Featured Headlines

May 20, 2022 @ 2:07 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has posted a statement encouraging crowdfunding providers to speed things up in migrating to the new pan-European rules. At the end of 2021, the European Union approved a new regulatory regime that enables issuers to raise capital online… Read More

May 19, 2022 @ 10:33 am By JD Alois  |  

The venture community is getting gloomy, chattering about deal volume, down rounds, and a dismal economy. From war in Ukraine, too much government spending, and rocketing inflation chased by the US Federal Reserve raising interest rates, things look bad. It does not help that markets… Read More

May 19, 2022 @ 10:00 am By JD Alois  |  

As TerraUSD (UST), an algorithmic stablecoin imploded going to zero, reserve-based stablecoins rushed to stem the tide of concerns about contagion. Tether (USDT), the largest stablecoin in the market, has been hit with collateral damage due to the failure of UST. At the beginning of… Read More

May 18, 2022 @ 12:03 pm By JD Alois  |  

SEC Chairman Gary Gensler testified in front of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, part of the House Appropriations Committee, to justify the agency’s budget request. As part of the questioning from various members, Gensler answered several questions which were crypto-related. Chairman Gensler… Read More

May 16, 2022 @ 7:30 am By David R. Burton  |  

Passed with large bipartisan majorities and signed into law by President Obama, the 2012 JOBS Act was a bipartisan achievement of consequence. The JOBS Act substantially improved the laws governing entrepreneurial capital formation and has had a measurable positive impact on entrepreneurial capital formation. But… Read More

May 14, 2022 @ 5:46 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last month, Tennessee became the second state to allow decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) to register as LLCs, following pioneer Wyoming. HB2645 and SB2854 provide that the Tennessee Revised Limited Liability Company Act applies to decentralized organizations. The legislation became law on April 20, 2022. Chris… Read More

May 13, 2022 @ 11:36 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Banking Authority (EBA) has posted the “final technical standards” pertaining to European crowdfunding platforms. The release of the standards has long been anticipated and is affiliated with the European Union enacting pan-European securities crowdfunding rules. New regulatory standards were revealed in November of… Read More

May 12, 2022 @ 10:54 pm By JD Alois  |  

The past few weeks have been tough for investors. Both traditional markets and crypto markets have been battered. Expectations for much higher interest rates, aiming to mitigate crushing inflation, means the pain is here to stay – at least for a while. Regarding stock markets,… Read More

May 12, 2022 @ 9:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder and CEO of FTX, has purchased a 7.62% stake, or 56,273,469 shares in Robinhood (NASDAQ:HOOD). Bankman-Fried paid $648,293,886.33 for the shares. The share were purchased at an average price of $11.52/each. The purchase was revealed in a filing with the Securities and… Read More

May 11, 2022 @ 11:53 am By JD Alois  |  

“Most crypto tokens are investment contracts under the Supreme Court’s Howey Test.” SEC Chairman Gary Gensler is not wavering from his view that most all crypto assets are securities. Gensler has consistently voiced this belief queueing up expectations for a growing number of enforcement actions… Read More

May 11, 2022 @ 8:56 am By JD Alois  |  

TerraUSD (UST) has lost its status as a stablecoin as it is now trading at $0.40 $0.35 having dropped to as low as $0.30 in the last 24 hours. UST’s collapse is the hottest story in crypto land as it was, until recently, touted as… Read More

May 9, 2022 @ 10:22 am By JD Alois  |  

Announced last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed its intent to step up its crypto enforcement actions with a newly renamed Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit doubling its headcount. The SEC outlined its reinvigorated mission as targeting digital asset offerings, crypto exchanges, lending… Read More

May 5, 2022 @ 3:05 pm By JD Alois  |  

The two largest national securities crowdfunding associations in Europe, Financement Participatif France (FPF) and Bundesverband Crowdfunding e.V. (Germany) have issued a joint statement requesting that the European Commission extends the deadline for the transition to pan-European crowdfunding rules. The request for an extension has been… Read More

May 5, 2022 @ 10:53 am By JD Alois  |  

COVID, war, inflation, rising interest rates … the global economy is being hammered from multiple directions right now. After years of calm sailing, a global pandemic marked a dramatic change in markets that have endured a growing list of geopolitical and economic challenges. Like all… Read More

May 5, 2022 @ 10:30 am By JD Alois  |  

Binance, the largest crypto exchange in the world, is now registered with the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) as a digital asset service provider (DASP). According to the AMF, Binance France is registered to offer: Digital assets custody Purchase/sale of digital assets for legal… Read More

May 4, 2022 @ 10:29 pm By JD Alois  |  

This past March, Chairman Gary Gensler announced the Securities and Exchange Commission was aiming to require disclosure on climate impact for registered firms. The Fact Sheet may be viewed here. Climate-related information would be required in firms’ registration statements and annual reports, including information about… Read More

May 3, 2022 @ 11:20 am By JD Alois  |  

Last year was a big one for the SPAC [special purpose acquisition company] market. Reportedly, 613 SPAC offerings were floated on an exchange easily topping 420 traditional initial public offerings. Since the beginning of 2022, SPAC offerings have slowed to around 62 so far. SPACs… Read More

May 2, 2022 @ 10:37 pm By JD Alois  |  

CounterPointe Sports Group (CSG), the new owner of the French basketball club Elan Béarnais is pursuing a security token offering allowing members of the public to purchase economic rights in a deal described as the first of its kind. The Avalanche blockchain will power the… Read More

May 2, 2022 @ 11:28 am By JD Alois  |  

Last week, the University of East London (UEL) launched the Centre of Fintech, a new hub that aims to leverage expertise within the University in research, finance, technology, law, and regulation. The launch was hosted at the Houses of Parliament and included the participation of… Read More

May 1, 2022 @ 4:27 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission is currently pursuing new rules under the auspices of ESG: Environmental, Social, and Governance. In March of 2022, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler explained they were aiming to require disclosure for firms on issues such as climate impact. He explained: “The… Read More