NOTE: Stipulations of Fact and Consent to Penalty (SFC); Offers of Settlement (OS); and Letters of Acceptance Waiver, and Consent (AWC) are entered into by Respondents without admitting or denying the allegations, but consent is given to the described sanctions & to the entry of findings. Additionally, for AWCs, if FINRA has reason to believe a violation has occurred and the member or associated person does not dispute the violation, FINRA may prepare and request that the member or associated person execute a letter accepting a finding of violation, consenting to the imposition of sanctions, and agreeing to waive such member's or associated person's right to a hearing before a hearing panel, and any right of appeal to the National Adjudicatory Council, the SEC, and the courts, or to otherwise challenge the validity of the letter, if the letter is accepted. The letter shall describe the act or practice engaged in or omitted, the rule, regulation, or statutory provision violated, and the sanction or sanctions to be imposed.

TradeStation Securities, Inc.
AWC/2010023770401

The Firm proceeded with new business operations prior to obtaining FINRA approval. The firm filed an Application for Approval of Change of Business Operations to move its futures business operations from fully-disclosed clearing to omnibus clearing operations, and while it requested expedited processing of its application, it did not wait for approval before commencing omnibus clearing.

FINRA notified the firm by letter that it had conducted an initial review of the application and requested additional information regarding the firm and the proposed change in business operations. The firm provided the requested information to FINRA by letter, in which it notified FINRA that it made the required net capital increases and went live with its omnibus arrangement although FINRA had neither concluded its review of the application nor granted the firm’s request for provisional approval to effect the change from fully disclosed to omnibus clearing operations.

At the time the firm was undergoing the approval process for its application, the firm was also contemplating a change in its business operations to prime brokerage. The firm informed FINRA that prior to conducting any full scale prime brokerage business, it intended to submit a separate Rule 1017 application. In addition, the firm submitted another Application for Approval of Change of Business Operations requesting approval to conduct prime brokerage business, which FINRA approved, although the firm had been engaging in unapproved prime brokerage activity prior to approval.

TradeStation Securities, Inc. : Censured; Fined $15,000

Tags: Membership Agreement  Material Change Of Business