Amplitude Script Amplitude Script
Boutique investment banks

The Broker-Dealer for Boutique Investment Banks

Finalis provides the FINRA-registered broker-dealer infrastructure, outsourced compliance support, and deal platform that boutique investment banks need to run a compliant practice. You maintain your brand and deal sourcing; we handle the infrastructure.

Meet With Us

What Boutique Investment Banks Actually Need From a Broker-Dealer

Boutique investment banks operate with lean teams. Partners have to focus on sourcing, executing, and closing deals. Building an in-house compliance operation on top of that means hiring, regulatory overhead, and capital requirements that exist to satisfy rules, not to serve clients.

Most boutique firms find the better path is affiliation and outsourced compliance.

Affiliating with a FINRA-registered broker-dealer gives your practice the regulatory infrastructure it requires. Without forming a separate entity, maintaining net capital, or hiring a compliance staff you have to manage.

Finalis was built for independent investment banking deal practices.
Connect with Finalis

Broker-Dealer Infrastructure Purpose-Built for Deal Professionals

Broker-Dealer Affiliation
Finalis Securities is a FINRA-registered broker-dealer. Boutique investment banks affiliate by registering as representatives under Finalis Securities. This gives your practice FINRA registration, compliance oversight, and the regulatory framework required to conduct securities transactions. Over 420 boutiques have gone through this process and are now operating without building their own broker-dealer.
Series 79 and Series 82 Sponsorship
Finalis sponsors FINRA registration for affiliated members, including the Series 79 for investment bankers and the Series 82 for placement agents conducting private placements. Support through the examination and registration process is available for professionals entering or expanding in the field.
Compliance Infrastructure
The Finalis platform is built around the compliance requirements boutique investment banks carry. Deal review and pre-approval, AML and KYC processes, supervisory procedures, and books and records requirements are built into one deal workflow.

Engagement letters are reviewed using AI-assisted tools that flag issues before they reach compliance, catching common errors at the draft stage. Compliance documentation and deal documentation are built simultaneously, as the deal moves.
Deal Platform
The Finalis platform covers the full deal lifecycle: deal submission, compliance review, engagement letter management, a purpose-built virtual data room, and transaction documentation.

Built for M&A and private placement deal workflows, with a team of compliance experts and a dedicated Customer Success Manager to support you every day.
Global Access: 15a-6 Chaperoning
Boutique investment banks with cross-border transaction activity can access U.S. markets through SEC Rule 15a-6 chaperoning. Finalis provides chaperoning services for foreign firms and advisors seeking compliant access to U.S. investors.
Your Brand. Your Business.
Your firm keeps its name, brand, client relationships, and market positioning. Boutique investment banks register as representatives under Finalis Securities for regulatory purposes and go to market entirely under their own identity. Finalis operates as the regulatory infrastructure in the background.
Full Regulatory Coverage
Finalis Securities holds FINRA registration and operates in compliance with SEC requirements across all 50 U.S. states and territories. Affiliated members operate under that regulatory coverage, with Finalis managing filings, supervisory procedures, and compliance policies on their behalf.

“The broader Finalis community is powerful. Finalis has basically created a collaboration space for individual firms, which gives us the collective power and resources of a much larger institution.”

Yixin (Shing) Pan
XTVue, Inc.
The listed firm is a current client of Finalis Securities and was not compensated for its statement.

A Network Built for Deal Volume

With 900+ affiliated members across M&A, capital raising, private placements, and sector-specific advisory practices, the Finalis network brings together active independent deal professionals working through a single broker-dealer platform.

That matters when you need co-advisors, referral relationships, or syndication partners on a live transaction.

In 2025, Finalis members closed $122M* in total success fees across M&A and private placement transactions. These are active deal professionals running live mandates, which means real co-advisory and referral capacity exists across the network.

*Calculated July 29, 2026. Gross success fees are earned by Finalis Members for deals closed on the Finalis Platform in the defined period (without subtracting FINRA/SIPC and Finalis fees).

Frequently asked questions

What is FINRA sponsorship and how does it work?

+

FINRA sponsorship is the process by which a registered broker-dealer sponsors an individual or firm to obtain FINRA registration and hold the licenses required to conduct securities transactions. Without a sponsoring BD, investment bankers and placement agents cannot legally earn commissions on securities-related deals in the United States. Finalis acts as the sponsoring BD, managing the registration process and ongoing compliance oversight so members focus on their deals, not the paperwork.

How long does it take to get a broker-dealer license through Finalis?

+

Through Finalis, most members reach active FINRA registration status in a matter of days. Building your own broker-dealer from scratch typically takes 12 to 18 months and requires significant capital, compliance infrastructure, and ongoing regulatory overhead. Affiliating with an established BD like Finalis eliminates that burden entirely and gets you in front of deals faster.

Can I keep my own firm name and brand when affiliating with a broker-dealer?

+

Yes. Finalis members operate under their own firm name and brand identity. Your client relationships, your deal pipeline, and your firm's reputation remain entirely yours. Finalis provides the regulatory infrastructure your practice runs within, not a brand to adopt or a firm to work under.

What does broker-dealer affiliation cost?

+

Broker-dealer affiliation costs vary significantly depending on the provider. Finalis uses a transparent fee structure with no hidden splits or surprise costs. Members pay a subscription fee and a transaction fee on closed deals. There are no setup fees for FINRA registration, and unused subscription credits roll over on qualifying plans.

Do I need a broker-dealer if I qualify for the M&A broker exemption?

+

The SEC's M&A broker exemption allows certain intermediaries to facilitate the purchase or sale of privately-held businesses without full broker-dealer registration, subject to specific conditions. However, BD affiliation provides access to a broader deal scope, institutional credibility, compliance infrastructure, and a professional network that the exemption alone does not offer. Advisors who expect to grow or handle a wider range of transactions typically benefit from BD affiliation even when the exemption technically applies.

Talk to the Team

Boutique investment banks join Finalis to run compliant practices without the overhead of building and maintaining their own broker-dealer. Schedule a conversation to learn how affiliation works and whether it fits your practice.

Schedule a Conversation