December 30, 2020 @ 3:13 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued “compliance assistance sandbox” (CAS) approval for PayActiv regarding its “earned wage access” (EWA) products.  EWA products allow employees access to their earned but unpaid wages prior to payday. A Public Benefit Company, Payactiv can help employees access… Read More

December 30, 2020 @ 11:56 am By JD Alois  |  

The government of Singapore has published a document covering the risk of terrorism financing (TF) and financial services. The report was compiled by a consortium of agencies including the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Finance. To quote the… Read More

December 30, 2020 @ 10:45 am By JD Alois  |  

SolidBlock and INX Ltd. have announced plans to list SolidBlock’s real estate backed security tokens on the INX trading platform. INX is a digital asset trading platform, as well as a token issuer. SolidBlock, based in Tel Aviv and NYC, is a tokenization platform. According… Read More

December 30, 2020 @ 9:53 am By JD Alois  |  

Ripple, the creator of XRP – one of the largest cryptocurrencies in the world by market cap, has posted a brief comment on “recent market participant activity” following XRPs dive in value. XRP began to sink following the revelation of an enforcement action by the… Read More

December 29, 2020 @ 10:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

As the most recent stimulus package dealing with COVID-driven economic damage became law, funds are being distributed across the country. Earlier this evening, the US Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service commenced delivering the second round of Economic Impact Payments to millions of Americans… Read More

December 29, 2020 @ 9:52 pm By JD Alois  |  

Online capital formation has emerged as an effective path for private companies to raise much-needed growth capital fueling innovation and creating jobs. Once the realm of VCs and angel investors only, investment crowdfunding now enables retail investors to access promising young firms at an early… Read More

December 29, 2020 @ 4:42 pm By JD Alois  |  

NetEase (NASDAQ: NTES), a large Chinese tech firm that has a significant presence in gaming, has decided to close down its personal finance app Youqian, according to a report. NetEase attempted to enter various Fintech verticals during the boom days of peer to peer lending alongside many… Read More

December 29, 2020 @ 1:24 pm By JD Alois  |  

Invesdor, first launched as a Nordic securities crowdfunding platform, is reporting 2020 numbers of €25.9 million in funding for the year from 6100 individual transactions. In mid-2019, Invesdor completed a merger with online debt platform Finnest – a Fintech based in Austria. The combination of… Read More

December 29, 2020 @ 9:05 am By JD Alois  |  

XRP continues to sink in value following the rolling news that more crypto exchanges are deciding to halt trading the digital asset.  On December 22nd, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed an enforcement action targeting Ripple that alleges the sale of $1.38 billion in… Read More

December 29, 2020 @ 8:39 am By JD Alois  |  

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) has announced the launch of iAM Smart (internet Access by Mobile in a Smart way), a digital identity service that enables users to leverage the biometrics in their smartphone to act as proof of identity for all types of… Read More

December 28, 2020 @ 7:13 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that President Donald J. Trump has selected Elad L. Roisman as Acting Chairman of the agency. Prior Chairman Jay Clayton departed the Commission on December 23rd. The news of Roisman temporarily taking the helm of the Commission… Read More

December 28, 2020 @ 6:11 pm By JD Alois  |  

  Doug Ellenoff, the Managing Partner of Manhattan law firm Ellenoff, Grossman and Schole (EGS), has been involved with the Fintech sector since the early days of the JOBS Act – the legislation that eventually legalized investment crowdfunding. He is not only deeply engaged with… Read More

December 28, 2020 @ 12:44 pm By JD Alois  |  

Virgil Capital LLC, directed by Stefan Qin, and its “flagship” cryptocurrency trading fund, Virgil Sigma Fund LP have been hit by fraud charges leveled by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Simultaneously, the SEC has obtained an emergency asset freeze related to the charges,… Read More

December 28, 2020 @ 11:15 am By JD Alois  |  

Lemonade (NYSE:LMND), a fast-growing Insurtech that emerged as one of the most successful initial public offerings (IPOs) of 2020, is seeing shares dip today in anticipation of the lockup expiration for early shareholders. Lemonade shares are trading down around 12% in an up-market day. According… Read More

December 28, 2020 @ 10:49 am By JD Alois  |  

Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire discussed the recent rise of Bitcoin as well as the growing interest in digital assets on CNBC this morning. Allaire said that institutional money and the debasement of fiat currency, as well as sovereign debt, are pushing the world’s most popular… Read More

December 28, 2020 @ 9:35 am By JD Alois  |  

Digital trading platform eToro may be queuing for an initial public offering (IPO) on Nasdaq according to a recent report. The Fintech is said to be chatting with Goldman Sachs to manage the IPO. Depending on where you are sitting, eToro enables trading in both… Read More

December 27, 2020 @ 7:03 pm By JD Alois  |  

Earlier this month, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced the first four digital banks approved by the regulator. The first digital banks out of the gate are the culmination of a multi-year process where MAS. In June 2019, MAS announced it would approve up… Read More

December 26, 2020 @ 2:56 pm By JD Alois  |  

Jay Clayton officially stepped down as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 23rd. His departure had been previously announced and anticipated for this month. In a letter sent to President Trump, Clayton said it had been the honor and privilege of… Read More

December 24, 2020 @ 12:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

Chinese regulators are said to be investigating whether Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) has been engaging in non-competitive practices. Simultaneously, Ant Group – a top Fintech, is receiving additional scrutiny. Ant Group is the parent company of Alipay, China’s largest mobile payment platform. Additionally, it has been widely… Read More

December 24, 2020 @ 11:40 am By JD Alois  |  

The United Kingdom and the European Union have reached a trade deal just in time for Christmas. The UK government said they have agreed on a zero tariff-free trade deal including a commitment to maintaining high labor, environment, and climate standards without giving the EU… Read More