North American Securities Administrators Association
The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), founded in Kansas in 1919, is the oldest international investor protection organization. NASAA is an association of state securities administrators who are charged with the responsibility to protect consumers who purchase securities or investment advice. NASAA's membership consists of 67 administrators from the territories, districts, and states of the United States, from Mexico, and from the provinces of Canada.
In the United States, NASAA is the voice of state securities agencies responsible for efficient capital formation and grassroots investor protection. NASAA's fundamental mission is protecting consumers who purchase securities or investment advice, and its jurisdiction extends to a wide variety of issuers and intermediaries who offer and sell securities to the public.
Through the association, NASAA members participate in multi-state enforcement actions and information sharing. NASAA also coordinates and implements training programs and education seminars for state, district, provincial, and territorial securities agency staff. The Uniform Securities Agent State Law Exam is written and administered by NASAA.
Representative of the nature of its activities are its frequent warnings regarding investment fraud,[1] its focus on the tax advantages of college plans,[2] and its involvement in naked short selling litigation aimed at the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation.[3]