SEC Considers Direct Control of Market-Tracking Database

The SEC is exploring the possibility of directly funding and controlling a market-tracking database that monitors US equities and options trades, following Citadel Securities' successful legal challenge to the current funding model last year. This move represents a significant shift in how the regulatory body manages the expensive infrastructure needed to oversee financial markets. The database has become a focal point of controversy regarding who should bear the costs of maintaining critical market surveillance systems.