight response and opens the door to more rational dialogue.  Then pivot to shared objectives: refocus the conversation on mutual goals such as risk reduction, long‑term value creation, or regulatory alignment.  The combination of emotional acknowledgment and strategic redirection lets you maintain authority while de-escalating the moment and guiding the negotiation back to productive ground.

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