?? Why are <25k firms closing? I didn't catch an actual reason other than SEC paranoia... The arcades have nothing to do with banks or retail brokerage companies. If the CBOE makes traders take an exam, so be it, it's not the end of the world. It is an absolute joke though. People trading their own money should not have to take a test about ethics and clients.
it's just another way for these gov't bureacracies to make money. finra gets fees.. SEC gets fees exchange fees etc. if you dont' like the fees don't trade...and don't take the exam. that is the free market..nobody is force to trade...nobody has to trade or participate in teh market. but you have to understand the exchanges are a business...market participants are customers.. if you don't like the exchange rules,don't trade at the exhange.