GRC Solutions for Mutual Funds, ETFs, and Other Investment Companies

Our Investment Company Practice supports registered investment companies, as well as their advisers and sub-advisers, board of directors, and service providers to help them build, enhance and add controls to their compliance programs to meet Investment Company Act of 1940 requirements and SEC and industry standards.

We offer objective, innovative, and effective compliance reviews and solutions to prepare registered investment companies, as well as their boards, sponsors, advisers, sub-advisers, and service providers, for the rigors of SEC examinations. We provide solutions to assist firms with managing and mitigating related operational, regulatory, and reputational risks.

CONNECT WITH US


CONNECT WITH US


Our solutions

Address financial crimes-related threats and regulatory concerns with our team of former regulators and auditors. Our team can support with independent money laundering reviews for mutual funds and transfer agents, AML compliance program reviews, and more.

We offer broker-dealer chaperoning services to non-U.S. asset managers and broker-dealers that seek to market private funds in the United States without registering as a U.S. broker-dealer.

Strengthen your compliance program with our global team of compliance professionals.

Our consultants can provide training on the many topics mutual funds, ETFs, and other investment companies need to comply with, or you can choose to use any of our online modules to train your staff.

Build cyber and operational resilience across your firm with our team of cybersecurity and technology risk experts.

ACA Foreside can sponsor (apply for, obtain, and maintain) an NSCC membership participant number for domestic funds, collective trusts, and foreign funds. Additionally, we can provide guidance to clients and their transfer agents with respect to administration, implementation, and maintenance of funds’ operational policies and procedures.

Gain clarity on your firm’s ESG requirements and build a strong compliance program with our dedicated ESG advisory practice.

Launching an ETF takes the right partner.  We stand ready to advise you regarding the regulatory, financial, operational and distribution requirements of your exchange-traded funds (ETFs). 

Our Fund Officer model provides a hands-on, tailored approach by placing experienced and independent Fund Officers close to the Fund’s Board of Trustees. They are exposed to multiple administrators, counsel, and advisors, and have valuable industry perspective allowing for a better understanding of best practices.

We distribute over $1 trillion of product for over 200 fund families through our broker-dealers and serve as the legal underwriter for registered funds (mutual funds, closed-end funds, and ETFs) and placement agent for private funds.

Liquidity Risk Management Program Support

ACA’s Investment Company practice is dedicated to supporting our clients in navigating the SEC’s liquidity risk management program rule through educational resources and alerts, benchmarking insight, help with program management and development of policies and procedures, annual assessments, and more.

Maximize your firm’s time and efficiency with our technology-powered managed services. Our team can assist with on- and off-site CCO support and outsourced mutual fund advertising and marketing reviews.

Stay in compliance with the GIPS® standards and investment performance rules with the world’s largest team of GIPS standards verifiers.

We can maintain a private-label broker-dealer on behalf of your firm, allowing you to focus on your core business. Our private label broker-dealer offering provides an opportunity for firms to have ACA Foreside own and manage a broker-dealer branded by you and dedicated solely to you as the client.

ACA Foreside can assist with all aspects of your FINRA licensing needs for both registered and private funds.

Build a scalable and resilient compliance program with our ComplianceAlpha® regulatory technology  platform backed by managed services support.

1 of

Who we work with

We provide solutions for the following types of firms.

Business Development Companies (BDCs)

We provide objective, innovative, and effective compliance reviews and solutions to assist business development companies, as well as their boards, sponsors, and service providers — with preparing for the rigors of an SEC examination.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

We provide objective, innovative, and effective compliance reviews and solutions to assist exchange-traded funds with preparing for the rigors of an SEC examination.

Registered Investment Companies

We offer diverse compliance review and compliance services, all scalable to individual client needs.

Variable Insurance Products

We help insurance companies and distributors understand and manage these complex compliance requirements and develop and implement the comprehensive, effective risk-based protocols necessary to meet regulators’ expectations.

Solution Spotlight

Investment company compliance solutions

Our team includes former regulators along with former along with former chief compliance officers and senior compliance managers from prominent financial institutions. Our team helps you to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape while considering the complexity of your firm’s unique compliance requirements.

Compliance solutions can include:

  • Adviser and fund policy and procedure customization and development
  • Mock SEC reviews
  • Rule 38a-1 compliance program reviews
  • Enhanced annual adviser compliance program reviews that is specific to Company Act requirements for advisers/sub-advisers
  • Customized focus reviews (e.g. liquidity risk management program, intermediary fees, cross trades, cybersecurity, valuation)
  • Compliance and internal audit testing support
  • Sub-adviser due diligence reviews
  • SEC inspection support
  • Mutual fund distributor reviews and financial intermediary oversight reviews (e.g. FINRA rule 3110, 3120)
  • Independent Consulting Mandate

By the numbers

Our market share

80%

of the top 100 mutual funds (as noted in the Mutual Fund Directory March 2020 ranking data)

Latest compliance insights

highway at night from overhead

What Additional Data Do Quarterly Form PF Filers Need?

Hedge funds and hedge fund advisers that need to file Form PF on a quarterly basis may already know the challenges they face. This blog post summarizes what additional information you need as a quarterly filer to help you prepare for the next submission deadline.

Article
  • Compliance
highway at night from overhead

New prudential regime for Investment Firms: how are Exempt-CAD firms impacted?

Likely to come into force by the end of 2019, the prudential framework will hit some firms very hard, requiring them to maintain significantly greater levels of capital. We are running a series of articles assessing the material areas of change imposed by these new rules. In this first article, we examine the regime’s impact on the capital and liquidity requirements of Exempt-CAD firms.

Article
  • Compliance
abstract black and white looking up at building

ACA Launches Services Dedicated to Advisers in the Digital Asset Space

Investors and regulators globally are actively reviewing and examining digital asset advisers’ investment practices.

Press Release
  • ACA News
  • Compliance
curved glass building looking up at a blue sky

Digital Assets in the Regulatory Spotlight in Q1 2018

During the first quarter of 2018, U.S. regulatory agencies and a federal district court issued statements and took actions that are likely to significantly affect the U.S. regulatory landscape for digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings, and digital asset trading platforms. This blog post is a summary of our article detailing the recent key regulatory developments that apply to organizations operating in the U.S. digital asset space.

Compliance Alert
  • Compliance
highway at night from overhead

SFC Consultation on Fund Manager Code of Conduct (FMCC): 10 key points

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong published the conclusion to proposed changes in its Fund Manager Code of Conduct last November, helping to clarify a few remaining areas of contention following its original consultation paper. We have produced a quick summary of the ten key points you need to know from the consultation conclusions on Asset Management regulation.

Article
  • Compliance
abstract black and white looking up at building

GDPR DDQ Now Available for Assessing Vendors' GDPR Compliance

ACA announces GDPR-specific due diligence questionnaire (DDQ) for vendors and third parties.

Press Release
  • Privacy
  • Compliance
  • Cybersecurity

News

Advisers’ Concerns of Off-Channel Communications Surpasses the Marketing Rule as Top Compliance Concern, Survey Reveals

Advisers’ concerns of off-channel communications eclipsed the Marketing Rule as the top compliance concern, according to the 2024 Investment Management Compliance Testing Survey.

ACA Group Named Most Preferred Workplace by Marksmen/India Today 2024-2025

ACA Honored with Marksmen/India Today Award for Most Preferred Workplace for 2024-2025

Apex Group and ACA Form Strategic Partnership to Enhance Client Experience

Apex Group and ACA form strategic partnership to enhance client experience. The alliance enables clients to seamlessly identify a reputable service provider that will help support and protect their business.

Upcoming events