The Center for Financial Services at Lehigh University is hosting a concentrated slate of events that connect academia, regulators, and industry practitioners. This summary highlights the most consequential gatherings listed by the center, including the 13th Annual Conference on Financial Market Regulation and an evening symposium focused on artificial intelligence. It also flags logistics—venues, registration windows, and RSVP deadlines—so professionals, researchers, and students can plan participation effectively. Note that the CFA Institute’s Enterprising Investor is moving to the CFA Institute Research and Policy Center (RPC) on March 23, an organizational update relevant to readers who follow institutional research outlets.
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Flagship regulatory conference: CFMR 2026
The 13th Annual Conference on Financial Market Regulation (CFMR 2026) will convene at the SEC Headquarters on May 7-8, 2026, with sessions designed to bridge regulatory priorities and scholarly insights. Organized by the SEC Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA), Lehigh’s Center for Financial Services, and the University of Virginia’s Richard A. Mayo Center for Asset Management, the conference aims to foster dialogue across government, industry, and academia. Topics typically span market structure, enforcement policy, and the practical effects of regulation on trading and disclosure. Registration is open from March 1 – May 1, 2026, and prospective attendees should plan travel and accommodation early given the Washington, DC venue.
Why CFMR matters
CFMR functions as a forum for rigorous debate about real-world regulatory challenges. By pairing researchers with SEC staff and industry experts, the event surfaces evidence-based perspectives on subjects like market liquidity, institutional trading behavior, and crypto market dynamics. For practitioners looking to track policy shifts or researchers seeking actionable feedback, CFMR provides an environment where empirical studies meet regulatory application. Expect sessions that balance theoretical advances with policy relevance, and prepare to engage with presenters and discussants who specialize in financial market design.
Annual CFS Symposium: AI in financial services
On Thursday, March 19, 2026, Lehigh’s Center for Financial Services will host an evening symposium at Neuberger Berman, 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, centered on the theme “Financial Services Reimagined: Competing and Leading in the Age of AI.” The program explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping client engagement, risk pricing, portfolio construction, and operations. A panel of industry leaders will present enterprise use cases and discuss the shifting boundary between human judgment and algorithmic decision-making. The agenda includes a panel and audience Q&A followed by a cocktail networking reception sponsored by Two Sigma. The event cost is $60, and attendees were asked to RSVP by March 17.
Key themes at the symposium
Speakers and moderators will unpack several recurring themes: the transition from pilot projects to enterprise-scale deployment, governance and accountability where humans and machines collaborate, and the talent and cultural shifts needed in AI-driven firms. These discussions aim to translate technical advances in machine learning into practical guidance for wealth managers, asset managers, and operations leaders. The symposium emphasizes cross-cutting questions about model oversight, data governance, and the evolving skill sets that define tomorrow’s financial services workforce.
Blockchain, private markets and historical programming
Lehigh’s programming has also included focused sessions on blockchain and private markets. Past events—such as a blockchain seminar featuring Paul Brody on May 5, 2026, and private markets panels in 2026—demonstrate an ongoing interest in infrastructure-level innovations and investor access. These gatherings aim to reframe crypto and distributed ledger technology as components of financial plumbing rather than only speculative assets, highlighting use cases from supply chain integration to audit automation. The center’s historical programs (2026–2026) further show a pattern of convening practitioners and academics on timely topics, from antitrust and innovation to quant methods and risk management.
How to participate and logistics
Registration windows and fees
Practical participation begins with registration: for CFMR 2026, registration is open from March 1 – May 1, 2026, while the March 19 symposium required an RSVP by March 17. Fees, when listed, are modest and typically cover venue costs and networking receptions. Attendees should verify location details—CFMR at SEC Headquarters, 100 F St NE, Washington, DC, and the symposium at Neuberger Berman in New York—and confirm any travel or security requirements for federal facilities. For academics and policy professionals, these events offer concentrated opportunities to present work, receive critique, and build cross-sector relationships.
To stay current with scheduling and additional programming, follow the Center for Financial Services calendar and affiliated hosts. And remember the media update: the CFA Institute’s Enterprising Investor is moving to the CFA Institute Research and Policy Center (RPC) on March 23, a development that may centralize related research content. Whether your focus is financial market regulation, AI in finance, or blockchain-enabled infrastructure, Lehigh’s events present practical venues to engage with peers and policymakers.