What changes when you become a professional investor?

The suitability and appropriateness principles and the duty to explain, which apply to general investors, do not apply to professional investors (the prohibition on unfair solicitation still applies).

On the other hand, professional investors are excluded from the count of solicited persons when determining whether an offering is public or private, and their investment opportunities widen, for example by being able to take part in products and markets reserved for professional investors. Keep in mind that as protections decrease, your responsibility for your investment decisions increases.