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The Twilight Zone: OTC Regulatory Regimes and Market Quality

Author

Listed:
  • Ulf Brüggemann
  • Aditya Kaul
  • Christian Leuz
  • Ingrid M. Werner

Abstract

We analyze a comprehensive sample of more than 10,000 U.S. OTC stocks. We provide much needed descriptive evidence on this market and show that the OTC market is a large, diverse, and dynamic trading environment with a rich set of regulatory and disclosure regimes, comprising venue rules and state laws beyond SEC regulation. We also exploit the institutional richness of the OTC market and analyze two key dimensions of market quality, liquidity and crash risk, across firms and regulatory regimes. We find that OTC firms that are subject to stricter regulatory regimes and disclosure requirements have higher market quality (higher liquidity and lower crash risk). Our analysis points to an important trade-off in regulating the OTC market and protecting investors: Lowering regulatory requirements (e.g., for disclosure) reduces the compliance burden for smaller firms, but also reduces market quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Ulf Brüggemann & Aditya Kaul & Christian Leuz & Ingrid M. Werner, 2013. "The Twilight Zone: OTC Regulatory Regimes and Market Quality," NBER Working Papers 19358, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:19358
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    8. Leuz, Christian & Triantis, Alexander & Yue Wang, Tracy, 2008. "Why do firms go dark? Causes and economic consequences of voluntary SEC deregistrations," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(2-3), pages 181-208, August.
    9. Jonathan Macey & Maureen O'Hara & David Pompilio, 2008. "Down and Out in the Stock Market: The Law and Economics of the Delisting Process," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 51(4), pages 683-713, November.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Gandal, Neil & Hamrick, JT & Moore, Tyler & Oberman, Tali, 2018. "Price manipulation in the Bitcoin ecosystem," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 86-96.
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    4. Han, Song & Huang, Alan Guoming & Kalimipalli, Madhu & Wang, Ke, 2022. "Information and liquidity of over-the-counter securities: Evidence from public registration of Rule 144A bonds," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 59(PB).
    5. Song Han & Alan G. Huang & Madhu Kalimipalli & Ke Wang, 2018. "Information and Liquidity of OTC Securities : Evidence from Public Registration of Rule 144A Bonds," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2018-061, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    6. Ryan Davis & Todd Griffith & Brian Roseman & Serhat Yildiz, 2021. "The effects of exchange listing on market quality: Evidence from over‐the‐counter uplistings," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 56(4), pages 645-669, November.
    7. Pastwa, Anna M. & Shrestha, Prabal & Thewissen, James & Torsin, Wouter, 2021. "Unpacking the black box of ICO white papers: a topic modeling approach," LIDAM Discussion Papers LFIN 2021018, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain Finance (LFIN).
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    9. Don M. Autore & Nicholas Clarke & Danling Jiang, 2021. "Blockchain speculation or value creation? Evidence from corporate investments," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 50(3), pages 727-746, September.
    10. Davis, Ryan & Griffith, Todd & Van Ness, Bonnie & Van Ness, Robert, 2023. "Modern OTC market structure and liquidity: The tale of three tiers," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
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    13. Aspris, Angelo & Foley, Sean & Svec, Jiri & Wang, Leqi, 2021. "Decentralized exchanges: The “wild west” of cryptocurrency trading," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation
    • K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Business and Securities Law
    • M13 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - New Firms; Startups
    • M4 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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