October 24, 2020 @ 5:43 pm By JD Alois  |  

Every two years, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) completes a report on the status of banking in the US. The recently released report, “How America Banks: Household Use of Banking and Financial Services,” says that a record low 5.4% of U.S. households were unbanked… Read More

October 24, 2020 @ 11:31 am By JD Alois  |  

Earlier this month, the two leading investment crowdfunding platforms in the UK, Crowdcube and Seedrs, announced a proposed merger that would create the dominant online capital formation platform in the UK. Between the two firms, a merger would create not only the top platform in… Read More

October 23, 2020 @ 5:59 pm By JD Alois  |  

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) have published a joint letter pertaining to the treatment of bad actors and disqualification affiliated with Regulation D (Reg D) and Regulation A (Reg A+). Reg D 506c and Reg A+ are exemptions that… Read More

October 23, 2020 @ 12:38 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last April in a significant strategic move, Republic acquired Fig – a crowdfunding platform for video games that issued securities under Reg A+. Republic is a leading investment crowdfunding platform in the US that continues to add new verticals and products as it builds out… Read More

October 23, 2020 @ 12:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

NextSeed, formerly a Reg CF funding portal operating as a bank alternative that has since morphed into a full-stack online capital formation and private equity platform, has added a new asset class to its list of available investments with its first film offering. Described as… Read More

October 23, 2020 @ 11:04 am By JD Alois  |  

The Future Fund is part of a portfolio of COVID support programs that targets early-stage firms. Under the scheme, the UK government will match funding in a convertible securities offering thus supporting these smaller firms during a challenging time. It is anticipated that most of… Read More

October 22, 2020 @ 3:56 pm By JD Alois  |  

There should not be any question that financial innovation is good for consumers, good for businesses, and good for the economy in general. Fintech is bringing a degree of financial sophistication and inclusion previously unattainable. Underserved or underbanked markets may now access services once available… Read More

October 22, 2020 @ 3:27 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) requesting information related to consumer access to financial records. In brief, the CFPB is asking interested parties as to how it might most efficiently and effectively develop regulations to implement… Read More

October 22, 2020 @ 3:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

Several years after completing a $200+ million token offering, Filecoin flipped on the switch to its Mainnet this month. Filecoin is creating a decentralized cloud storage network seeking to compete with the likes of AWS and Microsoft’s Azure. The mission is to be faster and… Read More

October 22, 2020 @ 11:57 am By JD Alois  |  

The law firm of Ellenoff, Grossman, and Schole (EGS) has long been a leading Manhattan firm in the SPAC sector (Special Purpose Acquisition Company). This year, SPACs have boomed, including multiple high profile issuers as well as several Fintech focused SPACs. So how did SPACs… Read More

October 22, 2020 @ 10:06 am By JD Alois  |  

Franklin Templeton, an asset manager with over $1.4 trillion in assets under management, has announced an investment in Curv, a digital asset security firm. The news follows a $23 million Series A round and BNP Paribas completing a successful concept with digital assets using Curv…. Read More

October 22, 2020 @ 8:38 am By JD Alois  |  

LendInvest, a top property finance platform, says that bridge applications delivered a record quarter in Q3. Signed bridge loan applications were up 65% year-on-year for Q3 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, according to LendInvest. LendInvest reported a significant increase in signed applications… Read More

October 22, 2020 @ 8:00 am By JD Alois  |  

EstateGuru, a crowdfunding marketplace for property-backed loans, is reporting that it has topped one million investments since platform launch in 2014. EstateGuru added that during August and September loan volumes surpassed €10 million each month. A strong and fast recovery from the COVID-crisis in Spring… Read More

October 22, 2020 @ 8:00 am By JD Alois  |  

Yieldstreet, an alternative investment platform, has announced that John Siciliano has been appointed by the Board of Directors of the Yieldstreet Prism Fund as the Chairman of the Fund’s Board.  Yieldstreet says that Siciliano will lead the team that has overseen the Fund since its… Read More

October 22, 2020 @ 2:00 am By JD Alois  |  

LGO, a crypto exchange that services individual and institutional customers, will merge with Voyager Digital Ltd.,(CSE: VYGR) (OTCQB: VYGVF) (FRA: UCD2) a cryptoasset broker that provides retail and institutional investors with a turnkey solution to trade cryptoassets, according to a release. Voyager and LGO said… Read More

October 21, 2020 @ 10:44 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last week, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors welcomed the efforts of the FATF to identify the money laundering and terrorist financing risks that have arisen during the COVID-19 pandemic.  The G20 said that the COVID health crisis is being exploited by criminals… Read More

October 21, 2020 @ 10:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

Today’s news that PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) will start allowing it’s over 360 million users to use crypto placed a firm stamp of establishment approval on digital currency. PayPal partnered with Paxos to provide the service – a digital asset firm that has always placed regulatory compliance… Read More

October 21, 2020 @ 9:51 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight (DSIO) has issued an advisory to futures commission merchants (FCMs) regarding the holding of virtual currency in segregated accounts. The advisory, in the form of a Staff Letter, provides guidance to FCMs… Read More

October 21, 2020 @ 3:15 pm By JD Alois  |  

Lendio, an SME lending marketplace, has announced that “Lendio Gives,” its employee-contribution and employer-matching program, has provided more than 20,000 Kiva micro-loans to entrepreneurs in the developing world with 19,417 delivered to women-owned businesses in 79 countries. Kiva is a non-profit lending platform well known… Read More

October 21, 2020 @ 11:29 am By JD Alois  |  

With the announcement that PayPal will now enable trading and payments in crypto, the world’s most popular digital currency – Bitcoin has jumped in price. At last glance, Bitcoin is trading over USD$ 12,700 – earlier today it was under $12,000. Shares in PayPal neared… Read More