About Fidelity

eDelivery Overview

It’s time to update the rules to acknowledge evolving consumer preferences and technology advancements.



Fidelity believes electronic delivery (eDelivery) is the most effective way to communicate with customers of all ages. Current U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules require us to send millions of paper documents annually, inundating customers with paper and negatively impacting the environment. We support the bipartisan Improving Disclosure for Investors Act (S.3815), which was passed by the House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan vote and has been introduced in the Senate. We urge the Senate to pass S.3815 to change the default delivery of investment documents to eDelivery, while preserving the option to receive paper for those who prefer it. It’s time to enhance investor protections and allow customers to receive critical investment information in a more secure, accessible, engaging, and less wasteful manner.

Read the Facts

Why the SEC should modernize its rules.

Politico Focus Index

Check out our sponsored article with Politico on the reasons why eDelivery is the most effective way to access information.

Letter

Read our letter to the House Financial Services Committee on the Improving Disclosure for Investors Act.

Investor Protection


Learn more about 5 important investor protections in the Improving Disclosure for Investors Act.

two people

Advance Notice

Investors will be provided clear and readable disclosures about the transition to eDelivery, well before the transition begins, via paper notification sent by mail.

hands holding paper

Investor Choice

Investors who want to receive paper documents, can always choose to receive documents by mail. They will also receive two annual mailings reminding them of their ability to switch back to paper.

finger clicking document

Easy Access to Change Contact Information

Firms can only send electronic disclosures to investors who have provided their contact information, which they can update at any time.

three people around a gear

Consumer-Friendly Format

Investors will receive their regulatory documents in a timely and user-friendly manner that accommodates their accessibility needs.





Safeguards to Assure Delivery

Firms will establish safeguards to address email “bounce backs” and inoperable digital contact information so that paper documents are sent by mail if a digital contact is not successful.


In The News*

Pensions & Investments

House committee advances bill calling on SEC to allow default e-delivery

InvestmentNews

Automatic e-delivery of investment documents gains bipartisan support

ThinkAdvisor

New Bill Requires SEC to Write E-Delivery Rule

Press Release

Huizenga, Auchincloss, Steil, and Nickel Introduce Bipartisan Improving Disclosure for Investors Act

Pensions & Investments

Electronic disclosure rule has sufficient safeguards, DOL says

U.S Chamber of Commerce

Online and On Point: E-Delivery is a Winner for Investors and Business Alike

InvestmentNews

The SEC’s Adoption of e-Delivery is Well Overdue

InvestmentNews

BlackRock, Schwab, Fidelity press SEC for wider digital delivery of investment documents

*You are now leaving Fidelity.com for a website that is unaffiliated with Fidelity. Fidelity has not been involved in the preparation of the content supplied at the unaffiliated site and does not guarantee or assume any responsibility for its content.


Retirement & Student Debt


Fidelity is actively pursuing public policy solutions that expand access to retirement accounts and increase retirement savings options for all Americans. We are also committed to developing tools and services that help students, borrowers, and the private sector tackle the student debt crisis.


As one of the country's leading retirement service providers, Fidelity advocates for public policies that are practical and workable for employees, employers, and plan service providers. We support enhancements to the private retirement system including the passage of the SECURE 2.0 Act. This law includes important reforms such as allowing employers to make matching retirement contributions if an employee is paying off their student loans, enabling employers to offer emergency savings accounts and making it easier for plan participants to transfer their retirement accounts when they change jobs.

Testimony

Fidelity engages with Congress to share our views on policies that will benefit retirement savers. Click below to read our recent Senate and House testimony.

Letters

Read our Letters to the U.S House and Senate on the Securing a Strong Retirement Act and Enhancing American Retirement Now (EARN) Act.

Innovation

Read about the Pooled Employer Plan (PEP) opportunity, a new way to reduce the retirement coverage gap.

Read the Facts

Learn about the student debt crisis and how Fidelity is tackling it with policymakers.

Research

Check out our recent research on the impacts of student debt.

Our Point of View

Read our POV on student debt and policy recommendations to help borrowers.


