From E Trade
New regulations will affect your ability to buy and sell “Pink No Information,” “Grey Market,” and “Expert Market” Over-the-Counter (OTC) securities, including at E*TRADE.
On September 28, 2021, new amendments to Rule 15c2-11 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 take effect that will impact the market for certain OTC securities classified as Pink No Information, Grey Market, and Expert Market OTC securities (collectively, “Impacted OTC Securities”). These rule changes prohibit broker-dealers, like E*TRADE, from publishing bid/ask quotations of companies that fail to publicly report and keep current financial and other company information. The amendments also restrict the ability of retail investors to open new positions in Impacted OTC Securities.
What these rule changes mean for you
After Friday, August 27, 2021, E*TRADE customers will no longer be able to buy Impacted OTC Securities through E*TRADE. E*TRADE will restrict new buy orders in Impacted OTC Securities prior to the regulatory enforcement date, as it may become more difficult to liquidate such securities after the compliance deadline. While E*TRADE will accept closing orders to liquidate positions in these securities after the amendment goes into effect on September 28, 2021, it may be more difficult to sell these securities, as quoting and market liquidity may be very limited. The following restrictions will apply to any closing order for Impacted OTC Securities:
You must not be an Affiliate, Insider, or Control Person of the company
Only limit orders will be accepted
Quotes for the security will not be available
Other restrictions related to the purchase and sale of these securities may also apply.
Please visit OTC Markets Group’s website to see if any OTC securities you hold are currently categorized as a Pink No Information, Grey Market or Expert Market security.¹
