SEC enforcement actions drop to multi-decade lows

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has seen its enforcement actions and penalties drop to multi-decade lows, according to a report by Semafor. The agency, which has faced budget and staff reductions under the Trump administration, handed out $1.1 billion in penalties in 2021, the lowest in two decades. This decline has drawn criticism from Democrats, who vow to increase scrutiny of the SEC's enforcement program in the next Congress.

However, an SEC official emphasized that "activity and effectiveness are not the same." Some suggest the figures align with the agency's aim of promoting more IPOs, but there is a concern that less enforcement could increase the risk of fraud.

Brief written by urgent.news from Semafor's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.