Cybersecurity

House Votes to Require SEC Subpoena for Traders’ Source Code

  • The code is a secret sauce that fuels firms’ profits
  • Bill also applies to trading algorithms from hedge funds
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
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The House voted Wednesday to ensure the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission would continue to have to seek a subpoena before accessing proprietary source code from high-frequency traders, the secret sauce that fuels profits.

The bill, passed 271-145, applies to proprietary trading algorithms from broker-dealers, hedge funds, and other SEC-regulated entities. The Senate hasn’t scheduled a vote on the legislation.