February 24, 2025 @ 11:56 am By JD Alois  |  

The Apple Card has arguably been a success for Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). Available as both a physical and digital card, the card seamlessly integrates into the Apple Digital Wallet providing cash back on all charges along with additional user friendly services like advanced security features and… Read More

February 24, 2025 @ 11:22 am By JD Alois  |  

ByBit, one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world, is reporting that it has recovered pilfered funds. In a statement today, the company stated they had “restored reserves levels to a 1:1 ratio for in-scope digital assets within 72 hours following a major incident… Read More

February 24, 2025 @ 11:03 am By JD Alois  |  

The State of Virginia is considering legislation designed to limit the interest charged on credit to consumers. The Federal government is also reviewing a similar approach to credit cards, but once again, policymakers are looking to apply price-fixing to a market driven by supply and… Read More

February 24, 2025 @ 8:30 am By JD Alois  |  

Formerly known as MicroStrategy, Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) has announced that it has sold debt for approximately $1.99 billion, after fees, and used the money to purchase Bitcoin (BTC). The company rebranded as Strategy this month (February 2025). The company said it had purchased 20,356 Bitcoin at… Read More

February 21, 2025 @ 12:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House Financial Services Committee has announced a series of hearings covering a litany of issues and topics. As the Committee is currently controlled by Republicans, the tendency is to be more supportive of innovation and access to opportunity – especially for retail investors and… Read More

February 21, 2025 @ 12:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

Crypto exchange Bybit has apparently been hacked. Bybit, based in Singapore, reports over 60 million users worldwide and is said to be the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. It was not immediately clear as to how much may have been stolen from the… Read More

February 21, 2025 @ 11:28 am By JD Alois  |  

Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) is reporting that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is poised to drop all charges leveled at the digital asset platform, contingent upon the approval of a majority of Commissioners. As Republicans now control the Commission, this should be little more than a… Read More

February 21, 2025 @ 9:29 am By JD Alois  |  

In January 2024, the then Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had his X account hacked. The individual who commandeered the account used his access to announce the approval of Bitcoin ETFs, impersonating Chair Gary Gensler – one day before the SEC intended… Read More

February 21, 2025 @ 8:57 am By JD Alois  |  

Artificial intelligence firm and OurCrowd portfolio company Groq has received a $1.5 billion commitment from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. According to the offering page, Groq is an energy-efficient, high-performance AI provider. Founded in 2016 by former Googlers, Groq aims to: “…revolutionize the AI industry… Read More

February 20, 2025 @ 4:18 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Accredited Investor definition is one of the most obtuse rules enforced by the Securities and Exchange Commission. In place for decades, the rule defines who can participate in certain private securities offerings. Broadly speaking, an individual is deemed Accredited if they earn over $200,000… Read More

February 20, 2025 @ 3:38 pm By JD Alois  |  

Remitly (NASDAQ: RELY), a payments and transfers Fintech, reported Q4 earnings results yesterday and the company said that it generated “record” revenue of $351.9 million an increase of 33%. At the same time, Remitly booked a net loss of $5.7 million, an improvement over Q4… Read More

February 20, 2025 @ 1:17 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has created a new Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit (CETU). This new entity aims to protect investors from bad actors utilizing technology to commit fraud and replaces the previous Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit. CETU will be led by… Read More

February 20, 2025 @ 12:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

In an address to the European Parliament, Olli Rehn, First Vice-Chair of the European Systemic Risk Board and Governor of the Bank of Finland, voiced his concerns regarding policy changes in the US as the Trump Administration takes over the federal bureaucracy, including financial regulators…. Read More

February 20, 2025 @ 9:44 am By JD Alois  |  

DOGE or the Department of Government Efficiency, has been running through the various federal bureaucracies looking for fat to cut and employees to eliminate. While there has been much hand-wringing from opposition Democrats and individuals impacted, the majority of the US is supporting the move… Read More

February 19, 2025 @ 8:05 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) is concerned about the Trump Administration’s policy of keeping its predecessor merger guidelines. In a public statement, the SBE Council said that “arbitrary and muddy guidelines”  pursued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) harm opportunities for early-stage firms… Read More

February 19, 2025 @ 6:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

NewsMax, an upstart news group that leans conservative, is seeking to raise money using the Reg A securities exemption. The company reports an audience reaching over 40 million Americans each month through its television broadcasts and multi-platform content, including YouTube. The funding follows a Reg… Read More

February 19, 2025 @ 1:26 pm By JD Alois  |  

VC math, or valuations of private firms, has long been more of an art than a science. The friction between investors and firms raising capital is well known. Too low, and money is left on the table. Too high and a future down round, or… Read More

February 19, 2025 @ 12:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

The UK Financial Conduct  Authority (FCA) and Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) have published a statement on the rise and usage of digital wallets. The two regulators note that the use of digital wallets has grown in recent years, with card transactions using a digital wallet… Read More

February 19, 2025 @ 11:14 am By JD Alois  |  

B2B payments firm Two and Avarda, a white-label B2C company, will partner on a “fully integrated white-label payment solution tailored for both businesses and consumers in the Nordic e-commerce market.” It was not immediately clear if the two firms were forming a strategic alliance or if they were… Read More

February 19, 2025 @ 10:58 am By JD Alois  |  

Trustfull has announced the launch of Domain Intelligence, a package of services that aims to prevent fraud and enable identity verification all powered by artificial intelligence. Based in Milan, Trustfull was created to support businesses by leveraging OSINT-based fraud prevention solutions. Created in 2020, Trustfull… Read More