In line with its previous guidance, FINRA has granted broker-dealer (but not custodian) status to a digital asset platform.

By Stephen P. Wink, Cameron R. Kates, Shaun Musuka, and Deric Behar

In a follow-up to the July 2019 SEC and FINRA joint staff statement (Joint Statement) clarifying the regulators’ position on the custody of digital asset securities by broker-dealers, on September 27, 2019, FINRA granted broker-dealer status to a digital asset firm. The recipient, Harbor Square Investments (HSI) — a subsidiary of a San Francisco-based FinTech startup eponymously named Harbor — helps issuers of alternative investments and private securities tokenize their offerings and bring the security tokens to market on its blockchain-based platform.