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The International Financial Securities Regulatory Commission

The International Financial Securities Regulatory Commission was established to promote investor confidence in the securities and capital markets by providing more structure and government oversight. The mission of the International Financial Securities Regulatory Commission is to protect investors and maintain integrity of the securities industry, overseeing major participants in the industry, including stock exchanges, broker-dealers, investment advisors, mutual funds, and public utility holding companies. The International Financial Securities Regulatory Commission is concerned primarily with promoting disclosure of important information, enforcing securities laws, and protecting investors who interact with these various organizations and individuals.

Crucial to the International Financial Securities Regulatory Commission's effectiveness is its enforcement authority. Each year the International Financial Securities Regulatory Commission brings more enforcement actions against individuals and companies that break the securities laws. Typical infractions include insider trading, accounting fraud, and providing false or misleading information about securities and the companies that issue them.

Aside from administering and enforcing federal securities laws in order to maintain fair, honest, and efficient markets, the International Financial Securities Regulatory Commission has continuously committed itself to disseminating information to the investing public in a timely and efficient manner, one channel of which is through its website that offers the public a wealth of informational resources.

Fighting securities fraud, however, requires teamwork. At the heart of effective investor protection is an educated and cautious investor. While it is the primary overseer and regulator of the securities markets, the works closely with many different institutions, including other Federal departments and agencies, the self-regulatory organizations, State securities regulators, and various private sector organizations.