Compliance
The FINRA, SEC, and recordkeeping rules that govern cold outreach, in plain language, and how Finterest supports each one. Your firm's compliance team has the final say on what you send.
General information, not legal advice.
Request our security and compliance documentation. We'll email it to you.
Quick answer
Finterest is built to support compliant outreach for financial professionals: it supports pre-send message review so communications can be checked before they go out, keeps a record of outreach so messages can be retained and reviewed, and provides one-click unsubscribe on email. It supports your firm's compliance process; it does not replace your firm's supervision or approval. This is general information, not legal advice.
The rules
For FINRA members it depends on the audience. A message that reaches 25 or fewer retail investors in a rolling 30 days is correspondence; past that line it becomes a retail communication that a principal approves before use.
Read the full explainerAn honest sender and subject line, a postal address, and an opt-out you honor within 10 business days. It covers all commercial email, business-to-business included.
Read the full explainerSEC-registered advisers can't make untrue, misleading, or unsubstantiated claims, and testimonials, ratings, and performance come with conditions. The simplest prospecting messages leave all three out.
Read the full explainerYes. Business emails and LinkedIn messages are records: at least three years for broker-dealers and five for SEC-registered advisers, with the first two kept close at hand.
Read the full explainerScope: who this guide covers
Regulatory requirements vary by license type. The guidance here reflects rules for securities-licensed advisors and firms (FINRA and SEC). Insurance-only producers are regulated by state insurance departments and NAIC model rules, and remain subject to the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule and TCPA for calls. Confirm your own obligations with your firm's compliance team.
Built in
Finterest builds the process these rules require into the product. It supports pre-send message review so communications can be checked before they go out, keeps a record of outreach so messages can be retained and reviewed, includes clickwrap terms with a server-side audit trail, isolates each user's data, encrypts credentials with AES-256, and provides one-click unsubscribe on email. Call-recording disclosure controls are off by default pending firm legal review. Finterest supports your firm's compliance process. It does not replace your firm's supervision or approval.
Request security documentationEvery AI-drafted message is reviewed by a person before it goes out. Bulk sends use templates your team approves.
Sensitive credentials are encrypted at rest with AES-256, and traffic is encrypted in transit with TLS.
Google CASA Tier 2 assessed and a Microsoft Verified Publisher. SOC 2 Type II in progress; the report has not yet been issued.
Each user's data is kept separate. Admin actions and terms acceptance are recorded in a server-side audit trail.
| Rule | Who it applies to | What it governs | What it means for outreach |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAN-SPAM | Anyone sending commercial email | Email identification, address, opt-out | Honest headers, physical address, working unsubscribe honored promptly |
| FINRA Rule 2210 | FINRA-registered firms | Communication categories and approval | Over 25 retail investors in 30 days usually needs principal approval |
| SEC Rule 206(4)-1 | RIAs | Advertising and marketing content | No misleading or unsubstantiated claims; back up what you say |
| SEC Rule 204-2 | RIAs | Recordkeeping | Retain email and LinkedIn business messages, generally five years |
Compliance guides
It depends on how you are registered. Broker-dealer representatives work under FINRA Rule 2210 and SEA Rule 17a-4. SEC-registered investment advisers work under the SEC marketing rule and Rule 204-2. Anyone sending commercial email works under CAN-SPAM, and dually registered professionals follow both sets. State-registered advisers and insurance-only producers follow their state's rules. General information, not legal advice.
Yes. No rule bans using software for outreach. The same content, approval, opt-out, and recordkeeping duties apply to whatever it sends, and your firm has to be able to supervise and retain those messages before using a channel for business.
No. Finterest provides pre-send review, audit trails, recordkeeping support, and disclosure controls, but your firm's compliance team remains responsible for supervision and approval.
No. There is no FINRA or SEC approval for software, and Finterest does not claim any. Finterest supports, and does not replace, your firm's compliance. General information, not legal advice.
Last reviewed: October 2026
