April 17, 2016 @ 10:43 am By JD Alois  |  

The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) has included crowdfunding, bitcoin / cryptocurrencies in their March report as part of their long list of investor risks and concerns regarding financial stability. IOSCO is the international body that brings together securities regulators from around the world…. Read More

April 16, 2016 @ 2:52 pm By JD Alois  |  

Coming on the heels of the announcement of the launch of their payments partner program, multiple news outlets are pointing to Amazon as gearing up for a deeper Fintech push. The payments program helps by providing an Amazon-branded option for their growing legion of e-commerce… Read More

April 16, 2016 @ 2:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

As we recently reported, the Finland Ministry of Finance has published an updated regulatory environment designed to facilitate debt and equity crowdfunding. The goal is to “enhance financial intermediation and thereby economic growth.” The Finnish economy posted GDP growth of 0.5% in 2015, after three… Read More

April 16, 2016 @ 11:07 am By JD Alois  |  

This past week during a hearing at the House Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Raymond Keating of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) delivered prepared remarks to the Representatives in attendance. The title of the hearing was the JOBS Act at Four: Examining Its… Read More

April 15, 2016 @ 7:19 pm By JD Alois  |  

  This past week, Lendit occurred as the annual gathering of online lending platforms and other affiliated companies from around the world. The meeting took place in San Francisco this year – the epicenter of tech innovation. In 2013, a mere three years ago, Lendit… Read More

April 15, 2016 @ 4:52 pm By JD Alois  |  

EquityZen is a platform that seeks to provide liquidity in private company securities. This is one company that has benefited from the plunging decline in early stage IPOs. Founders Atish Davda, Shriram Bhashyam, and Phil Haslett created the company with a single ambition: to redesign… Read More

April 15, 2016 @ 3:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises, part of the House Financial Services Committee, has scheduled a hearing to take place next week entitled; “Continued Oversight of the SEC’s Offices and Divisions”. The hearing will examine the mission, operation, and activities of certain… Read More

April 15, 2016 @ 3:26 pm By JD Alois  |  

Entrepreneurial Scotland’s Annual Conference will take place next week.  According to organizers, the country’s leading business membership network has assembled a “world-class” line up of speakers including Bill Aulet, Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde and Managing Director of Martin Trust Centre for MIT… Read More

April 15, 2016 @ 10:50 am By JD Alois  |  

This is important.  In the United States, the wealth disparity is growing – not closing. While there are multiple reasons why this wealth gap has occurred, the growing dominance of big money over smaller investors has clearly exacerbated this societal challenge.  Unfortunately, policy officials have… Read More

April 15, 2016 @ 9:11 am By JD Alois  |  

The government of Finland has submitted its proposal to update the regulatory environment for raising capital online. According to a recent release by the Ministry of Finance, the new Act will ease the regulation of investment-based crowdfunding and clarify the rules for loan-based crowdfunding. The “Crowdfunding… Read More

April 15, 2016 @ 12:32 am By JD Alois  |  

  The Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises, part of the House Financial Services Committee, reviewed several proposed acts of legislation crafted to help smaller business and grow the economy today (April 14).  Chaired by Congressman Scott Garrett, the hearing was labeled “The… Read More

April 14, 2016 @ 6:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

The ongoing Fundrise eREIT continues to raise capital, and add properties, on a rolling basis on the real estate crowdfunding platform. The eREIT strategy, according the offer page, is to focus primarily on debt investments but incorporates some equity, in commercial real estate. The eREIT… Read More

April 14, 2016 @ 6:21 pm By JD Alois  |  

Following a “Testing the Waters” (TTW) campaign where DSTLD generated indications of interest to purchase equity in the company from over 2100 individuals totalling $13.27 million, the company has decided to move forward and raise capital under Reg A+ equity crowdfunding. DSTLD is a fashion… Read More

April 14, 2016 @ 5:42 pm By JD Alois  |  

Event organizer Crowdfinders has joined with a group of high-profile partners to launch an annual £100 million funding drive to raise both equity and debt capital to help scale UK SMEs. The partnership includes the following entities; Seedrs, SyndicateRoom, UK Business Angels Association (UKBAA), Crowdcube,… Read More

April 14, 2016 @ 10:06 am By JD Alois  |  

The House Financial Services Committee approved a bill that would require the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on a budget. A relatively new federal agency, the CFPB was created under the Dodd-Frank Act – legislation that was crafted in response to the financial crisis. Committee… Read More

April 14, 2016 @ 9:37 am By JD Alois  |  

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England has decided to hold steady with a 0.5% Bank Rate. The MPC also voted unanimously to maintain the stock of purchased assets financed by the issuance of central bank reserves at £375 billion. The BOE… Read More

April 14, 2016 @ 8:44 am By JD Alois  |  

The Small Business Finance Association (SBFA) has published a list of “best practices” for the alternative finance industry, coordinating the document with the Lendit conference this week. The SBFA was formerly named the North American Merchant Advance Association (NAMAA), a non-profit advocacy group that  represented… Read More

April 14, 2016 @ 7:50 am By JD Alois  |  

Innovate UK has published its “delivery plan” for 2016/2017.  The government agency intends on investing over £500 million to support disruptive innovation by boosting young companies and entrepreneurs.   Dr. Ruth McKernan, Chief Executive of Innovate UK, said fostering innovation was the only way the… Read More

April 13, 2016 @ 2:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Coolest Cooler creator Ryan Grepper has posted a backer update that seeks to provide hope to supporters of his crowdfunding campaign that have yet to receive their promised cooler. In an earlier backer update, Grepper explained the challenges in completing delivery of the Coolest Cooler…. Read More

April 13, 2016 @ 10:17 am By JD Alois  |  

The Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises, part of the House Financial Services Committee, has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow (Thursday, April 14 @10AM ET) that has been labeled, “The JOBS Act at Four: Examining Its Impact and Proposals to Further Enhance Capital Formation”.  The… Read More