IOSCO

IOSCO, the International Organization of Securities Commissions, is an international association of national regulators responsible for the supervision of securities markets. Its mission is to promote high regulatory standards to protect investors, ensure fair, efficient, and transparent markets, and reduce systemic risk. IOSCO develops international standards, guidance, and best practices for securities regulation and cross-border market activity, and it supports regulators in implementing these standards through technical assistance and collaboration.

Founded in 1983 as an umbrella organization for national securities regulators, IOSCO brings together market authorities from jurisdictions around the world. It operates through a Technical Committee, policy committees, and various task forces that work on topics such as corporate governance, accounting and auditing, enforcement, market conduct, derivatives, and market infrastructure. A key mechanism is cross-border cooperation in enforcement and information sharing, organized under agreements such as the Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding.

IOSCO also coordinates with other international bodies, including the Financial Stability Board, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, to align standards with broader financial stability objectives. The organization publishes standards and guidance, and conducts assessments of member compliance to promote consistent implementation.

Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, IOSCO maintains regional groups and a global secretariat that facilitates research, outreach, and capacity-building for regulators in developed and emerging markets alike. Its work is widely used by regulators, market participants, and international institutions as a reference for securities regulation.