Regulators

Regulators refer to government agencies that regulate capital markets and companies. In the U.S., there is a number of individual regulators with their respective responsibilities. While these agencies operate independently of each other, they have similar goals.

In other words, the role of financial regulators is to make sure companies, organizations, and market exchanges are adhering to the established financial regulations and the law. Regulation of financial markets represents one of three legal categories that constitute financial law, with the other two being case law and market practices. 

Some of the key duties of financial regulators include maintaining confidence in the financial system, protecting financial stability, and securing consumer protection. One of the responsibilities of financial regulators is to provide information to consumers to protect them from illicit activities. 

One of the biggest regulators is the Federal Reserve Board (FRB) in the United States. The Federal Reserve Board, or just Fed, is a regulatory body that has a direct influence on money, liquidity, and broader credit conditions. 

The Fed is also responsible for implementing different monetary policy strategies, based on market conditions. One of its main tools for achieving this is open market operations, including the purchase and sales of securities such as U.S. Treasury and federal agency securities. 

In the U.K., the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the financial services industry.

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