March 24, 2017 @ 8:06 am By JD Alois  |  

Recently the Australian Senate approved a new investment crowdfunding law (Crowd-sourced funding). The final bill has been a long time in coming as Australia has made several attempts at improving access to capital for smaller firms be allowing issuers to raise capital online. But the… Read More

March 23, 2017 @ 11:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US Fintech marketplace is saddled with 50 different state regulators and innumerable federal agencies touching financial services. The UK is dealing with Brexit ramifications and its divorce proceedings with continental Europe. Meanwhile, the European Commission is considering passporting Fintech services in recognition of the profound benefits… Read More

March 23, 2017 @ 4:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or FINRA is seeking feedback on how to best execute on its mission to regulate members who operate in the securities industry. FINRA has come under criticism in recent years as losing touch with its membership and negating its “Self-Regulatory Organization”… Read More

March 23, 2017 @ 11:50 am By JD Alois  |  

OFF3R is out with an updated report on the UK equity crowdfunding market and, according to their numbers, this sector of finance has bounced back from a January slump.  As we last reported, OFF3R said that peer to peer lending remained strong in January but… Read More

March 23, 2017 @ 9:24 am By JD Alois  |  

  The Senate Banking Committee, Chaired by Senator Mike Crapo, is set to hold the nomination hearing this morning regarding the appointment of Jay Clayton as SEC Chair.  The hearing will be live-streamed on the Committee’s website beginning at 930AM. Clayton, a longtime corporate attorney,… Read More

March 23, 2017 @ 1:32 am By JD Alois  |  

If Amazon built a bank, would it aspire to be like Revolut? I don’t know about that, but the Revolut Premium Membership is something I want. Now. London-based Fintech startup Revolut has launched its vision of Premium Membership in a world populated by stiff and… Read More

March 22, 2017 @ 9:40 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House Financial Services Committee, Subcommittee on Capital Markets, met for the first time in 2017.  A new Chairman, Congressman Bill Huizenga, managed the proceedings for the first topic of the year regarding the “Impact of the JOBS Act After Five Years”. The Hearing involved the… Read More

March 22, 2017 @ 3:09 pm By JD Alois  |  

Global private equity firm Warburg Pincus has acquired a 35% ownership stake in Avaloq, a Switzerland-based Fintech firm that provides banking software. Avaloq has been in existence since 1985 and today the company has more than 2000 employees from around the world. An affiliate of… Read More

March 22, 2017 @ 2:29 pm By JD Alois  |  

Acts of fraud have been around since the dawning of time. How fraud occurs is a never-ending, shape-shifting challenge for individuals, companies and public authorities. There will always be a new scam. There will always be another Ponzi or Madoff looking to separate hard-earned money… Read More

March 22, 2017 @ 10:55 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK has sent a delegation to Australia to chat up Fintech opportunities. Both the UK and Australia recognize the importance of fostering a robust Fintech ecosystem and the two countries are naturally aligned. The UK is leading the charge on Fintech entrepreneurship and the… Read More

March 22, 2017 @ 10:12 am By JD Alois  |  

Xero has announced a series of new agreements to integrate a handful of online lending platforms. Xero has added MarketInvoice, iwoca, and DueCourse to its software platform. Xero is an online accounting software designed for small business and their advisors. The company currently has over… Read More

March 22, 2017 @ 9:09 am By JD Alois  |  

The Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA) is a new investment vehicle that remains relatively underutilized. As we wrote yesterday, one platform estimated that about 50% of the UK market is totally unaware of the retirement saving option. As we near the 2016/2017 tax year end, IFISA… Read More

March 21, 2017 @ 10:18 pm By JD Alois  |  

Austrade, the Australian government trade commission for exporters and information for companies wanting to do business with Australia, is in China this week. A delegation of Aussie representatives are in Shenzhen and Shanghai sizing up Fintech opportunites.. Austrade says the emergence of China’s vibrant Fintech… Read More

March 21, 2017 @ 4:16 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and Austrade have signed a new collaboration agreement designed to improve the flow of Fintech innovation between the UK and Australia. Austrade is the Australian government’s ministry of Trade, Tourism and Investment. The agreement is said to be used… Read More

March 21, 2017 @ 1:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

After receiving a solid amount of investor interest in their Reg CF offer, Legion M has launched a Reg A+ crowdfunding round to raise a minimum amount of $500,000.  The campaign is live now on Wefunder and is the first Reg A+ offer to be… Read More

March 21, 2017 @ 11:41 am By JD Alois  |  

RavenPack, a big data analytics firm for the financial industry, has received a $5 million investment from venture firm Draper Esprit (AIM:GROW & ESM:GRW). RavenPack says this is the first funding they have received from a VC firm. The capital injection will help RavenPack execute on… Read More

March 21, 2017 @ 11:10 am By JD Alois  |  

The Innovative Finance ISA or IFISA was has been pitched as a good investment option for savers.  The new retirement vehicle allows individuals to invest in peer to peer lending assets that may provide a better risk-adjusted return for investors. There is a growing number… Read More

March 21, 2017 @ 9:45 am By JD Alois  |  

Senator Mike Crapo and Senator Sherrod Brown, have asked the public to pitch ideas as to how to boost economic growth. Crapo, a Republican, is the Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. Brown is the ranking Democrat on the same committee. In an act of… Read More

March 21, 2017 @ 7:47 am By JD Alois  |  

UK based Madiston has shared that FinBee, the first licensed peer to peer lender for SMEs in Lithuania, has launched using Madiston tech. FinBee has already been in operation providing consumer loans using the Madiston platform. The company is extending the arrangement to move into… Read More

March 21, 2017 @ 1:26 am By JD Alois  |  

Here is the explanatory memorandum on the Australian crowdfunding legislation that is expected to soon become law. Labeled by the Aussies as “Crowd-sourced funding” or CSF, the rules are designed to provide financing for innovative firms and additional opportunities for retail investors.  The memo, embedded… Read More