Opinion

Editorial opinions and perspective on Fintech.

How (Not) to Market Your Regulation A+ Mini-IPO Offering

SEC Regulation A (commonly referred to as Regulation A+) was implemented by the SEC in 2015 pursuant to major Congressional legislation, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the JOBS Act). It allows companies to raise up to $50 million in a 12 month… Read More

Singapore or London: Which One is the Top Fintech Hub?

A report published a few days backed, addressed the question of which country is tops when it comes to Fintech innovation. For some time now, Singapore and the UK have both aspired to sit on the Fintech throne each providing unique characteristics to their entrepreneurial… Read More

“Democravesting,” a Possible Catalyst for the Next Crypto Bull Market

Last year’s explosion in cryptocurrencies (in both price and awareness among the public) has made the financial world sit up and take notice. The promise of blockchain technology disrupting industries, democratizing finance through decentralization and potentially making investors wealthy—was the driving force behind the rise… Read More

Investing in Crowdfunded Companies: Concept & Team Count but Pay Attention to Deal Structure

Investing in early-stage firms is highly risky. As this publication has stated time and again, many, if not most, early-stage firms will fail or simply bounce along failing to achieve the founder’s expectations of great financial success. Investment crowdfunding platforms typically list mainly startup or… Read More

Blockchain Holds the Key to Unlocking Gen Z’s Marketing Wishes

Gen Z: You know, the generation that dumped Facebook for Instagram, and prefers YouTube videos to cable TV. Gen-Zers were born after 1995 and are expected to represent 40% of consumers by 2020. The ‘post-millennials’ generation is growing older and marketing experts are creating new… Read More

Fake Blockchain: Report Says EOS is not Really Blockchain but a “Distributed Homogeneous Database Management System” [u]

Last week, a report was circulating about EOS that slammed the ecosystem saying it was not even a true blockchain. There are other people in the blockchain world who would agree with at least some of the statements from the report. According to Whiteblock, the “world’s… Read More

As RealtyShares Shuts Down, the Real Estate Crowdfunding Industry Ponders the Future

Earlier this week it was revealed that RealtyShares, a respected real estate crowdfunding platform that has originated just under $900 million in investment capital, was winding down operations. The turn of events was driven by the lack of available risk capital to keep the real… Read More

Germany: Blockchain Industry Representatives Meet with Bundestag to Work on Common Sense Regulation

It has been a few choppy weeks in Germany for the blockchain / digital asset industry. Last month, a German court ruled that Bitcoin was not a financial instrument. The case centered around an enterprising teenager who launched a Bitcoin exchange five years ago. He was… Read More

Attorney on SEC Crypto Exchange Enforcement Action: “Settlement May Be Only the First”

Today, the first enforcement action was taken by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against a cryptocurrency exchange; EtherDelta. Prior to this, the SEC had only targeted issuers and promoters of crypto – largely for fraud and selling unregistered securities.  While the action against EtherData is… Read More

What Does Control of the House by Democrats Mean for Fintech Innovation & Small Business in General?

Washington DC Capitol At Night Red Light

Yesterday, mid-term elections took place in the US and while the Republicans maintained control of the Senate, the House of Representatives moved over to the Democrats. This split government means that an already divisive, and at times excessively acrimonious, political environment will get even more… Read More

Attorney on SEC & Crypto Asset Marketplaces: “By Not Allowing Intermediaries They Are Stifling Innovation”

Recently, at the StartEngine Summit during LA Blockchain Week, CI had the chance to sit down with prominent securities attorney Linda Lerner. Lerner is Senior Counsel at Crowell Moring and a veteran lawyer with deep experience and expertise in securities issuance and regulation of stock exchanges…. Read More

Is Artificial Intelligence the Biggest Beneficiary of the Autumn Budget?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is creeping into every sector of the economy. Financial services is a huge beneficiary of AI as it has the potential to provide better services at a lower cost to many more people. In the recent Autumn Budget presentation by Chancellor Philip… Read More

Crowdcube Has Now Helped to Raise Capital for Three UK Unicorns

UK Unicorns Monzo, BrewDog & Revolut are Crowdcube Alumni UK’s largest investment crowdfunding platform by volume Crowdcube has now helped to raise capital for three separate unicorns aka firms that have attained a valuation of $ 1 billion or more. Crowdcube pointed to this fact… Read More

All You Need to Know About Cryptocurrency Wallets

A lot of people think of their cryptocurrency wallet as merely a digitized version of a real wallet that is used for storing funds. However, it doesn’t actually store cryptocurrencies. Rather, it saves a pair of public and private keys that grant access to one’s digital belongings. In a nutshell, a public key is a… Read More

War is Over on Bitcoin’s Tenth Birthday

It’s a tale woven from the stuff legends are made of: In the midst of global financial chaos, corrupt bailouts of the super rich, and growing mistrust in institutions, a mysterious figure arrives out of nowhere to save day. In a nine-page short document, an… Read More

Happy Birthday Bitcoin: Zero to $100 Billion in Ten Years

The one crypto to rule them all, Bitcoin, is celebrating a birthday. The creation of Satoshi Nakamoto (whomever he or she really is), Bitcoin has become an iconic concept in global Fintech and the emerging world of digital assets. Starting as a novelty in 2008,… Read More

Blockchain and Security Tokens (a/k/a Digital Securities): A Securities Lawyer’s View from the 2018 Los Angeles Crypto Invest Summit

As a securities attorney, when I attend a conference in a rapidly developing area, I come with my own prejudices and beliefs, but with an open mind and open ears – to hear,  digest and discuss the latest developments and thinking.  The 2018 Crypto Invest… Read More

Autumn Budget: What’s in it for Fintech?

As one would expect, yesterday’s Autumn Budget announcement delivered something for everyone. With Brexit getting closer, the UK Government is in “all-hands” mode seeking to boost the economy in preparation for the European divorce. Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond stated: “We are at a… Read More

Report States that Looming Crypto Regulation Could Crush UK’s Leading Fintech Hub Status

According to the Telegraph today, a recent report on crypto-assets and the potential for added regulation from the UK Parliament, warns that regulatory over-reach may crush the UKs leading Fintech hub status. Patrick Curry, chief executive of the British Business Federation Authority, told the Telegraph,… Read More

Experian, FICO, and Finicity Create New Credit Score with More Data: UltraFICO

FICO (aka Fair Isaac Corporation) has been around since about 1956, back in the day of punch card computers. Widely utilized and frequently criticized, FICO is the most quoted grade when consumers apply for a loan. But Fintech can make a FICO better, or perhaps… Read More

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