What is the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)?
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) monitors transactions on securities exchanges and the activities of financial professionals like brokers, dealers, investment advisors and mutual funds.
“Companies offering securities for sale to the public must tell the truth about their business, the securities they are selling and the investment risks,” according to the SEC’s mission. “And those who sell and trade securities and offer advice to investors… must treat investors fairly and honestly.”
The SEC was launched following the stock market crash of 1929, amidst the Great Depression. Congress passed the Securities Act of 1933 and then the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which ultimately established the SEC with a mission to protect investors by:
- Maintaining fair, orderly and efficient markets
- Facilitating capital formation
- Providing access to investment information and those who sell
- Promoting integrity and transparency
- Preventing fraud and deceptive practices
Today, the SEC oversees more than $100 trillion in U.S. equity market securities annually.