Broker-Dealers
Broker-Dealer Consulting for FINRA Member Firms and New Applicants
Broker-dealer compliance depth, delivered as a seamless extension of your team. Whether you’re filing a new membership application or managing an active FINRA member firm, CRC Oyster delivers the experience, the licensed principals, and the FINRA relationships to get it done.
The CRC Oyster Approach
FINRA Consulting from Professionals Who Have Been Inside the Process
FINRA broker-dealer compliance is a live, ongoing obligation that touches every aspect of how your firm operates, from supervising registered representatives to responding when a regulator calls. Getting it right requires professionals who understand FINRA’s expectations not just on paper, but in practice.
CRC Oyster’s team brings an average of 15 to 35 years of direct industry experience across financial services firms and regulatory bodies. Our Broker-Dealer Application Team boasts a deep bench with experience on both sides of the regulatory process. We’ve built supervision programs, managed examination responses, furnished licensed principals, and navigated some of the most complex registration processes FINRA oversees.
What sets CRC Oyster apart:
Registered professionals, not just advisors
We furnish licensed principals (Series 24, Series 27) to serve formally in required roles
Direct FINRA relationships
Built through dozens of successful NMA filings with FINRA’s MAP team
End-to-end capability
Registration, supervision, ongoing compliance management, and examination support
Who We Serve
Broker-Dealer Consulting Across Every Structure and Stage
CRC Oyster supports FINRA member firms and new applicants across the full broker-dealer lifecycle, including FINRA NMA consulting, ongoing compliance program management, ATS compliance, fintech broker-dealer registration and support, and principal delegation services.
FINRA New Membership Applicants (NMA)
Forming a new broker-dealer is one of the most complex regulatory processes in financial services. CRC Oyster manages the full NMA: business plan, Form BD, WSPs, principal licensing, membership interview, and FINRA approval.
Established FINRA Member Firms
Registered broker-dealers face continuous supervisory obligations and an active FINRA examination program. CRC Oyster provides ongoing compliance program management, as an extension of your team or in designated principal roles.
Alternative Trading Systems (ATS)
ATS operators encounter a technically demanding regulatory overlay: Form ATS filing, Reg ATS compliance, and complex operational controls. CRC Oyster supports ATS operators from formation through ongoing regulatory maintenance.
Fintech & Digital Asset Broker-Dealers
Technology-driven broker-dealers are met with evolving frameworks that traditional compliance models aren’t built for. CRC Oyster has guided fintech broker-dealers through registration and operations at the frontier of what FINRA oversees.
Startups & Emerging Firms
The most innovative broker-dealer formations often come from teams with deep product expertise and limited regulatory experience. CRC Oyster has been the compliance partner for dozens of emerging firms, from business model structuring through FINRA approval.
Dually Registered Firms (BD + RIA)
Firms operating both a broker-dealer and an RIA face overlapping obligations across FINRA, the SEC, and state regulators. CRC Oyster builds integrated compliance programs that satisfy both frameworks without unnecessary redundancy.
Firms Undergoing Ownership or Business Line Changes
Continuing Membership Applications triggered by ownership, control, or business line changes carry their own regulatory process and timeline. CRC Oyster manages CMAs with the same rigor we bring to new membership filings.
Our Service Model
Broker-Dealer Compliance Services Structured Around Your Registration, Supervision, and Examination Needs
FINRA New Membership Application (NMA)
Full-service NMA management- business plan, Form BD, WSPs, principal staffing, membership interview, and approval. Includes Form U4s, state registrations, Form BR, and SIPC membership.
Ongoing Compliance Program Management
Retainer-based support covering WSP maintenance, annual compliance meetings, CE administration, regulatory filings, electronic communications review, surveillance, and regulatory change management.
Principal Delegation Services
Licensed professionals serving formally as your Series 24 CCO, Series 24 CEO, Series 27 Principal Financial Officer, and Series 27 Principal Operations Officer, registered with your firm and accountable for their designated functions.
FINRA Examination Support
End-to-end support for routine and for-cause examinations – readiness assessments, document production, examiner relationship management, and post-examination deficiency response.
AML / BSA Program Management
Development and ongoing maintenance of your AML compliance program – KYC/CIP policies, SAR protocols, OFAC screening, employee training, and independent AML testing coordination.
Project-Based Engagements
Scoped engagements for specific needs: WSP gap analysis, FINRA Rules 3110/3120/3130 assessments, BCP review, advertising review, and regulatory inquiry support.
Why CRC Oyster
What Our Clients Say
Working with CRC Oyster has been a great experience. They provide practical, responsive, and highly knowledgeable compliance support, combined with a strong understanding of the broker-dealer regulatory environment. Their team is professional, proactive, and accessible, and consistently provides thoughtful guidance tailored to our business needs.
Dikla Yakov-Chen, Chief Compliance Officer, Alpha Trading L.P.
What makes Mitch and CRC Oyster so special is their openness to collaboration. In an industry where firms often operate in silos or view one another strictly as competitors, Mitch takes a refreshingly different approach. He recognizes where organizations can complement one another and is always willing to share insight, resources, and support when it helps move the work forward for clients.
Jessica Murray, Partner, Chief Compliance Officer, American Elm Advisors, LLC
Our organization has partnered with CRC for nearly four years, and during that time they have become far more than a compliance consultant—they have become a trusted extension of our team. Their consistency, depth of expertise, and commitment to clear communication have made a measurable difference in our ability to navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.
Kathy Boyce, Chief Compliance Officer, CNL Securities Corp.
Related Resources & Recommended Next Steps
Continue Exploring Broker-Dealer Compliance Resources
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Whether you’re filing a new membership application or looking for a stronger compliance foundation, CRC Oyster is ready to help.