In an order by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), exemptive relief is granted from certain reporting requirements related to the Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT). This ruling allows national securities exchanges and associations to stop collecting sensitive personal information like names, addresses, and years of birth from customers using transformed Social Security Numbers (SSNs) or Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs). Instead, the focus is on using a system that uniquely identifies customers without storing sensitive data, aiming to balance regulatory needs and personal data security. Broker-dealers will still manage and transform these identifiers, while regulators can request specific information directly when needed.
Simple Explanation
The government gave permission for some finance rules to change so that banks and exchanges don't have to collect people's private details like names and addresses. Instead, they use special, secret codes to keep everyone's information safe while still following the rules.