Opinion

December 26, 2018 @ 8:01 am By JD Alois  |  

EY has published their second annual “Fast Growth Tracker” report that surveys founders and entrepreneurs in the UK. The brief report provides an interesting perspective into the UK innovation economy that is vital to economic growth and prosperity. An interesting finding from the report is… Read More

December 23, 2018 @ 10:09 am By Max Lyadvinsky  |  

Equity crowdfunding platforms have democratized the way that individuals and organizations raise and invest capital, by lowering the previously high barrier to entry for investment. And, ever since these platforms emerged, expectations have been high about the effects that this new utilitarian form of investment… Read More

December 23, 2018 @ 3:38 am By Erin Hobey  |  

During the new few weeks, readers will hopefully have some more time to not only catch up on their own reading but also time to explore some new books. Need some fintech, fiction, or non-fiction recommendations? Not sure how to explain crypto and blockchain in… Read More

December 21, 2018 @ 3:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

Earlier today, CI wrote about a new bill that has been introduced into Congress by Representatives Warren Davidson and Darren Soto. HR 7356 or the “Token Taxonomy Act” is designed to provide legal clarity for initial coin offerings that may not be securities. The legislation has… Read More

December 21, 2018 @ 11:59 am By JD Alois  |  

This week, CI reported about a problem for Regulation A issuers (or Reg A+ as it is called). Speaking with Mark Elenowitz, a Wall Street veteran and CEO of Tripoint Global and Bank, he explained a nagging problem for issuers using the security exemption who… Read More

December 21, 2018 @ 11:18 am By JD Alois  |  

As long anticipated, legislation has been entered into Congress to address pressing questions regarding initial coin offerings (ICOs) and their current treatment as being regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as they are all considered to be securities. Representatives Warren Davidson and Darren… Read More

December 21, 2018 @ 7:51 am By JD Alois  |  

Kathy Kraninger was sworn in as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on December 10, 2018, following another acrimonious round of Senate hearings. Kraninger, an experienced Congressional staffer and longtime DC veteran, has made the Bureau’s name and ongoing confusion surrounding its label as… Read More

December 20, 2018 @ 6:50 am By JD Alois  |  

Blockchain or distributed ledger technology (DLT) has been a red-hot topic in the financial services industry the past few years. The one-two punch of Bitcoin excitement and the Ethereum fueled revelation of smart contracts and decentralization, caused many to label blockchain internet 3.0. But is… Read More

December 19, 2018 @ 8:48 pm By JD Alois  |  

It’s the end of the year and that means its time for predictions. More specifically, some crypto predictions! 2018 was a tumultuous year in regards to the digital asset sector as regulatory clarity became a hot topic of debate and discussion. While some national jurisdictions… Read More

December 19, 2018 @ 12:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

Charlotte Crosswell, CEO of Innovate Finance, has issued a statement following the UK government’s publication of the “Immigration White Paper.” Immigration, and how a post-Brexit Britain will manage it, is a pressing concern. Access to skills and talent is vital to all industry. Perhaps more so with… Read More

December 18, 2018 @ 11:17 am By Doug Ellenoff  |  

This summer, with little fanfare, the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) announced some interesting and, in our view, directionally enlightened ideas on potential changes to state securities laws as they relate to secondary market trading. If you aren’t familiar with NASAA, it is a… Read More

December 17, 2018 @ 4:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

As CI reported earlier today, the Swiss Federal Council published a report last week that advocated on behalf of greater integration of blockchain, or distributed ledger technology (DLT), into their financial services industry. The Federal Council is made up of seven members, each of which… Read More

December 17, 2018 @ 6:57 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Crowdfunding Network (ECN) has just published an Open Letter directed towards EU member states and the ongoing debate regarding pan-European crowdfunding rules. Proposed rules would impact, and perhaps improve, the marketplace for both debt and equity crowdfunding. The ECN believes the European Crowdfunding… Read More

December 16, 2018 @ 9:36 am By JD Alois  |  

The concept of “Patient Capital” has been in discussion for quite some time in the United Kingdom. The premise is based on the theory that investors may be willing to forgo near-term returns for the possibility that substantial gains may be generated at a much… Read More

December 14, 2018 @ 10:22 am By Cali Haan  |  

Facebook is aggressively recruiting to fill out its “secretive” blockchain research group and hopefully “disrupt” the payments sector, Cheddar reports, but sources say the company is having a hard time attracting key talent, “amid its many public scandals.” Recruiting problems may be a blessing in disguise… Read More

December 14, 2018 @ 9:32 am By Onki Kwan  |  

Recently, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been actively pursuing all players in the initial coin offering (ICO) space, including companies that have raised money with ICOs, an exchange, people promoting ICOs, and most recently, an ICO investment fund. The SEC’s recent actions are… Read More

December 13, 2018 @ 6:37 pm By JD Alois  |  

During the 37th annual Government-Business Forum on Small Business Capital Formation, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Jay Clayton opened the event with a couple of interesting statements. Clayton commented on the byzantine ecosystem that has emerged, over many decades of legislation and rulemaking, for issuers… Read More

December 13, 2018 @ 10:23 am By JD Alois  |  

The CEO of crypto exchange Panxora (formerly operating as First Global) says he is “unhappy” with the US regulatory model. The comments come following the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) request for information on “crypto-asset mechanics” including Ethereum (Ether) and Bitcoin Gavin Smith says he is… Read More

December 10, 2018 @ 11:49 am By JD Alois  |  

Today, UK Prime Minister Theresa May announced that the vote on her Brexit proposal, originally scheduled for tomorrow, will now be delayed. PM May stated: I have listened very carefully to what has been said, in this chamber and out of it, by members from all… Read More

December 9, 2018 @ 9:31 am By Cali Haan  |  

Laura Shin, an independent journalist known for breaking an important story about deception by “blockchain” scions in Toronto, recently spoke to her former colleague at Forbes, Jeff Kauflin, on a podcast convened to discuss layoffs and business structure problems at ConsenSys, one of Ethereum’s biggest spin-off companies…. Read More