Opinion

June 12, 2016 @ 4:39 pm By Alessandro M. Lerro  |  

Despite their obvious engagement capacity, crowdfunding projects in the performing arts still have a very low average deal size. While smaller projects such as personal exhibitions, books and documentaries are often successfully funded, grand theaters and organizations don’t use crowdfunding as a financing tool. Only… Read More

June 12, 2016 @ 1:36 pm By Eve Picker  |  

Title III of the JOBS Act, aka “Regulation Crowdfunding,” is now here. Enacted on May 16th, the rules make equity crowdfunding a reality for both accredited and non-accredited investors looking to invest in small businesses and buildings. Yet before the rules have even had a… Read More

June 11, 2016 @ 10:00 am By JD Alois  |  

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held its first in a series of forums on Fintech this past week.  At the top of the list was the marketplace lending sector. Marketplace lending, originally labeled Peer to Peer lending, has been a hot topic within the financial… Read More

June 11, 2016 @ 9:14 am By Bret Conkin  |  

Innovative approach recognized with award from Citi and Village Capital Yemani Mason identified an accessibility problem related to real estate.  Real estate investing to build wealth has not been accessible to many Americans.  They lack the networks and required capital to participate.  So he launched… Read More

June 10, 2016 @ 2:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Wefunder, one of the active participants in the Reg CF crowdfunding space, has published a comment letter directed towards Representatives Jeb Hensarling and Maxine Waters in support of the Fix Crowdfunding Act (HR 4855).  The two are powerful legislators in the House of Representatives. Hensarling… Read More

June 10, 2016 @ 9:16 am By JD Alois  |  

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) published a report earlier this spring entitled, “Supporting Responsible Innovation in the Federal Banking System: An OCC Perspective.” While the name may a bit convoluted the report is basically about Fintech and the financial system as… Read More

June 9, 2016 @ 3:00 pm By Samuel Guzik  |  

  It’s been more than four (very long) years since the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the JOBS Act) made its debut, with much fanfare, in the White House Rose Garden. And on May 16, 2016, the official date of the emancipation of investment crowdfunding… Read More

June 8, 2016 @ 7:09 pm By Anthony Zeoli  |  

  The UK crowdfunding market is the leading, and most successful, crowdfunding market for several reasons. Arguably the primary reason for their success is that the UK tailored, and continues to tailor, their securities laws specifically to promote crowdfunding/P2P lending. A lesser known reason, however,… Read More

June 8, 2016 @ 9:51 am By Erly Witoyo  |  

The spirit of entrepreneurship has always been a part of Islam. Nine out of ten companions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who were guaranteed heaven were businessmen. Today, entrepreneurs continue to be a driving force of the economy. The lack of financial support for small and… Read More

June 7, 2016 @ 6:17 pm By JD Alois  |  

At a speech delivered at the Economic Club of New York’s meeting in Manhattan this morning, the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Congressman Jeb Hensarling, presented a plan to overhaul the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Dodd-Frank, as it is… Read More

June 6, 2016 @ 7:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last week the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) filed a comment letter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency regarding a discussion paper on “responsible innovation” in the financial sector. The letter, signed by Karen Thomas, Senior Executive VP of Government Relations… Read More

June 5, 2016 @ 9:49 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) has sent a comment letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency regarding ” responsible innovation”.  While everyone understands that Fintech can provide incredible benefits to both consumers and the economy, smaller banks are getting the… Read More

June 3, 2016 @ 6:27 pm By JD Alois  |  

The New York Department of Financial Services apparently is not content with just rifling through recent actions at Lending Club, the state agency has now sent letters to 28 different online lenders.  This is according to a report by Reuters – the news agency happened… Read More

June 3, 2016 @ 2:15 pm By JD Alois  |  

FinCEN, a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, has proposed changing the regulatory definition of a “broker or dealer in securities.”  The proposed amendment will impact crowdfunding portals as created under the JOBS Act of 2012.  According to FinCEN; “these amendments would require funding… Read More

June 3, 2016 @ 12:06 pm By Oscar Jofre  |  

Get your mind out of the gutter!   Now, when you first saw the title, you asked yourself what business has to do with anything relating to double-Ds – of any kind. We’re talking about Due Diligence.  Sexy, isn’t it? Due diligence is a topic… Read More

June 3, 2016 @ 9:41 am By JD Alois  |  

Crowdcube was the first investment crowdfunding platform to launch in the UK. Since 2011, the site has grown quite a bit having helped to finance hundreds of companies raising more than £165 million in the process. During this time, Crowdcube has tweaked and adjusted its… Read More

June 1, 2016 @ 3:49 pm By Joe Green  |  

  Now that the long awaited and much anticipated federal crowdfunding rules under Title III of the JOBS Act have become effective, startup companies can raise seed capital from everyday, non-accredited retail investors through online equity crowdfunding platforms. Many of these investors are excited to… Read More

May 31, 2016 @ 9:55 am By JD Alois  |  

Expectations were high earlier this year as Australia appeared poised to enact legislation to improve the environment for investment crowdfunding to occur in a more liberalized environment. Yet the proposal by policy makers had come under pointed criticism.  Eventually the bill “lapsed at dissolution” in… Read More

May 29, 2016 @ 7:44 pm By JD Alois  |  

Shares in Lending Club (NYSE:LC) jumped last week as chatter popped up in a report in WSJ.com that Citigroup may be purchasing, or perhaps providing financing, for their loans.  This is the second round of positive news as it was recently revealed that Chinese billionaire Tianqiao… Read More

May 28, 2016 @ 12:56 pm By JD Alois  |  

The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) has published a comment letter expressing their opinion on the definition of an Accredited Investor. As mandated by Dodd-Frank, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must review the current definition on a periodic basis. As it stands today,… Read More