Grotabyte
Governance, Risk & Compliance

Sec 17a4 FINRA MiFID Requirements

18 September 2025By Bilal Ahmed

Introduction

Financial services organizations operate in some of the most heavily regulated industries. Regulations such as SEC 17a-4, FINRA, and MiFID II impose strict requirements on how communications and records must be captured, retained, and accessed. This blog breaks down these requirements and their implications for enterprise archiving.

SEC 17a-4

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Rule 17a-4 outlines recordkeeping requirements for broker-dealers.

Key Requirements:

  • WORM Storage: Records must be preserved in a non-rewriteable, non-erasable format.
  • Retention Periods: Different records (e.g., trade confirmations, account statements) must be kept for 3–6 years.
  • Indexing: Records must be indexed for easy retrieval.
  • Accessibility: Records must be readily available for regulators.

Implications:

  • Archiving systems must support WORM compliance.
  • Broker-dealers must implement reliable indexing and search.
  • Demonstrable audit trails are required.

FINRA

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) enforces regulations for brokerage firms and exchange markets.

Key Requirements:

  • Retention of Communications: Firms must retain all business-related communications, including emails, texts, and collaboration messages.
  • Surveillance: Firms must supervise and review communications to detect misconduct.
  • Accessibility: Data must be retrievable promptly for audits or investigations.

Implications:

  • Archiving must extend beyond email to cover modern communication platforms.
  • Surveillance tools should integrate with archiving for compliance monitoring.
  • Legal and compliance teams must be able to perform timely searches.

MiFID II

The Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II) governs financial markets in the EU and places significant requirements on record keeping.

Key Requirements:

  • Comprehensive Recording: All communications related to transactions (voice, electronic, messaging) must be recorded.
  • Retention Period: Records must be retained for at least 5 years, or up to 7 years in some cases.
  • Accessibility: Records must be stored securely and made available to regulators upon request.
  • Integrity: Data must be tamper-proof and verifiable.

Implications:

  • Enterprises must capture a broader range of communication types.
  • Archives must meet stringent security and integrity requirements.
  • Organizations must ensure cross-border data handling aligns with EU privacy laws.

Common Themes Across Regulations

  • Immutability: All three require data to be preserved in tamper-proof formats.
  • Accessibility: Quick and reliable retrieval is mandatory for compliance.
  • Retention Schedules: Specific timelines must be met, varying across regulations.
  • Audit Trails: Detailed logging is critical to prove compliance.

Conclusion

SEC 17a-4, FINRA, and MiFID II share a common goal: ensuring transparency, accountability, and investor protection through strict recordkeeping requirements. Organizations in the financial services sector must implement robust archiving solutions that enforce immutability, ensure accessibility, and maintain compliance with established retention schedules. A strong compliance program not only avoids penalties but also builds trust and resilience.