Opinion

February 7, 2025 @ 6:02 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Katherine Adkins, Chief Legal Officer at BNPL Fintech firm Affirm (NASDAQ: AFRM) noted that consumer spending is like the engine that drives the American economy, accounting for about 70% of US GDP by most estimates. Katherine Adkins of Affirm also mentioned that if spending is… Read More

February 5, 2025 @ 6:09 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US Federal Reserve is supposed to be an apolitical entity independent of the federal government seeking to achieve its low inflation and full employment mandate. The Fed also has oversight over the banking system as it aims to ensure a safe and secure banking… Read More

February 4, 2025 @ 12:52 pm By JD Alois  |  

This week, Rohit Chopra was booted from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and replaced by acting CFPB Director, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.  The CFPB has been a controversial bureaucracy from its inception, and some supporters of Fintech innovation have chafed at the… Read More

February 4, 2025 @ 9:59 am By JD Alois  |  

A growing number of firms are choosing to incorporate or move their state of incorporation to other states besides Delaware, at least if you believe comments on social media. It appears that Nevada and Texas are on the rise as Delaware has lost some of… Read More

February 3, 2025 @ 1:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent is picking up another leadership role as President Donald Trump named Bessent Acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). As Bessent steps in, Rohit Chopra, the Director under the Biden Administration, is now without a job. Bessent… Read More

February 3, 2025 @ 8:45 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The private equity landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by shifting market dynamics, policy changes, and emerging investment opportunities. Factors like increased deal flow, advancements in AI and technology, and a renewed focus on sustainability are expected to shape investment strategies and competitive positioning. Cyrus Nikou,… Read More

January 31, 2025 @ 10:30 am By Omar Faridi  |  

CI recently caught up with Jamie Dominguez of Q2 Holdings to discuss how banks are re-imagining banking as competition from digital banks increases. As background, Q2 (NYSE: QTWO) is a provider of digital transformation solutions for financial services, serving banks, credit unions, alternative finance companies,… Read More

January 30, 2025 @ 3:01 pm By JD Alois  |  

The SEC Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee (SBCFAC) will meet next month on February 25th. This Committee is tasked with advising the Commission on issues and policies impacting smaller firms while making recommendations on how to improve the ecosystem. Today, the SBCFAC released the… Read More

January 30, 2025 @ 1:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

Several years back, the European Union approved the European Crowdfunding Service Providers Regulation (ECSPR), which enabled issuers to raise funds across all EU member states. Under the rules, an issuer could raise up to €5 million for an offering listed on a regulated securities crowdfunding… Read More

January 30, 2025 @ 8:22 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

Moon Pursuit Capital founder and managing partner Utkarsh Ahuja’s spent a decade in cryptocurrency, and he believes 2025 could be the biggest year yet. The combination of tokenization and deregulation has the potential to drive innovation and unlock new opportunities for small businesses through decentralized… Read More

January 30, 2025 @ 8:11 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Kirsty Rutter, the Fintech Investment Director at Lloyds Banking Group, highlights the key trends expected to shape the fast-evolving fintech industry in 2025. Despite various challenges, the UK fintech sector has demonstrated resilience and innovation, Rutter noted in a blog post. Kirsty Rutter from Lloyds… Read More

January 29, 2025 @ 9:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Bitcoin (BTC), the flagship cryptocurrency, is holding steady around the $100,000 mark as investors await the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. After a modest 3-4% correction on Tuesday (January 28), the leading cryptocurrency rebounded, reflecting cautious optimism among investors ahead of key policy remarks…. Read More

January 28, 2025 @ 8:21 am By Tony Zerucha  |  

In the early days of his second administration, Donald Trump wasted little time capitalizing on the current cryptocurrency craze, one he’s helped to create. Trump launched the $TRUMP meme coin, whose value soared by more than 300% in less than a day. $TRUMP’s market cap… Read More

January 27, 2025 @ 9:04 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Paytm, a digital payments company in India, is gearing up for a potential revival of its banking arm, Paytm Payments Bank. The unit faced a significant setback last year when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) effectively suspended its operations due to regulatory concerns. Now,… Read More

January 27, 2025 @ 5:57 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Ohio is taking a significant step towards embracing digital assets, with a new strategic crypto reserve bill (House Bill No. 18) that’s gained praise from former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. The bill, which has reportedly been introduced by State Representative Steve Demetriou, would allow the… Read More

January 27, 2025 @ 5:41 pm By JD Alois  |  

There have been many reports of “Debanking” taking place during the Biden Administration. At times, these reports focused on crypto-related firms that saw their accounts closed by banks – typically with little notice. There have also been reports of Debanking taking place for political reasons…. Read More

January 27, 2025 @ 4:08 pm By Tony Zerucha  |  

Donald Trump’s inauguration has generated speculation on a range of financial issues. Continue reading for a selection of industry commentary. Cryptocurrency “The most important development will be the legal certainty that comes from a more friendly US regulatory regime. We are now likely to see… Read More

January 27, 2025 @ 1:19 pm By JD Alois  |  

ICAN, or Investors Choice Advocates Network, is a non-profit that advocates on behalf of underserved investors and those individuals deemed to be unfairly targeted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. ICAN supports investors’ rights, which sometimes suffer from too much government and too little freedom…. Read More

January 27, 2025 @ 7:57 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Elon Musk, the newly appointed leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is reportedly exploring the potential use of blockchain technology to improve government efficiency and significantly reduce spending. According to Bloomberg, which cited sources familiar with the matter, Musk has discussed with close… Read More

January 26, 2025 @ 11:53 am By Omar Faridi  |  

In recent comments, Bank of America’s (NYSE: BAC) CEO Brian Moynihan expressed the bank’s readiness to support cryptocurrency payments in the future, highlighting the need for clear and robust regulatory frameworks before they can fully embrace crypto transactions for clients. Moynihan said at the World… Read More