Public Law 119-102 (07/12/2026)

15 U.S.C. § 80b–5

Investment advisory contracts

Section text and notes

(a)

Compensation, assignment, and partnership-membership provisions

No investment adviser registered or required to be registered with the Commission shall enter into, extend, or renew any investment advisory contract, or in any way perform any investment advisory contract entered into, extended, or renewed on or after , if such contract—
(1)
provides for compensation to the investment adviser on the basis of a share of capital gains upon or capital appreciation of the funds or any portion of the funds of the client;
(2)
fails to provide, in substance, that no assignment of such contract shall be made by the investment adviser without the consent of the other party to the contract; or
(3)
fails to provide, in substance, that the investment adviser, if a partnership, will notify the other party to the contract of any change in the membership of such partnership within a reasonable time after such change.
(b)

Compensation prohibition inapplicable to certain compensation computations

Paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall not—
(1)
be construed to prohibit an investment advisory contract which provides for compensation based upon the total value of a fund averaged over a definite period, or as of definite dates, or taken as of a definite date;
(2)
apply to an investment advisory contract with—
(A)
an investment company registered under subchapter I of this chapter, or
(B)
section 80a–3(c)(11) of this title any other person (except a trust, governmental plan, collective trust fund, or separate account referred to in ), provided that the contract relates to the investment of assets in excess of $1 million,
if the contract provides for compensation based on the asset value of the company or fund under management averaged over a specified period and increasing and decreasing proportionately with the investment performance of the company or fund over a specified period in relation to the investment record of an appropriate index of securities prices or such other measure of investment performance as the Commission by rule, regulation, or order may specify;
(3)
section 80a–60(a)(4)(B)(iii) of this titlesection 80a–60(a)(4)(B) of this titlesection 80a–56(n) of this title apply with respect to any investment advisory contract between an investment adviser and a business development company, as defined in this subchapter, if (A) the compensation provided for in such contract does not exceed 20 per centum of the realized capital gains upon the funds of the business development company over a specified period or as of definite dates, computed net of all realized capital losses and unrealized capital depreciation, and the condition of is satisfied, and (B) the business development company does not have outstanding any option, warrant, or right issued pursuant to and does not have a profit-sharing plan described in ;
(4)
section 80a–3(c)(7) of this title apply to an investment advisory contract with a company excepted from the definition of an investment company under ; or
(5)
apply to an investment advisory contract with a person who is not a resident of the United States.
(c)

Measurement of changes in compensation

For purposes of paragraph (2) of subsection (b), the point from which increases and decreases in compensation are measured shall be the fee which is paid or earned when the investment performance of such company or fund is equivalent to that of the index or other measure of performance, and an index of securities prices shall be deemed appropriate unless the Commission by order shall determine otherwise.

(d)

“Investment advisory contract” defined

As used in paragraphs (2) and (3) of subsection (a), “investment advisory contract” means any contract or agreement whereby a person agrees to act as investment adviser to or to manage any investment or trading account of another person other than an investment company registered under subchapter I of this chapter.

(e)

Exempt persons and transactions

The Commission, by rule or regulation, upon its own motion, or by order upon application, may conditionally or unconditionally exempt any person or transaction, or any class or classes of persons or transactions, from subsection (a)(1), if and to the extent that the exemption relates to an investment advisory contract with any person that the Commission determines does not need the protections of subsection (a)(1), on the basis of such factors as financial sophistication, net worth, knowledge of and experience in financial matters, amount of assets under management, relationship with a registered investment adviser, and such other factors as the Commission determines are consistent with this section. With respect to any factor used in any rule or regulation by the Commission in making a determination under this subsection, if the Commission uses a dollar amount test in connection with such factor, such as a net asset threshold, the Commission shall, by order, not later than 1 year after , and every 5 years thereafter, adjust for the effects of inflation on such test. Any such adjustment that is not a multiple of $100,000 shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100,000.

(f)

Authority to restrict mandatory pre-dispute arbitration

The Commission, by rule, may prohibit, or impose conditions or limitations on the use of, agreements that require customers or clients of any investment adviser to arbitrate any future dispute between them arising under the Federal securities laws, the rules and regulations thereunder, or the rules of a self-regulatory organization if it finds that such prohibition, imposition of conditions, or limitations are in the public interest and for the protection of investors.

