Featured Headlines

July 25, 2022 @ 12:16 pm By JD Alois  |  

CrowdStreet on the Impact of Inflation. Inflation is hitting multi-decade highs, and the US Federal Reserve is raising interest rates rapidly in a rear guard action aimed at taming what is effectively a hidden tax. While the administration claimed for many months that rising prices… Read More

July 24, 2022 @ 11:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

Recently, new European Crowdfunding Service Provider Regulation (ECSPR) compliance was extended for another year. Actionable as of November 2021, the move to harmonize European regulation was greated as an enormous leap for online capital formation. For the first time, platforms would be able to help… Read More

July 22, 2022 @ 9:48 am By JD Alois  |  

In recent days, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed an enforcement action alleging insider trading involving a former Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) manager and two other partners. Simultaneously, criminal charges were filed by the US Department of Justice. Buried within the SEC complaint was the statement… Read More

July 21, 2022 @ 7:26 pm By JD Alois  |  

While Fintech investment may be slowing in other markets, the United Kingdom appears to be bucking the trend. In a “Summer Investment Report,” Innovate Finance puts a pen to the numbers and they are encouraging. The organization states that during the first 6 months of… Read More

July 21, 2022 @ 10:42 am By JD Alois  |  

Starling Bank, a leading UK digital bank, has reported its first full year profit as overall metrics improve. Anne Boden, founder and Chief Executive of Starling Bank, commented on the results: “With our first full year of profitability, we’ve placed ourselves firmly in a category… Read More

July 20, 2022 @ 4:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

Today, the Financial Services and Markets Bill was introduced to Parliament in the UK. The legislation will replace “hundreds of pieces of EU retained law” as the UK moves beyond the oversight in Brussels. The aim of the bill is to establish a “coherent, agile… Read More

July 19, 2022 @ 10:52 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Commission has extended the deadline for compliance with the relatively new European Crowdfunding Service Provider Regulation (ECSPR). Last November, the European Union enacted harmonized regulations for investment crowdfunding platforms and offerings. Under the rules, issuers could raise up to €5 million across all… Read More

July 19, 2022 @ 9:06 am By JD Alois  |  

Three Arrows Capital (3AC) is shouldering part of the blame for the crypto contagion that has wreaked havoc on digital asset markets. The crypto hedge fund stumbled, and then imploded when crypto valuations rapidly declined – most dramatically represented by the collapse of TerraUSD/LUNA, an… Read More

July 18, 2022 @ 5:17 pm By Chris Sloan  |  

  Non-fungible tokens, commonly called NFTs for short, have become an increasingly popular digital asset, especially in light of some eye-popping sale transactions involving Jack Dorsey’s first tweet, Bored Ape NFTs, NBA Top Shots Moments, and a number of other digital works of art. However,… Read More

July 17, 2022 @ 3:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Association of Online Investment Platforms (AOIP) has forwarded a letter to members of Congress in support of the JOBS Act 4.0 legislation. In the spring of 2022, Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee submitted draft legislation on the 10th Anniversary of the JOBS Act… Read More

July 14, 2022 @ 9:52 pm By JD Alois  |  

In a speech delivered early today by the Financial Conduct Authority Chief Executive Nikhil Ratha, the top UK regulator addressed the future of regulation. Of course, the digitization of financial services, including crypto assets was in the mix. Ratha noted that the FCA has invested… Read More

July 13, 2022 @ 9:42 pm By JD Alois  |  

Celsius Network, at one time one of the most popular crypto yield and lending platforms, has filed for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11, thus removing all speculation as to whether or not the platform could reanimate itself during a collapse in crypto valuations. Celsius effectively… Read More

July 13, 2022 @ 12:35 pm By JD Alois  |  

Inflation rang the bell once again, topping expectations and delivering a 9.1% increase in prices in the past 12 months. Consumer prices rocketed higher in June, delivering a 1.3% increase. With the Fed on deck, the discussion now shifts to how much higher the rate… Read More

July 12, 2022 @ 11:52 pm By Lee Schneider  |  

SOL, the native token of the Solana public blockchain, is the latest victim of a scurrilous attack by plaintiffs’ lawyers claiming that yet another blockchain token is an investment contract under the test famously set forth in S.E.C. v. W.J. Howey.  The claims perpetuate the… Read More

July 12, 2022 @ 9:53 am By JD Alois  |  

As was previously reported, Klarna has raised $800 million in funding but at an even lower valuation. Klarna raised the capital at a “post-money” valuation of $6.7 billion. This is a profound drop in valuation as Klarna was valued at $45.6 billion in the not-so-distant… Read More

July 11, 2022 @ 2:00 am By JD Alois  |  

Anchorage Digital Weathers Crypto Storm Crypto lending and yield platforms have garnered a lot of attention lately due to the troubles at firms like Three Arrow Capital (3AC), Voyager Digital, and Celsius Network. The first two have filed for bankruptcy/liquidation. Celsius remains a bit of… Read More

July 7, 2022 @ 2:48 pm By JD Alois  |  

Invesdor, a securities crowdfunding platform serving Europe, is raising growth capital for itself. Invesdor is actually the combination of multiple platforms: Invesdor, plus Finnest (Austria) and Kapilendo (Germany). The trio combined under a single banner selecting Invesdor as its brand. According to an email, on… Read More

July 6, 2022 @ 2:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

eToro, a modern spin on investing and trading that merges both digital assets and traditional securities, has axed its SPAC deal, according to a statement issued by the company. At the same time, Calculistech is reporting that their headcount is being slashed by 100 employees… Read More

July 6, 2022 @ 9:58 am By JD Alois  |  

Voyager Digital (TSX: VOYG) (OTCQX: VYGVF), a digital asset trading platform, has filed for bankruptcy following a difficult couple of weeks for the company. Voyager is emblematic of crypto contagion fears as counter-party risk has caused several firms to pause operations or, in this case,… Read More

July 5, 2022 @ 4:57 pm By JD Alois  |  

MiCA, Markets in Crypto Assets legislation, is still being digested by industry insiders. The goal is to provide a regulated path for digital asset innovation – sufficient protections to guard against abuse but still empowering industry participants to create new products and services within a… Read More