On November 28, as part a retrospective rule review, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) requested comments on Rule 5250 (payments for market makers). FINRA’s retrospective rule review process examines significant rulemaking to determine whether the FINRA rule or rule set is meeting its intended objectives by reasonably efficient means and, as necessary, make any amendments to the rules based on these findings.

Rule 5250 prohibits a member or associated person from accepting payment or other consideration, directly or indirectly, from an issuer or its affiliates and promoters, for publishing a quotation, acting as a market maker or in connection with submitting an application. The rule is intended to assure that members act in an independent capacity when publishing a quotation or making a market in an issuer’s securities.

FINRA seeks comment on any aspect of the rule together with answers to the following questions:

1. Has the rule effectively addressed the problem it was intended to mitigate?

2. What has been your experience with implementation of the rule, including any ambiguities in the rule or challenges to comply with it?

3. What have been the economic impacts, including costs and benefits, arising from the rule?

4. Can FINRA make the rule, interpretations or attendant administrative process more efficient and effective?

The comment period expires on January 29, 2018