Aug. 22, 1940, ch. 686 54 Stat. 852 Pub. L. 86–750, § 774 Stat. 887 Pub. L. 91–547, § 2584 Stat. 1432 Pub. L. 96–477, title II, § 20394 Stat. 2290 Pub. L. 100–181, title VII, § 703101 Stat. 1263 Pub. L. 104–290, title II, § 210110 Stat. 3436 Pub. L. 111–203, title IV, § 418124 Stat. 1579 Pub. L. 115–141, div. S, title VIII, § 802(b)(1)132 Stat. 1140 (, title II, § 205, ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , title IX, §§ 921(b), 928, , , 1841, 1852; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–141section 80a–60(a)(4)(B)(iii) of this titlesection 80a–60(a)(3)(B)(iii) of this titlesection 80a–60(a)(4)(B) of this titlesection 80a–60(a)(3)(B) of this title2018—Subsec. (b)(3). substituted “” for “” and “” for “”.

Pub. L. 111–203, § 928section 80b–3(b) of this title2010—Subsec. (a). , in introductory provisions, substituted “registered or required to be registered with the Commission” for “, unless exempt from registration pursuant to ,” and struck out “make use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce, directly or indirectly, to” after “shall” and “to” after “in any way”.

Pub. L. 111–203, § 418Subsec. (e). , inserted at end “With respect to any factor used in any rule or regulation by the Commission in making a determination under this subsection, if the Commission uses a dollar amount test in connection with such factor, such as a net asset threshold, the Commission shall, by order, not later than 1 year after , and every 5 years thereafter, adjust for the effects of inflation on such test. Any such adjustment that is not a multiple of $100,000 shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $100,000.”

Pub. L. 111–203, § 921(b)Subsec. (f). , added subsec. (f).

Pub. L. 104–290, § 210(1)1996—Subsec. (b)(4), (5). , added pars. (4) and (5).

Pub. L. 104–290, § 210(2)Subsec. (e). , added subsec. (e).

Pub. L. 100–1811987— completely revised and expanded provisions on investment advisory contracts, changing structure of section from a single unlettered paragraph to one consisting of four subsections lettered (a) to (d).

Pub. L. 96–477section 80a–60(a)(3)(B) of this title1980— provided that par. (1) of this section was not to apply with respect to any investment advisory contract between an investment adviser and a business development company so long as the compensation provided for in such contract did not exceed 20 per cent of the realized capital gains upon the funds of the business development company and such business development company did not have outstanding any option, warrant, or right issued pursuant to and did not have a profit-sharing plan.

Pub. L. 91–5471970— substituted reference to section “80b–3(b)” for “80b–3” of this title in first sentence, redesignated as second sentence former third sentence, designating existing provisions as cl. (A) and adding cl. (B) and items (i) and (ii) and provision respecting compensation based on asset value of company or fund under management averaged over a specified period in relation to investment record of an index of securities or such other measure of investment performance specified by Commission rules, regulations, or orders, inserted third sentence provision respecting point from which compensation is to be measured, substituted in fourth, formerly third, sentence “paragraphs (2) and (3) of this section” for “this section” and in definition of “investment advisory contract” the words “account of another person other than an investment company registered under subchapter I of this chapter” for “account for a person other than an investment company”.

Pub. L. 86–7501960— substituted “unless exempt from registration pursuant to” for “registered under”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2010 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–203section 4 of Pub. L. 111–203section 5301 of Title 12Amendment by sections 921(b) and 928 of effective 1 day after , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Banks and Banking.

section 418 of Pub. L. 111–203section 419 of Pub. L. 111–203section 80b–2 of this titleAmendment by effective 1 year after , except that any investment adviser may, at the discretion of the investment adviser, register with the Commission under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 during that 1-year period, subject to the rules of the Commission, and except as otherwise provided, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

Pub. L. 91–547section 30(1) of Pub. L. 91–547section 80a–52 of this titleAmendment by effective on expiration of one year after , see , set out as a note under .

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

64 Stat. 1265 section 78d of this titleFor transfer of functions of Securities and Exchange Commission, with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg. Plan No. 10 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. , 15 F.R. 3175, , set out under .