With Proxy Season fast approaching, companies face increasing pressure from key stakeholders to adopt and maintain strong governance practices. For businesses, the proxy statement remains a vital tool for communicating these governance policies and addressing key issues and concerns.

Companies headquartered outside the US can list securities for sale on US exchanges with certain preconditions. One of these is filing a Form F-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The form F-3 is intended to capture information for US investors about a foreign company that they would otherwise have access to if it were a domestic company, namely basic information about company finances and governance.

One of the most common SEC filings that publicly traded companies make is Form 10, which is a type of registration statement companies must file in order to be classified as a reporting company under the Exchange Act. There are several scenarios in which a company might choose to do this, such as restructuring, selling off a subdivision or registering a class of securities for trading purposes. From a compliance point of view, Form 10 requires companies to disclose key pieces of information for reasons of investor protection and transparency.

2025: A Look at What’s Ahead in Capital Markets, Regulatory Compliance, and Cybersecurity Series

Shaped by a new presidential administration, economic shifts, and technological advancements, 2025 marks a transformative year, with significant changes expected across mergers and acquisitions (M&A), IPO activity, regulatory compliance, and cybersecurity.

2025: A Look at What’s Ahead in Capital Markets, Regulatory Compliance, and Cybersecurity Series

The regulatory environment for 2025 is being shaped by shifting policies under a new presidential administration and evolving global frameworks. As companies navigate these, understanding the compliance trends and preparing for potential changes will be critical to their success.

2025: A Look at What’s Ahead in Capital Markets, Regulatory Compliance, and Cybersecurity Series

Cybersecurity continues to be a critical focus for companies in 2025, with emerging threats such as AI-driven cybercrime and supply chain vulnerabilities testing organizational resilience.

Digital transformation in accounting is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Businesses and accounting professionals are embracing digital tools and advanced technologies to streamline processes, enhance accuracy, and meet growing regulatory demands. As the accounting sector shifts from manual, spreadsheet-driven tasks to automated, software-enabled workflows, the future of financial reporting is being redefined.

"Q4 started off strong with ten $50 million+ offerings in October—the busiest month for offerings this size since November 2021. Silent night was the theme for the remainder of the quarter as companies continued to push their IPO timelines. There is optimism the market will fully normalize in the new year, and we see a significant break in the IPO backlog." Craig Clay, President of Global Capital Markets, DFIN

Financial reports are extremely important for internal decision-making and from a compliance perspective. Reports help teams make informed decisions about business opportunities, evaluate financial performance and chart a course forward. Yet the financial reporting process is generally thought of as complex and time-consuming.

Private companies are not held to the same SEC requirements as publicly traded companies.