What is Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)?

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is a private corporation that acts as a self-regulatory organization. It is responsible for writing rules governing brokers and broker-dealer firms in the U.S. Although it has regulatory powers, it is not officially part of the U.S. government, and exists as an independent non-governmental organization (NGO). The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) oversees FINRA.