Featured Headlines

December 13, 2018 @ 6:57 am By JD Alois  |  

Digital only bank Revolut has received a European banking license. The London based Fintech says it is now positioned to become “the Amazon of Banking.” Revolut applied for the banking license via the Lithuanian central bank just over a year ago in November 2017. It… Read More

December 12, 2018 @ 8:07 am By JD Alois  |  

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) has just published their second annual report on cryptocurrencies and the digital asset ecosystem. The Global CryptoAsset Benchmarking study is a must read for any industry participant and policymakers engaged in the regulatory oversight of cryptoassets as the… Read More

December 11, 2018 @ 11:15 am By JD Alois  |  

Calling their EQRE digital asset “a securities token that even Wall Street could love,” QuantmRE is planning to do a security token offering tied to fractionalized interest in real estate. In partnership with Prime Trust, QuantmRE will issue a security token representing interests in owner-occupied, residential real estate… Read More

December 10, 2018 @ 12:29 pm By JD Alois  |  

Neufund announced its first security token offering or “equity token offering” last month. The first primary issuance of a security on blockchain is for its parent company Fifth Force GmbH. The offering commenced on November 27th. Neufund’s offering is described as providing an example of a… Read More

December 10, 2018 @ 9:08 am By JD Alois  |  

While insurance may not be considered a ‘sexy’  industry it is incredibly important (most people consume it) and absolutely enormous at an estimated $4.1 trillion of annual gross premiums paid. Innovations in the insurance sector may transform the industry to a degree far beyond what… Read More

December 8, 2018 @ 5:00 pm By Xu Gao  |  

Financial Authorities Ban STOs in Beijing On December 1st, at the 2018 Global Wealth Management Forum, Huo Xuewen, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Financial Work, warned that STO activities in Beijing would be seen as illegal. He said: “A new concept called STO… Read More

December 8, 2018 @ 9:52 am By JD Alois  |  

Last month, CI attended the annual LendIt Fintech Europe event which has taken place in London over the past few years – even while Brexit hangs like an ominous cloud over the European financial center. London, consistently described as the leading Fintech hub in the… Read More

December 6, 2018 @ 6:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

Several weeks back, CI covered the draft legislation for pan-European crowdfunding rules from the European Parliament. At that time, initial coin offerings (ICO) were part of the possible legislation. Crowdfunding is part of the European Union Fintech Action plan that directly aligns with the Capital… Read More

December 5, 2018 @ 12:00 pm By Scott Schirick  |  

November was a busy month for the SEC’s burgeoning regulation of digital assets. In the first action of its kind, the Commission brought enforcement proceedings against the founder of digital asset trading platform EtherDelta for operating as an unregistered securities “exchange.” Ten days later, the… Read More

December 5, 2018 @ 10:18 am By JD Alois  |  

Monzo, an emerging heavy-weight in the hot digital banking sector, has shared that 36,006 individuals crowdfunded £20 million in just 2 days, 2 hours and 45 minutes. The offer was hosted on Crowdcube and received intense interest as competition in the UK banking sector heats… Read More

December 4, 2018 @ 11:17 am By JD Alois  |  

Speaking at Blockland Cleveland yesterday, Congressman Warren Davidson, from Ohio’s 8th District, discussed forthcoming legislation that may dramatically impact the initial coin offering (ICO) industry in the US. Representative Warren said the draft legislation seeks to create a token that can trade but will not… Read More

December 3, 2018 @ 9:05 am By Charles Kaufman & Jor Law  |  

Those who have read the SEC settlements with AirFox (CarrierEQ.Inc.) and Paragon Coin, Inc. published on November 16, 2018, will note that the defendant ICO issuers agreed, among other things, to register their “coins” under the Exchange Act (the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) by filing… Read More

December 2, 2018 @ 10:30 am By Dror Futter  |  

In late 2013, seed accelerator YCombinator introduced the SAFE (simple agreement for future equity) – a convertible instrument designed to make seed stage investing quicker and less expensive. The SAFEs quickly became a popular structure for seed investing.  Early this fall, YCombinator introduced several changes… Read More

December 1, 2018 @ 9:00 am By Xu Gao  |  

Sesame Credit Accepted for Canadian Visa Application This week, the Canadian Immigration Department (IRCC) announced that Chinese tourists can choose to submit his/her Sesame Credit Visa report (≥750 points) as financial proof for Canadian visa application. Sesame Credit is credit-assessment service offered by Ant Financial,… Read More

November 30, 2018 @ 8:10 am By Cali Haan  |  

The Chairperson of the SEC, Jay Clayton, spoke about the regulation of cryptocurrencies Thursday evening with reporter and author Andrew Ross Sorkin at a “Times Talk” hosted by The New York Times. Sorkin began by stating that Clayton may have “the swing vote” regarding the… Read More

November 29, 2018 @ 6:46 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has settled charges against two high-profile initial coin offering (ICO) promoters.  Music producer DJ Khaled and boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. were cited for failing to disclose they were remunerated for promoting ICOs via their social media channels. The SEC… Read More

November 28, 2018 @ 8:43 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) is out with their 3rd Asia Pacific Region Alternative Finance Industry Report. According to CCAF, the alternative finance sector in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region increased to $358 billion in 2017 but overall growth has slowed. As in previous… Read More

November 27, 2018 @ 9:26 pm By Samuel Guzik  |  

As the expression goes:  “Look before you leap.”  But if you are an innovator, determined to blaze a trail never before navigated – there is not much to look at. Being a pioneer can be a lonely and dangerous adventure.  Nothing could be more true… Read More

November 26, 2018 @ 6:30 pm By Christian Hsieh  |  

At the tail end of 2017, all eyes turned to the cryptocurrency industry when Bitcoin’s price soared to reach nearly $20,000 per coin. Articles were written, hands were shaken, and early investors in the digital currency had a very good holiday season indeed. But that… Read More

November 25, 2018 @ 5:31 pm By Therese Torris  |  

While the price of bitcoin and most cryptocurrencies is experiencing one of its frequents crashes, the French government and the French regulators are steadfastly working hand in hand to make France a cryptoasset-friendly country. After tackling the issue of initial coin offering (ICO) regulation and… Read More