February 19, 2022
While any rules designed to limit corruption and market manipulation by methods such as reducing settlement times and streamlining processes are encouraged, I have trouble believing any new regulations will be properly enforced to effectively prevent action that is either illegal or against the spirit of a free market. Stricter enforcement of rules already on the books, making enforcement easier for the SEC, and completely eliminating the practice of payment for order flow would show individual investors that the SEC is actually getting more serious about investor protection and help maintain global faith in the US financial system.
When it comes to enforcement of rules already on the books, fines that are very small fractions of the amount a firm profited from bad action should be raised to fine of at least more money than the firm profited plus interest.
While generally against increased government spending when it can be avoided, increasing funding and resources for the SEC and financial crime efforts within the DOJ should be a high priority of the federal government at the moment as well.