Opinion

May 4, 2023 @ 11:27 am By JD Alois  |  

Phil Haslett, co-founder and Chief Strategy officer at EquityZen, believes that the ongoing bank crisis could be a catalyst for the initial public offering (IPO) market in 2023. So this may be a bit of a stretch, but Haslett sees the collapse of Silicon Valley… Read More

May 3, 2023 @ 6:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

Perhaps Jamie Dimon’s All Clear regarding the bank crisis – telling everyone to take a deep breath after JP Morgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) took over First Republic Bank (NYSE:FRC) was a bit premature. In after-hours trading, PacWest’s (Pacific Western Bank) (NASDAQ:PACW) shares are cratering – currently… Read More

May 3, 2023 @ 3:24 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US Federal Reserve announced a 25 bps increase in benchmark interest rates matching market expectations. While some held hopes for a pause this week, prognosticators are now looking forward to the next meeting in June. What did change in the Federal Open Market Committee… Read More

May 2, 2023 @ 5:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

While the United States continues to pursue a rule-upon-regulation strategy that undermines public listings, increasing cost and compliance requirements, the UK is looking to improve the number of public firms by simplifying its listing rules. The policy objective has been discussed for years, and today… Read More

May 2, 2023 @ 4:44 pm By JD Alois  |  

  Markets in Crypto-Assets legislation or MiCA was approved by the European Parliament two weeks ago. The digital asset framework aims to provide harmonized rules for all European Member states – enabling innovation while providing sufficient protections for markets and investors. At the same time,… Read More

May 1, 2023 @ 8:20 am By Omar Faridi  |  

CryptoUK, which claims to be the “trusted” voice of the UK crypto industry, has published a detailed response to His Majesty’s Treasury’s (HMT) Future Financial Services Regulatory Regime for Cryptoassets consultation paper. Consultation proposals “included strengthening rules for crypto trading platforms and a robust world-first… Read More

April 30, 2023 @ 5:36 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

As Web2 social media platforms continue to grapple with concerns about data privacy, misinformation, and content moderation, many users are turning to alternative forms of social media. Among these alternatives are Web3 social media platforms, which are built on decentralized networks and feature community-driven governance,… Read More

April 27, 2023 @ 10:00 am By Omar Faridi  |  

As the world becomes more digitized, auction houses are turning towards decentralized technology to improve the auction process. Decentralized Finance (DeFi) technology is one such innovation that could transform the auction industry, bringing transparency, security, and accessibility to the table. With the rise of blockchain… Read More

April 25, 2023 @ 11:43 am By JD Alois  |  

Expanding Access to Capital Act of 2023 is JOBS Act Improvement Legislation Last week during a hearing of the House Subcommittee on Capital Formation, a discussion focused on improving access to capital for early-stage firms as well as boosting retail investment options. Entitled A Roadmap… Read More

April 25, 2023 @ 9:46 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) announced that it had filed a “limited action” against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as it has ignored its petition for clearly defined digital asset rules. The SEC is statutorily required to respond to a petition within a reasonable amount of time. It… Read More

April 24, 2023 @ 4:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has posted here comments delivered at the beginning of the SEC’s 42nd Annual Small Business Forum taking place this week. A few years back, the Forum was an in-person event, but COVID and convenience have shifted the event to a virtual… Read More

April 24, 2023 @ 8:50 am By JD Alois  |  

As was reported last week, the European Parliament approved MiCA, or Markets in Crypto-Assets legislation, which aims to make the EU a digital asset-friendly jurisdiction. At the same time, the Transfer of Funds regulation was approved, which requires crypto operators to identify their customers as… Read More

April 23, 2023 @ 6:07 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The EU Parliament’s passing of the Markets in Crypto Act, or MiCA, on Thursday has been hailed as a “landmark moment” for cryptocurrencies that will “help drive prices” for the likes of Bitcoin. This, according to the CEO of an independent financial advisory, asset management and… Read More

April 20, 2023 @ 11:26 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Parliament has adopted MiCA or Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation. This legislative development means the European digital asset (crypto-asset) will now have a bespoke regulatory framework, allowing all EU member states to provide services under a harmonized environment. After several delays, MiCA was approved… Read More

April 18, 2023 @ 4:29 pm By JD Alois  |  

SEC Chair Gary Gensler spent most of the day on Capitol Hill testifying in front of the House Financial Services Committee. As the Committee is currently controlled by the Republicans – which tend to be more innovation-friendly and more supportive of small businesses, some of… Read More

April 18, 2023 @ 12:00 pm By Barry James  |  

As the USA House Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Fintech, and Inclusion, hold a hearing on stablecoins Wednesday, April 19, 2023, in the USA, in the UK, and around the world, attempts to shoe-horn digital money from central and private banks (CBDCs and Stablecoins) into existing… Read More

April 14, 2023 @ 8:05 am By Matthew G. White  |  

Recent headlines have highlighted significant risks associated with investments in cryptocurrency. For instance, in recent months, we have seen the price of various cryptocurrencies plummet, creating a “crypto winter” (though prices have recently been swinging back up, demonstrating the volatility risk associated with cryptocurrency). As… Read More

April 13, 2023 @ 12:32 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Bitcoin (BTC) price has increased substantially during the first three months of this year. The flagship cryptocurrency is trading at around $30,000 at the time of writing. Although most industry participants are not sure whether we’re entering a bull market, it is clear that… Read More

April 13, 2023 @ 8:46 am By Omar Faridi  |  

Jeremy Fox-Geen. Chief Financial Officer at Fintech firm Circle and Kash Razzaghi, the firm’s Chief Business Officer, have noted that digital currencies and the blockchains on which they travel can offer considerable utility “as a new, unified infrastructure for payments, commerce and capital markets built… Read More

April 12, 2023 @ 11:44 am By JD Alois  |  

It is that time of year again taxes are due in the US. The only groups that like tax season are the ones that benefit – state, local, and federal government – and tax preparers that earn their keep by navigating the byzantine process of… Read More