Federal and state laws govern how the financial markets protect investors and consumers, and promote financial stability. Read Investopedia's expert-written library to learn more. 

A crowd of people gather in front of a bank during the market crash of 1929.
Securities Act of 1933: Significance and History
Midsection of Judge and Client Sitting at Table in Office
Blue Sky Laws: Definition, Purpose, How They're Regulated
Dodd-Frank Act: Legislation to make the U.S. financial system safer and prevent a repeat of the excessive risk-taking that led to the 2007–2008 financial crisis.
Dodd-Frank Act: What It Does, Major Components♊, and Criticisms
FSLA book with hand touching it
Fair La𓆏bor Standards Act (FLSA): Overview and History
Putting Numbers Into Perspective
Emergency🐠 Banking Act of 1933: Definition, Purpose, Importance
Copyright Protection
Copyright: Definition, Types, and How It Works
Middle-aged African American couple discussing retirement plans with financial advisor.
ꦕInvestment Advisers Act of 1940:ꦡ Definition and Overview
Investment Company Act of 1940: An act of Congress that regulates the formation of investment companies and the activities they engage in.
Investment Company Act of 1940 Definition
Sherman Antitrust Act: A landmark U.S. law passed in 1890 that prohibited the formation of trusts, monopolies, and cartels to increase economic competitiveness.
Sherman Antitrust Acﷺt: Definition, History, and What It Does
Financial CHOICE Act
Financial CHOICE Act: What It Is and How It Works
Usury key -- computer keyboard
What Are Usury Laws?
David Dubinsky gives a speech against the Hartley-Taft bill, with Luigi Antonini in the audience, May 4, 1947
What Is the Taft-Hartley Act?
Budget Control Act (BCA)
What Is the Budget Control Act (BCA)?
Tort Law
꧑Tort Law: What It Is and How It Works, With Examples
Exterior of the US Federal Reserve Building in Washington DC
Competition in Contracting Act (CICA)ไ: What It is,ꦅ How It Works
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: What It Is, How It Works, Rami🦂fications
Financial services, viewing financial markets for investing
Nation♎al Securities Markets Improveಞment Act (NSMIA) Overview
Curved skyscraper against blue sky
Uniform Securities Act: What it is, How it's Applied
Young man looking at a tablet in front of a computer screen and laptop showing financial information
American Recovery and🎐 Reinvestment Act (ARRA): Definition and Com൩ponents
Judge Gavel With Justice Lawyers Having Team Meeting at Law Firm in Background
Fam🐽ily and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): What Y♐ou Need to Know
Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act Of 🌼1976 Overview
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the 1964 Civil Rights Act as Martin Luther King, Jr., and others, look on.
What Is the Civil Rights Act of 1964? What's Included and History
Monthly mortgage insurance provided is required on all FHA loans.
Nat♔ional Housing Act: Overview, Impact, Criticisms
US Silver Dollars on Black Background
Crime of 1873
Staff in cubicles at call center making calls
Telecommunications Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA🐼)
A sign for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission headquarters
Investor Protection Act: What It Is and How🃏 It ꦓWorks
Businessperson presenting ideas at whiteboard
Uniform Partnership Act (UPA):🅠 Key Concepts and FAQs
Consumer Credit Protection Act of 1968 (CCPA)
US Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act ﷽(EESA) of 2008
Man's hand holding a mobile phone which displays a stock chart.
STOCK Act: Meaning, Overview, Criticisms
Historical photo of a bank run in New York
Diamond-Dybvig Model: Theory of Bank Runs
A man walks past five foreclosed homes in Chicago on July 21, 2010.
Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA): Ove🦂rview, History🌱, FAQ
Private Securities Litigationℱ Reform Act (PSLRA) 🔯Overview
Insider Trading Act of 1988
McFadden Act
McFadden Act: What It Is, How It Works, an❀d Criticism
United States Capitol Building
Employment Act Of 1946: What It Is, How It🍌 Works, History
Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996
Small Business Job Protect🃏ion Act of 1996: Overview
Monetary Accord of 1951
Monetary Accord of 1951: Meaning and History
Water Quality Improvement Act Of 1970
Water Quality Improvement Act of 1970: Overview
handicap
Americans wi🍌th Disabilities🅠 Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA)
Older, Gray-Haired Woman in Navy and White Polka-Dot Top Sitting at Conference Table With Two Younger Workers
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Urban Development Act Of 1970
Urban Development Act of 1970: What It is, Histo💙ry
Warehouse workers rush to help a fellow employee who was injured while using a pallet jack in a warehouse.
Unif🎶orm Individual Accident and Sickne💧ss Policy Provisions Act
People walk past the he Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) headquarters in Washington, DC.
Financial Regulatꦡions: Glass-Steagall to Dodd-Frank