General News

September 16, 2019 @ 4:54 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The developers of HTC’s blockchain smartphone are reportedly adding support for Bitcoin Cash (BCH). HTC’s management announced on Monday that they’ve teamed up with Bitcoin.com, a Tokyo-based blockchain and fintech firm founded by crypto entrepreneur Roger Ver. The partnership between the two companies involves adding… Read More

September 16, 2019 @ 11:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Seattle-headquartered Bitcoin kiosks and ATMs provider Coinme raised $1.5 through a Series A-1 financing round, which included contributions from the Blockchain Finance Fund, and San Francisco-based Ripple company’s initiative Xpring, which builds infrastructure for innovative blockchain projects. The funds raised will be directed toward acquiring… Read More

September 16, 2019 @ 1:13 am By Omar Faridi  |  

United Nations Development Program (UNDP), an organization that provides expert advice, training, and grants to developing countries, is partnering with Silicon Valley venture capital firm and project accelerator 500 Startups, in order to make investments in Indonesia’s emerging startup ecosystem. The UNDP will be working… Read More

September 15, 2019 @ 9:40 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Budget & Innovation (MOBI) and Information Technology Agency (ITALA) have partnered with Goren Holm Ventures (GHV) to host “Block Tank” – a Shark Tank-like pitch event which will coincide with CIS taking place in Los Angeles next month. GHV… Read More

September 14, 2019 @ 6:02 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

We Co., WeWork‘s parent company, is planning to make major changes to the management of its business operations after stakeholders expressed their dissatisfaction with the company’s unusual governance model ahead of its upcoming IPO. The firm’s parent company had initially proposed that 20 votes should… Read More

September 13, 2019 @ 3:37 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the nation’s central bank, announced on Thursday the appointment of its chief fintech officer Sopnendu Mohanty as a digital and fintech advisor to India’s Odisha state, according to a report by the Times of India. In his new advisory… Read More

September 13, 2019 @ 10:46 am By JD Alois  |  

San Francisco Losing Fintech Lustre The Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) has announced that Fintech Brex will open its new location in the Salt Lake Valley. The new office is said to create up to 1,000 new jobs over the next seven years…. Read More

September 13, 2019 @ 9:36 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Russia’s largest financial institution Sberbank has reportedly purchased around $15 million worth of accounts receivable from Trafigura, a Singaporean commodity trading firm that leverages blockchain technology. The pilot transaction was conducted on the Hyperledger Fabric platform, according to a representative from Sberbank. The blockchain-based purchase… Read More

September 12, 2019 @ 11:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Digital asset exchange Huobi appears to be pursuing a reverse initial public offering (IPO), according to a document shared with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). Hong Kong-listed electronics firm Pantronics Holdings Limited, which was acquired by Huobi in August 2018, will be changing its… Read More

September 12, 2019 @ 11:29 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship, and Capital Markets held a hearing entitled “Examining Private Market Exemptions as a Barrier to IPOs and Retail Investment.” The hearing saw a debate on the merits of private securities exemptions, such as Reg D, Reg… Read More

September 12, 2019 @ 7:30 am By JD Alois  |  

Innovate Finance, an advocacy association for the development and support of the UK Fintech industry, has published a report on Brexit and the impact it may have on UK based Fintechs. According to the report, 55% of Fintechs feel well prepared for Brexit but that… Read More

September 11, 2019 @ 8:50 am By JD Alois  |  

Leading global crowdfunding platform OurCrowd has had a stellar year. Multiple portfolio companies have IPOed’ or been acquired providing positive outcomes for platform investors. As Crowdfund Insider reported earlier this year, OurCrowd has topped USD $ 1 billion in committed capital making perhaps making it… Read More

September 10, 2019 @ 7:29 pm By JD Alois  |  

Tomorrow (September 11), the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship, and Capital Markets, will hold a must-see hearing on “Examining Private Market Exemptions as a Barrier to IPOs and Retail Investment.”  The Subcommittee is Chaired by Representative Carolyn Maloney. The Hearing incorporates multiple pending… Read More

September 9, 2019 @ 3:52 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is reportedly planning to launch three new iPhone models on September 10.  Some of the most highly anticipated upgrades include a new frosted-glass design and an updated three-lens camera system. The latest smartphones from Apple may be used as charging pads for other… Read More

September 9, 2019 @ 10:15 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

PEAK6, a U.S.-based investment and technology firm, announced on Monday it has acquired Electronic Transaction Clearing, a custodian and clearing provider. According to PEAK6, ETC’s institutional orientation will “expand” the company’s footprint in custody and clearing and is a direct complement to one of its… Read More

September 8, 2019 @ 11:01 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Chinese multinational conglomerate Alibaba Group has acquired Kaola for approximately $2 billion from Hangzhou-based entertainment giant NetEase. The acquisition has created the largest cross-border e-commerce platform in China, according to Alibaba’s management. Commenting on Alibaba Group’s latest acquisition, company chief executive Daniel Zhang said:  “With… Read More

September 6, 2019 @ 11:01 am By JD Alois  |  

Linc Finkenberg, a former Associate General Counsel and Managing Director at BNY Mellon, has joined Perkins Coie as part of the firms Fintech and financial transactions practice in New York City. While at BNY Mellon, Finkenberg led a global team of more than 30 lawyers and… Read More

September 5, 2019 @ 2:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

uBiome, once a Biotech darling that popularized its concept on the pages of pretail e-commerce site Indiegogo and then listed an investment opportunity on Angellist, has filed for bankruptcy according to public documents. Back in 2015, uBiome pitched the concept of sequencing an individual’s microbiome… Read More

September 1, 2019 @ 11:10 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Online lending platform Biz2Credit announced on Friday its latest analysis of industry sectors found that restaurant loan approval rates were above 50% in 2018. Biz2Credit revealed that though the analysis noted that restaurants and accommodation businesses had the highest loan approval rates (51%) in 2018… Read More

September 1, 2019 @ 11:34 am By JD Alois  |  

While China has obviously morphed from a command economy to one that has wholeheartedly embraced the benefits of capitalism and a market economy there still remains substantial central planning. The current Belt and Road initiative is all about global development and increasing China’s influence around… Read More