Opinion

April 16, 2019 @ 10:57 am By JD Alois  |  

The Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) has published its 4th annual European Alternative Finance report. The publication, entitled “Shifting Paradigms” – completed in partnership with the University of Agder in Norway, tracks the growth of alternative finance across Europe including the UK. According to… Read More

April 12, 2019 @ 3:57 pm By JD Alois  |  

Online lender Avant is said to be in “late-stage discussions” concerning the approval of an Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Fintech charter. The news was apparently revealed on Politico Pro. Big scoop by @vtg2 on @Avant_US in late stage discussions re: @USOCC #FinTech… Read More

April 11, 2019 @ 10:10 pm By Cali Haan  |  

“Vetted” retail investors are lining up to buy a revamped version of ICOs (initial coin offerings) called IEOs (initial exchange offerings), digital tokens “curated” by trading platforms, Bloomberg reports. After a slew of bad press and bad results over the past few years, ICOs have… Read More

April 8, 2019 @ 12:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) moved forward on clarifying their position regarding digital assets. First, a No-Action Letter (NAL) was released pertaining to the issuance of a token by TurnKey Jet. In a tightly defined issuance, Turnkey was deemed not to be… Read More

April 8, 2019 @ 9:00 am By Erin Hobey  |  

Fresh from its new partnership with Nationwide, BlueVine, a provider of online working capital financing for small and medium-sized businesses, is adding term loan financing to its suite of online financing solutions. The BlueVine Term Loan seeks to provide small and medium-sized business owners fast… Read More

April 7, 2019 @ 6:23 pm By Yoav Dror  |  

We need to get with the times. Your good old leather wallet now comes in a non-physical, electronic alternative. We need to brace ourselves for the use of digital wallets and the mass benefits they have to offer the world of finance. Digital wallets may… Read More

April 6, 2019 @ 12:37 pm By JD Alois  |  

Late last month, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) announced the issuance of the very first virtual banking licenses. While many jurisdictions around the world are pursuing policies that encourage Fintech innovation and digital banking what was unique about the HKMA’s announcement was the rapidity… Read More

April 6, 2019 @ 8:51 am By Cali Haan  |  

Though Bitcoin’s much-reported recent reawakening from its 15-month slumber may entice certain investors into the fray, wealth manager Peter Mallouk warns that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies remain poor investments, CNBC Make It reports.  “What we’re going to see, most likely, is, we’re going to see… Read More

April 5, 2019 @ 10:03 am By Jelena Keatley  |  

Millennials are blamed for the destruction of many industries that were initially incepted by the baby boomer generation. These industries include but are not limited to, the housing market, restaurant chains, 9-5 office jobs, and even plastic straws (with good reason). However, millennials aren’t quite… Read More

April 4, 2019 @ 8:30 am By JD Alois  |  

JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is out with his annual shareholder letter, a missive that is widely read not only for its insight into the future of JPM but for Dimon’s thoughts on other issues. As one would expect, Dimon covered a wide swath… Read More

April 4, 2019 @ 7:30 am By JD Alois  |  

Canada may be a smaller market but it has a robust, highly sophisticated economy and a vibrant Fintech sector. Toronto, the financial center of the country, is home to dozens of Fintechs including payment firms, online lending, AI, wealth management, blockchain and more. Yet while… Read More

April 2, 2019 @ 6:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Recently Crowdfund Insider was in communication with Securities Attorney Joe Nesler who posts regularly on his law firm’s web site pertaining to issues regarding crypto and securities law. A post by Nessler from last November touched upon reporting requirements under 12g and digital assets. CI… Read More

April 2, 2019 @ 7:59 am By JD Alois  |  

Is Bitcoin back? That depends on who you talk to. The worlds most popular cryptocurrency, at least by market cap, is hovering around USD $5000 for the first time in months. Just a few days ago, Bitcoin was closer to $4000. The increase in price… Read More

April 1, 2019 @ 5:13 pm By JD Alois  |  

A report in WSJ.com is running the comps regarding initial coin offerings (ICOs) from Q1 of 2019 versus the same quarter of 2018 and the contrast is rather grim. According to data gleaned from TokenData, in the first three months of 2019 only $118 million… Read More

March 31, 2019 @ 5:25 pm By JD Alois  |  

Indiegogo, the second largest rewards-based platform in the US, has quietly exited equity crowdfunding. Indiegogo entered the securities realm in November of 2016. The platform partnered with Microventures, a Texas-based broker-dealer, to create First Democracy VC – a FINRA approved funding portal. At the time… Read More

March 28, 2019 @ 4:58 am By Erin Hobey  |  

In mid-March, Taiwan-based blockchain security company CoolBitX, creator of CoolWallet S, a Bluetooth mobile hardware wallet for digital assets, has created a tech partnership with the Asia Blockchain and Crypto Association (ABACA), the appointed Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO) of the Philippine government agency Cagayan Economic Zone Authority… Read More

March 26, 2019 @ 12:04 pm By Erin Hobey  |  

Exscudo, a blockchain platform which helps users to manage, hold and transfer digital as well as traditional financial assets, recently announced an upcoming credit card linked to the Channels app that will support support EUR, BTC and EON, with plans to add BCH, EHT, ETC,… Read More

March 26, 2019 @ 11:04 am By Erin Hobey  |  

Honeycomb Credit, a two year old Pittsburgh-based fintech platform, aims to enable growing businesses loans to be underwritten by its customers at reasonable rates and terms. Honeycomb Credit reportedly offers investors (customers of a certain business) an 8-14% return on their investment over a 36-60… Read More

March 24, 2019 @ 10:00 am By Jason A. Nagi  |  

For the third time since November 2018, on February 20, 2019, the SEC issued a cease and desist order relating to an initial coin offering (ICO) which set forth the steps for remediation of an unregistered securities offering, this time for Gladius Network, LLC (the… Read More

March 22, 2019 @ 3:00 am By Bret Conkin  |  

VoCare is raising capital for the launch of a new Medtech device, the Vitals360; a smartphone-sized diagnostic device for the Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Point-of-Care verticals. Current investors include AGS Capital and SAW Capital and tax credits are available to Indiana investors via the… Read More