ACA Compliance Group Enhances Automated Trade Blotter Review Tool to Align with the SEC’s Latest Trading Data Request Template

ACA Compliance Group (ACA), a leading provider of governance, risk, and compliance advisory services and technology solutions, today announced that its automated trade blotter review tool now includes a trading file request template that aligns with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) latest data request template. This allows SEC-registered investment advisers to more thoroughly, proactively, and efficiently prepare for a potential SEC examination by formatting their trading data to mirror the SEC’s request template, as well as by receiving enhanced third-party data analysis designed to identify potential issues.   

ACA’s trade blotter review tool, which incorporates a select set of algorithms from ACA’s Trade Surveillance software solution, is used by our compliance consultants to automate reviews of clients’ trading activities during mock SEC examinations and compliance program reviews. The tool was launched earlier this year in response to challenges faced by SEC-registered investment adviser clients in keeping pace with the SEC’s enhanced use of technology to detect insider trading, market abuse, and other potential misconduct.

Benefits of ACA’s automated trade blotter tool include:

• Closer alignment of ACA’s services with the SEC’s use of technology to detect insider trading, market abuse, and other potential misconduct
• Automation and enhancement of ACA’s current trading analysis tests, including new review points using proven ACA trade surveillance technology
• Reduction of false positives and increases in the accuracy of results through the identification of potential “items of interest”
• The ability to digest large amounts of trading activity, ensuring comprehensive analysis (versus sampling) of your firm’s trading and investment activities
• Enhanced client reporting of potential “items of interest” identified by the analysis

Nikolay Kojuharov, Partner at ACA Technology Solutions, said, “By matching our trade blotter review tool’s trading file request template to the SEC’s latest request template, our clients will have a significant advantage in the event of an actual exam. Not only will they benefit from the tool’s enhanced analysis to more accurately and proactively identify potential issues, but their trading data will already be in the format required by the SEC. Given that the SEC expects an extremely fast turnaround for these data requests, this will give our clients peace of mind that their data is ready should the regulator come knocking at their door.”

Carlo di Florio, ACA’s Chief Services Officer, said, “Trade surveillance is now an expectation of the regulator and no longer simply a best practice. By continuing to enable ACA’s internal review processes with technology, we are providing our clients the benefit of a holistic approach to surveillance that allows them to strengthen their compliance program while keeping up with regulatory changes and technological advances.”

About ACA’s Trade Surveillance Software

ACA's Trade Surveillance technology provides in-depth trade surveillance to help firms identify items of interest and non-compliant trading and investment activity. The solution includes a case management tool that can store emails, reports, and research related to each investigation.

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About ACA Compliance Group

ACA is a leading provider of governance, risk, and compliance advisory services and technology solutions. We partner with our clients to help them mitigate the regulatory, operational, and reputational risks associated with their business functions. Our clients include leading investment advisers, private fund managers, commodity trading advisors, investment companies, broker-dealers, and domestic and international banks. ACA is based in New York City and has offices in London, Hong Kong, Malta, and other U.S. cities.

ACA delivers technology solutions and consulting services to over 650 leading financial services firms globally. Our regulatory technology solutions are designed, developed, and supported by the industry’s largest team of former regulators, financial technologists, and cybersecurity professionals. Our global team includes almost 100 former SEC, FINRA, FCA, CFTC, NFA, and state regulators, as well as former senior managers and technologists from prominent financial institutions and consulting firms. Through our collective expertise in compliance, cybersecurity, performance, financial crimes, and technology, we understand our clients’ business needs and regulatory requirements. Our technology solutions help our clients streamline processes, simplify day to day tasks, and ensure easy and comprehensive tracking of activity across their firm.