# SEC

*Regulation & Compliance — Finicade finance glossary*

The SEC is the US federal regulator of securities markets, created in 1934 after the Crash. Its mandate is investor protection, fair and efficient markets, and capital formation, and its central instrument is mandatory disclosure rather than merit review — it does not judge whether an investment is good, only whether the risks were properly disclosed. Its filings database, EDGAR, is free and is the primary source for company research.

**Also known as:** Securities and Exchange Commission, the SEC

**Related terms:** [FINRA](https://finicade.com/glossary/finra), [Securities Act of 1933](https://finicade.com/glossary/securities-act-of-1933), [Enforcement Action](https://finicade.com/glossary/enforcement-action), [Disclosure](https://finicade.com/glossary/disclosure), [Insider Trading](https://finicade.com/glossary/insider-trading)

Source: https://finicade.com/glossary/sec