Quarterly Retirement Analysis


As one of the country’s leading workplace benefits providers and America’s No. 1 IRA provider, check here to see Fidelity’s latest quarterly analysis of savings behaviors and account balances for more than 45 million IRA, 401(k), and 403(b) retirement accounts.


FINANCIAL MOBILITY


Financial mobility is the ability to climb the economic ladder and achieve upward economic progress. It is especially important for young people who are just starting their financial journey. Fidelity is committed to advancing financial mobility and believes public policy can help pave the way for a more prosperous and promising future for all.



In The News*

Morningstar

Emergency savings is the backbone of any good financial plan. Saving for emergencies soon may be easier

PlanSponsor

Supreme Court Ruling Leaves Student Loan Borrowers Looking for Help

PlanSponsor

With Student Loan Payments Resuming, How Should Plan Sponsors Respond?

PlanSponsor

How Employers Can Address the Nurse Retention Problem

Employee Benefits News

Retirement’s race problem: How employers can bridge the gap

The Washington Post

401(k) balances are up, but the number of millionaires is down

Investment News

House approves SECURE 2.0 with strong bipartisan vote

Plansponsor

EARN Act Clears Senate Finance Committee

*You are now leaving Fidelity.com for a website that is unaffiliated with Fidelity. Fidelity has not been involved in the preparation of the content supplied at the unaffiliated site and does not guarantee or assume any responsibility for its content.


Digital Assets

Fidelity believes blockchain technology and digital assets will represent a large part of the financial industry's future.


We began exploring blockchain and digital assets in 2014 with a focus on research and development. Our digital assets ecosystem now offers an expanding digital assets product portfolio to increase customer access and choice.


Fidelity supports the development of a comprehensive and coordinated regulatory regime for digital assets that enables innovation while providing strong investor protections. We are committed to working with policymakers and regulators to support the growing digital assets industry.

Education and Resources

We provide resources to help investors better understand cryptocurrencies.

Letter

Read the letter Fidelity and others in the industry sent to the EPA on Bitcoin and Digital Asset Mining.

Letter

Read our letter to the Department of Labor regarding Compliance Assistance Release No. 2022-01 – 401(k) Plan Investments in “Cryptocurrencies” (CAR).

Letter

Read the letter Fidelity Digital AssetsSM sent to the U.S. Senate Banking Committee related to the laws and regulations around the rapidly developing cryptocurrency and blockchain technology ecosystem.

Institutional Research

Fidelity Digital AssetsSM serves institutional investors through its digital asset custody and trade execution platform and asset management arm. Read their recent research and insights.


Digital Assets Principles


We believe that digital assets laws, regulations or rules must be governed by principles that ensure a level playing field and that help the United States remain a competitive market for new technologies to flourish. Fidelity’s four digital assets principles are:

Icon of leaf over hand

Digital Assets will fundamentally transform the financial service industry.

These technologies have moved beyond single use cases as a payment mechanism or store of value and are part of a diverse ecosystem of digital assets that take many forms.

 class=

Regulators have grappled with how to appropriately adapt or apply existing regulatory structures to digital assets.

The time has come for regulators to recognize that digital assets are a unique and diverse asset class not completely captured by existing definitions and categories and adjust the regulatory framework accordingly.

icon of paper with table

Regulators need to provide clear, consistent, and timely guidance that removes barriers to entry and adoption created by uncertainty and allows new participants and incumbent firms to innovate and compete on equal footing, including clarity and consistency across regulators and jurisdictions.

Digital asset technologies offer meaningful, market enhancing benefits such as real-time settlement, transparency, immutable transactions and frictionless payments. New regulations are needed to address the unique aspects of digital assets that current securities, commodities and banking regulations do not address.

Icon of maxed-out gauge

Fidelity supports strong and swift regulatory action against bad actors in this space, which will instill confidence in the digital assets market and protect investors.

Policing the digital assets space for fraud will instill greater confidence in mature and legitimate assets like bitcoin. We are committed to facilitating the adoption of and compliance with meaningful digital assets anti-money laundering regulations.


Investment Advice


Fidelity believes investment advice should be tailored to support an investor’s best interests while allowing savers continued choice and access to the products and services they need and want. We support the SEC’s Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), which provides a strong and workable standard of conduct for broker-dealers and believe states should assess the impact of Reg BI before creating state-specific standards.

