NIBA Journal

Insights, analysis, and updates from the National Introducing Brokers Association

March 17, 2017

Intent to Nominate J. Christopher Giancarlo as CFTC Chairman

President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate a number of key administration officials. This announcement included nomination for Chairman of the CFTC. Below is from the White House Office of the Press Secretary: J. Christopher Giancarlo of New Jersey will serve as Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Mr. Giancarlo was confirmed to be a Commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission by unanimous consent of the Senate on June 3, 2014. He was designated as Acting Chairman of the Commission on January 20, 2017. Before entering public service, Mr. Giancarlo served as the Executive Vice President of GFI Group Inc., a financial services firm. Prior to joining GFI, he was Executive Vice President and U.S. Legal Counsel of Fenics Software and was a corporate partner in the New York law firm of Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner. He attended Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New...

Nurturing Mid and Late Stage Leads

Financial technology marketers are steadily improving at creating awareness-stage marketing content. Many who were once verbose and blustery are now producing more customer-centric thought leadership. The white papers, blogs and articles they produce today provide substantially more value to the audience and are doing a better job of attracting leads into the funnel. However, fin-tech marketers’ ability to convert those leads into qualified sales opportunities and revenue is still lagging behind other industries. They need to get better at nurturing mid- and late-stage leads. Awareness content may attract leads, but if marketers really want to contribute to revenue, they have to keep leads engaged and influence buyers deeper in the evaluation process. For content to deliver ROI at these later stages, it has to answer the questions that prospective customers are asking as they progress through the decision process. But Marketing can’t create this content on its own. Success at...

Chairman's Letter - March 2017

“I don’t mind going back to daylight saving time. With inflation, the hour will be the only thing I’ve saved all year.” Victor Borge, 1909-2000 Victor Borge was an Danish and American comedian, conductor and pianist, popular on radio and television in Europe and the United States. He was often referred to as “The Clown Prince of Denmark.” I am writing this during the snowstorm following the Sunday we “sprung forward” to change our clocks to daylight saving time, and, like Victor Borge, I want to make the most of my “saved hour,” and let NIBA members know how to use theirs too. First I’m going to the Members Resources portal on theniba.com in my “saved hour.” I’m going to read “How to Use Twitter” submitted by Shane Stiles, Gate 39 Media Then I’m moving on to the submission from Great Lakes Credit Union and finally, the article entitled “Decoding...

NIBA SoCal Conference Wrap Up

SoCal Conference Summary On February 23rd the NIBA held its first conference of 2017 in Newport Beach, California. Promoted as being held in “toasty” southern California many attendees from the Chicago area commented that the weather they left back in the windy city was actually quite a bit warmer! In spite of the unseasonably cool 61° the conference was a great success! I believe NIBA’s SoCal conferences are a bit different and in a way special from our conferences in Chicago and New York – the centers of the futures industry in the United States. The participants in the futures industry in California are spread out without a central location thus greatly diminishing the opportunity for building personal relationships that are so critical for success. There is no chance to run into another industry professional in the lobby of the Chicago Board of Trade building or perhaps to meet down...

By NIBARead article

February 28, 2017

3 min read

Ask NFA--February 2017

As your industry advocate, the NIBA provides many services which help your business stay in compliance with NFA regulations. “Ask the NFA,” is the way you can ask questions about those regulations and compliance requirements without having to call NFA directly. Just email us at nfacomments@theniba.com and we will get the answers for you. Please keep in mind the purpose of this contact is to keep the lines of communication between the NFA and NIBA members. This month’s questions were selected from those submitted by NIBA members. The answers were supplied by NFA staff. Are there any scenarios when a CTA might be required to also register as an IB? An introducing broker (IB) is an individual or organization that solicits or accepts orders to buy or sell futures contracts, options on futures, retail off-exchange forex contracts or swaps, but does not accept money or other assets from customers to...

Housekeeping, Reminders & Updates February 2017

NATIONAL FUTURES ASSOCIATION December 31, 2016 NFA Form PQR The National Futures Association (“NFA”) emailed a reminder to commodity pool operators (“CPOs”) regarding quarterly reports and possible late fees. The 2016 fourth quarter CPO quarterly report (“Form PQR”) is due in March. CPOs that have more than $1.5 billion in assets under management (“AUM”) are required to file Form PQR no later than Wednesday, March 1, 2017. The due date for CPOs with less than $1.5 billion in AUM is March 31, 2017. In order to avoid a later fee, CPOs must file the 2016 fourth quarter Form PQR by the applicable due date based on AUM. CPOs with less than $1.5 billion in AUM must update Box 0155 on the Form PQR cover page and save the filing. This action will amend the due date from March 1st to March 31st. Failure to file Form PQR or update Box...

ADM Investor Services Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

From it’s modest beginning in 1966 to the global clearing firm it is today, ADM Investor Services has never wavered in its commitment to the Introducing Broker community. The firm is proud of the 250 IB’s who have chosen ADMIS as their clearing firm, and tailors its services to help them succeed. Check out their story here  

Five Ways to Appeal to Investors

You have worked hard putting your fund or managed futures program together. All of your strategy building, back-testing and hard work looking for an edge in today’s futures markets has culminated in a program that you believe has the potential to deliver value to your investors. In today’s highly competitive environment, however, simply having a good program is not enough. To cross the initial AUM threshold, and then continue on to the $25 million threshold and the $50 million threshold, you have to give investors a reason to put their hard-earned capital to work in your program. Here are five simple things you can do right now to appeal to investors: Get in front of them: People are not simply going to start showing up at your company’s doorstep offering to make allocations to your program. You have to be proactive about getting your program in front of the right...

Chairman's Letter - February 2017

A little learning, indeed, may be a dangerous thing, but the lack of learning is a calamity to any people - Frederick Douglass, 1817-1895 Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist, orator, author, and women’s rights advocate. A former slave, he rose to national prominence during the Civil War years, and was an outspoken supporter of the necessity of education to further the betterment of the human condition right up to the end of his life. NIBA’s mission is education. Learning about our industry, market conditions and regulations is not only necessary for CFTC registrants and NFA Members so that they stay compliant, but helps us to service the needs of our customers in the very best ways possible. NIBA’s first membership learning opportunity of 2017 takes place on Feb. 23 at the Marriott Hotel, Newport Beach, CA. With the program sponsorship of CME Group, Gain Capital and Phillip Capital, NIBA will...

Annual FCM & Service Provider Reception

NIBA held its annual "Thank You" reception for FCMs and Service Providers at the Union League Club in Chicago on February 2. Thirty-four FCM and Service Provider Members attended and were honored for their contributions and support of the Association. The following were honored for exceptional service to NIBA membership: - Liccar & Co., Founding Member - CME Group, Founding Member - Gate 39 Media - Michael Coglianese, CPA Each February NIBA hosts an afternoon get-together to preview the upcoming year's membership events and discuss ways FCMs and Service Providers can participate throughout the year. Thank you to this year's planning committee: John Nelson, Applied Research; Holli Kranz, Gate39 Media; Steve Petillo, Mike Burke & Melinda Schramm for the NIBA. To become a NIBA FCM Member contact Mike Burke, mikeb@highgroundtrading.com or Steve Petillo, stevepetillo@gmail.com. To become a Service Provider Member contact Ralph Preston,rpreston@hwfi.com or Mike Burke.

By NIBARead article

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