The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), through its Division of Examinations, issued its 2026 examination priorities.
The division publishes its annual examination priorities to inform registrants and investors about the topics that the division plans to focus on in the new fiscal year.
“Examinations are an important component to accomplishing the agency’s mission, but they should not be a ‘gotcha’ exercise,” SEC Chairman Paul Atkins said. “Today’s release of examination priorities should enable firms to prepare to have a constructive dialogue with SEC examiners and provide transparency into the priorities of the agency’s most public-facing division.”
The annual publication of the examination priorities aligns with the Division’s four pillars to promote and improve compliance, prevent fraud, monitor risk, and inform policy.
“In this increasingly complex and changing financial and regulatory environment, we strive to improve compliance in a way that is both transparent and practical,” Keith Cassidy, acting director of the Division of Examinations, said. “Fiscal year 2026 marks an important time for the Division to build on our strengths, advance our mission with renewed focus, and ensure that our examination program continues to protect the investing public and support fair and orderly capital markets.”
In addition to conducting examinations in core areas such as fiduciary duty, standards of conduct, and the custody rule, the division will also examine for compliance with new rules in 2026.
The 2026 examination priorities cover a broad scope of potential risks to investors that firms should consider as they review their compliance programs.