FINRA Slaps $175,000 Fine at Virtu for Not Offering Best Execution
- The company did not admit or deny the allegations.

The US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has fined Virtu, an over-the-counter (OTC) and market-making services provider, with $175,000 for its failure to offer the best Execution Execution Execution is the process during which a client submits an order to the brokerage, which consequently executes it resulting in an open position in a given asset. The execution of the order occurs only when it is filled. There is typically a time delay between the placement of the order and the execution which is called latency.In the retail FX space, reliable brokers always strive to deliver best execution to their clients in order to maintain a solid business relationship with them. This is a common marketing point of emphasis by brokers, whose action execution varies considerably from company to company. When execution prices are not matching the submitted price the client is charged or credited the difference resulting from the negative or positive slippage.Slippage is a very contentious issue among retail traders, which can lead to issues. Many traders view levels of slippage at brokers as a key determinant for their business. Best Execution a Legal ObligationBrokers are required by law to diver to their clients the best execution possible. Some regulators are requiring brokers to submit execution stats in order to assess the quality of their services. Other brokers are regularly posting execution statistics in order to boost the confidence of their clients in the best execution commitment of the company.Best execution has been a point of emphasis in recent years from both retail and institutional players in the FX industry. Negotiating and executing transactions in order to promote a robust, fair, open, liquid and appropriately transparent FX market is identified as one of the six main principles outlined in the FX Global Code of Conduct, which came into effect in 2018. Execution is the process during which a client submits an order to the brokerage, which consequently executes it resulting in an open position in a given asset. The execution of the order occurs only when it is filled. There is typically a time delay between the placement of the order and the execution which is called latency.In the retail FX space, reliable brokers always strive to deliver best execution to their clients in order to maintain a solid business relationship with them. This is a common marketing point of emphasis by brokers, whose action execution varies considerably from company to company. When execution prices are not matching the submitted price the client is charged or credited the difference resulting from the negative or positive slippage.Slippage is a very contentious issue among retail traders, which can lead to issues. Many traders view levels of slippage at brokers as a key determinant for their business. Best Execution a Legal ObligationBrokers are required by law to diver to their clients the best execution possible. Some regulators are requiring brokers to submit execution stats in order to assess the quality of their services. Other brokers are regularly posting execution statistics in order to boost the confidence of their clients in the best execution commitment of the company.Best execution has been a point of emphasis in recent years from both retail and institutional players in the FX industry. Negotiating and executing transactions in order to promote a robust, fair, open, liquid and appropriately transparent FX market is identified as one of the six main principles outlined in the FX Global Code of Conduct, which came into effect in 2018. Read this Term to its customers.
The fine was imposed for violating FINRA's rule 5310 which dictates the offering of "the best market for the subject security"; rule 3110 under which the service providers need to make sure the businesses are compliant with the US securities law; and rule 2010 that "requires members to observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade." Notably, violation of any FINRA rule will automatically violate rule 2010.
Out of the total $175,000 fine, $100,000 was for the violation of rules 5310 and 2010, and the other $75,000 for breaking rule 3110 and 2010.
The regulator highlighted that the market maker violated the provisions from September 1, 2015, through August 21, 2017, while executing 13,136 customer orders received from two of its broker-dealer clients outside of normal trading hours.
The company failed "to use reasonable diligence to ascertain the best market for the subject securities and by failing to buy or sell in such market so that the resultant prices to the customers were as favorable as possible under prevailing market conditions" and also "failed to establish and maintain a supervisory system reasonably designed to achieve compliance."
Rushed to a settlement?
In the official response to the private self-regulatory organization, Virtu did not admit or deny the allegations but accepted the fine for a settlement.
"Virtu hereby accepts and consents, without admitting or denying the findings, and solely for the purposes of this proceeding and any other proceeding brought by or on behalf of FINRA, or to which FINRA is a party, prior to a hearing and without an adjudication of any issue of law or fact," Virtu noted.
The US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has fined Virtu, an over-the-counter (OTC) and market-making services provider, with $175,000 for its failure to offer the best Execution Execution Execution is the process during which a client submits an order to the brokerage, which consequently executes it resulting in an open position in a given asset. The execution of the order occurs only when it is filled. There is typically a time delay between the placement of the order and the execution which is called latency.In the retail FX space, reliable brokers always strive to deliver best execution to their clients in order to maintain a solid business relationship with them. This is a common marketing point of emphasis by brokers, whose action execution varies considerably from company to company. When execution prices are not matching the submitted price the client is charged or credited the difference resulting from the negative or positive slippage.Slippage is a very contentious issue among retail traders, which can lead to issues. Many traders view levels of slippage at brokers as a key determinant for their business. Best Execution a Legal ObligationBrokers are required by law to diver to their clients the best execution possible. Some regulators are requiring brokers to submit execution stats in order to assess the quality of their services. Other brokers are regularly posting execution statistics in order to boost the confidence of their clients in the best execution commitment of the company.Best execution has been a point of emphasis in recent years from both retail and institutional players in the FX industry. Negotiating and executing transactions in order to promote a robust, fair, open, liquid and appropriately transparent FX market is identified as one of the six main principles outlined in the FX Global Code of Conduct, which came into effect in 2018. Execution is the process during which a client submits an order to the brokerage, which consequently executes it resulting in an open position in a given asset. The execution of the order occurs only when it is filled. There is typically a time delay between the placement of the order and the execution which is called latency.In the retail FX space, reliable brokers always strive to deliver best execution to their clients in order to maintain a solid business relationship with them. This is a common marketing point of emphasis by brokers, whose action execution varies considerably from company to company. When execution prices are not matching the submitted price the client is charged or credited the difference resulting from the negative or positive slippage.Slippage is a very contentious issue among retail traders, which can lead to issues. Many traders view levels of slippage at brokers as a key determinant for their business. Best Execution a Legal ObligationBrokers are required by law to diver to their clients the best execution possible. Some regulators are requiring brokers to submit execution stats in order to assess the quality of their services. Other brokers are regularly posting execution statistics in order to boost the confidence of their clients in the best execution commitment of the company.Best execution has been a point of emphasis in recent years from both retail and institutional players in the FX industry. Negotiating and executing transactions in order to promote a robust, fair, open, liquid and appropriately transparent FX market is identified as one of the six main principles outlined in the FX Global Code of Conduct, which came into effect in 2018. Read this Term to its customers.
The fine was imposed for violating FINRA's rule 5310 which dictates the offering of "the best market for the subject security"; rule 3110 under which the service providers need to make sure the businesses are compliant with the US securities law; and rule 2010 that "requires members to observe high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade." Notably, violation of any FINRA rule will automatically violate rule 2010.
Out of the total $175,000 fine, $100,000 was for the violation of rules 5310 and 2010, and the other $75,000 for breaking rule 3110 and 2010.
The regulator highlighted that the market maker violated the provisions from September 1, 2015, through August 21, 2017, while executing 13,136 customer orders received from two of its broker-dealer clients outside of normal trading hours.
The company failed "to use reasonable diligence to ascertain the best market for the subject securities and by failing to buy or sell in such market so that the resultant prices to the customers were as favorable as possible under prevailing market conditions" and also "failed to establish and maintain a supervisory system reasonably designed to achieve compliance."
Rushed to a settlement?
In the official response to the private self-regulatory organization, Virtu did not admit or deny the allegations but accepted the fine for a settlement.
"Virtu hereby accepts and consents, without admitting or denying the findings, and solely for the purposes of this proceeding and any other proceeding brought by or on behalf of FINRA, or to which FINRA is a party, prior to a hearing and without an adjudication of any issue of law or fact," Virtu noted.