The regulation of stablecoins has undergone a dramatic shift. On June 17, the Senate passed the Genius Act with bipartisan support, a sweeping stablecoin bill creating federal frameworks for dollar-pegged stablecoins. The Stable Act, which is a substantively similar bill in the House, passed out of a committee vote in April and is waiting to be brought to the House floor for a final vote. Although the bills are similar in substance, there may need to be negotiations between the House and Senate to reconcile meaningful differences.

Three areas for investors to watch as Paul Atkins takes over as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

History may not be the right guide during this particular transition.

Congress created the SEC in 1934 as an independent agency, and its goal was to insulate the watchdog of US securities markets from political meddling.

Still, elections hold consequences for the SEC and the agency’s priorities.

Why? There are a few reasons.

As interest in cryptocurrencies grows,1 many clients are seeking guidance from their financial advisors. But in an ever-evolving regulatory environment, and amid crypto’s recent crash, it can be hard for advisors to know what advice to offer that protects clients and fulfills their fiduciary responsibilities. READ MORE

At the 2022 Morningstar Investment Conference in May, Karla Paxton hosted a panel called “Why Aren’t More Women Talking About Crypto?”

Paxton, a senior vice president of business development at Morningstar, is an individual cryptocurrency investor. She sat down with Morningstar experts [including] Jasmin Sethi, associate director of policy research. READ MORE

Although they remain drastically underused as a retirement income tool, annuities have the potential to provide important benefits to retirees. High-quality products that guarantee an income stream can greatly improve the stability of people’s retirement by disbursing steady payments over the course of their lifetime. READ MORE

Though this timeline will be a challenge for the industry, we agree with the SEC’s decision.

We expect the rule to make it harder for investors to influence management.

Are the largest asset managers taking up the role of stewards?

A closer look at what we expect from compliance with the final rule.

What we told regulators about the SEC’s proposed rules.

In the original paper, the data went through 2009. We thought the period after 2009 was particularly interesting for looking
at changes to conflicts of interest. There was a lot more regulation with the enactment of Dodd- Frank. READ MORE

Large, passive asset managers should embrace active ownership to promote sustainable business models.

In 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed the “fiduciary rule,” a regulation aimed at mitigating conflicts of interest in investment advice and ensuring that brokers act in the best interests of their clients. After the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the DOL’s final rule last spring, the SEC proposed a new standard of conduct similarly aimed at addressing conflicts of interest in April. READ MORE

The case for leaving index funds alone.