Read the Facts

How a national standard (the SEC's Reg BI) is best for investors and allows them to choose and access the products and services they need.

Our Point of View

Our POV on investment advice and the benefits of the SEC's Reg BI.

Testimony

Check out our public testimony on the initial Massachusetts Fiduciary proposal.

REGULATION BEST INTEREST

two people

Puts Customers First

Fidelity is committed to putting the interests of our customers first. Reg BI is consistent with this commitment because it obligates brokers to act in the best interest of the retail customer without placing the “financial or other interest of the broker-dealer” ahead of the interest of the retail customer.

hands holding paper

Raised the Bar For The Industry

Reg BI contains a series of obligations for brokers that clearly strengthen and enhance existing investor protections. The rule requires brokers to disclose all material facts relating to conflicts of interest associated with a recommendation, such as a conflict associated with how a broker is compensated, and the fees and costs the customer may pay related to a security. In addition, brokers must consider the costs of a security and the reasonably available alternatives.

customer choice

Preserves Customer Choice

The SEC’s standard is designed to strengthen retail customer protections, but preserve the ability of customers to choose the type of relationship and products that meet the needs of the retail customer. The retail customer is free to choose a relationship with a broker—brokers provide transaction-based services and are paid on a commission basis—or an adviser—advisers provide ongoing financial planning and account monitoring and are paid a fee based on the amount of customer assets managed.

align rules

Strengthens and Aligns Rules

The adoption of Reg BI means that both brokers and advisers are required to provide recommendations or advice that is in the best interest of customers and puts the financial interests of customers first.

Supports Strong Enforcement

Enforcement of Reg BI focuses on whether a broker fulfilled each new obligation of Reg BI and put customer interests first. In addition, brokers are required to implement written policies and procedures to ensure that conflicts are identified in addition to policies, procedures, and employee training designed to maintain compliance with Reg BI.


In the News*

InvestmentNews

SIFMA Wants New SEC to Give Reg BI Time to Work

Kiplinger

Investors Win with New SEC 'Best Interest' Rules on Brokers

The Wall Street Journal

Fiduciary Rule Fixer-Upper

*You are now leaving Fidelity.com for a website that is unaffiliated with Fidelity. Fidelity has not been involved in the preparation of the content supplied at the unaffiliated site and does not guarantee or assume any responsibility for its content.


MONEY MARKET FUNDS


Reforms must be narrowly tailored to address liquidity pressures in Institutional Prime Funds.


Since 1974, Fidelity has served as a leading provider of money market funds (MMFs) and has extensive experience managing funds in both normal and stressed market conditions. Money market funds can provide significant benefits to investors small and large, the short-term funding markets and the broader economy, and they can be attractive investments due to their convenience, high credit quality, and liquidity. Click below to read our views on proposed reforms.



MORE POLICY ISSUES

SRO Reform

Fidelity believes SRO reform is a critically important topic for Congress to address because it impacts key structures in the U.S. equity markets in which millions of Americans invest. We submitted a Statement for the Record to the House Financial Services Committee.

Financial Literacy Education

Support for financial education is a building block for stronger communities and our country. That’s why we support a year-round approach to financial literacy education.

Liquidity Risk Management and Swing Pricing Proposal

With Fidelity's experience supporting mutual funds and fund shareholders, we continue to strongly oppose swing pricing and instituting a hard close. Our comment letter outlines why we do not believe that the SEC's proposal is necessary.

Equity Market Structure

Fidelity believes that the U.S. equity markets are fundamentally strong and resilient. In our comment letter, we suggest the SEC pursue a phased approach to market structure reform by first implementing Rule 605 changes, then using these metrics to evaluate the need for additional reforms.

Predictive Data Analytics

As a digital first company, Fidelity believes that the SEC's proposed rules are unnecessary and will harm investors by stifling innovation, as well as limiting access to financial tools and information. We submitted a comment letter that details our concerns.

FSOC Designation of Nonbank Financial Companies

The Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) plays an important role identifying and assessing emerging threats to U.S. financial stability mission. However, a renewed emphasis on entity designation is inefficient, ineffective and would harm customers and markets. We submitted a comment letter on the FSOC’s proposed interpretive guidance.