because of money laundering and other problems related to our friends overseas, many new things have been put in place, to prevent the funding of illegal activities, these groups have use small pink sheets and shells before, now the sro's have put guidelines in to prevent, the online firms don't have the people to research where the shares came from, how the people got them etc. so they avoid it to prevent having the liability. wake up brother, this has been going on for awhile