What is the primary use of the National Registration Database (NRD)?

• A. To track securities trading activity
• B. To facilitate electronic filing of registration forms
• C. To monitor investment performance
• D. To standardize investment advice across the industry

Answer: (B)

The primary use of the National Registration Database (NRD) is to facilitate electronic filing of registration forms. This streamlined process allows individuals and firms to easily register with the appropriate regulatory authorities, ensuring compliance with securities regulations. By centralizing the registration process within a digital framework, it enhances efficiency, reduces paperwork, and simplifies the tracking of registration information.

In contrast, while other options might seem relevant to financial services, they do not accurately represent the main purpose of the NRD. For example, tracking securities trading activity is a function typically associated with market surveillance mechanisms rather than the registration process. Monitoring investment performance pertains more to investment funds and portfolios, and standardizing investment advice across the industry is a broader regulatory goal that does not specifically relate to the registration functions of the NRD. Thus, the focus on electronic filing underscores the NRD’s crucial role in the registration landscape of the securities industry.