In a significant move, Robinhood has agreed to pay $29.75 million to settle regulatory investigations by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). This settlement includes a $26 million civil penalty and $3.75 million in restitution to customers. The charges against Robinhood involve several key areas of regulatory non-compliance, including failures in anti-money laundering measures, inadequate oversight of social media influencers, delays in addressing trade processing issues, and problematic trade practices.
Specific Violations Anti-Money Laundering Failures: Robinhood was criticized for not having adequate protocols in place to detect and prevent suspicious transactions. This oversight led to unauthorized access to customer accounts, highlighting a critical lapse in security measures.
Inadequate Oversight of Social Media Influencers: The company did not properly manage social media influencers promoting its services, which is a regulatory requirement. This lack of oversight can lead to misleading information and unfair marketing practices.
Trade Processing Delays: Robinhood failed to address multiple alerts regarding delays in processing trades, which affected customer transactions. Timely and efficient trade processing is crucial for maintaining customer trust and ensuring fair market practices.
Trade Practices: The settlement also included restitution for customers who were not properly informed about Robinhood’s practice of “collaring” market orders. This practice resulted in some trades being canceled and re-entered at less favorable prices, impacting customers financially.