Politics, Legal & Regulation

August 17, 2020 @ 1:30 am By Adam Thatcher  |  

In recent years, equity (or investment-based) crowdfunding has been a popular alternative source of funding for early and later-stage companies. This is due to the increasing availability of capital and willingness of the general public to invest in innovative companies, the potential efficiency gains for… Read More

August 16, 2020 @ 5:01 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced charges against Boon.Tech and its CEO Rajesh Pavithran alleging fraud and registration violations in connection with a $5 million initial coin offering (ICO). According to the SEC’s order, from November 2017 to January 2018, Boon.Tech raised approximately… Read More

August 14, 2020 @ 12:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

California has been kicking around possible legislation regarding the regulation of digital assets for some time now. Recently, Crowdfund Insider reported on updates to pending crypto legislation (AB 2150) as the objectives of the bill had been dramatically scaled down. The bill has been sponsored… Read More

August 14, 2020 @ 10:33 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The Seychelles registered Bitcoin Mercantile Exchange (BitMEX), the world’s largest cryptocurrency derivatives exchange, announced on August 14, 2020, that it will be introducing a user verification program. The Hong Kong-operated exchange noted that it will be launching its User Verification Program “at 00:00 UTC on… Read More

August 13, 2020 @ 8:59 pm By JD Alois  |  

Reg CF (or Regulation Crowdfunding) a securities exemption that allows small companies to raise capital online had a great July – even in the midst of social distancing and lockdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 health issue. According to an email distributed by Crowdfund Capital… Read More

August 13, 2020 @ 8:41 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The COVID-19 outbreak has accelerated the digital lending sector’s adoption of Open Banking policies and related technology, according to industry participants. The data-sharing initiative, which requires that banks share “anonymized” customer data with qualified third-parties (after obtaining consent from the owners of the financial data),… Read More

August 12, 2020 @ 1:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

This past May, Crowdfund Insider reported on pending legislation (AB 2150) in the state of California that may have addressed the treatment of digital assets and when they would not be considered a security. In the ensuing months, the legislation has changed – and rather… Read More

August 11, 2020 @ 8:05 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

The Omnipresent Group, which focuses on offering assistance to remote workers, has secured $2 million in seed funding. The company claims that it acquired the funds “within six weeks” of the COVID-19 outbreak, so that it can offer a viable solution to support what it… Read More

August 11, 2020 @ 10:39 am By JD Alois  |  

Longtime Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staffer Sebastian Gomez Abero has been named Deputy Director of the SEC’s Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation (OASB). Gomez Abero has been serving as Senior Advisor to SEC Chairman Jay Clayton. The OASB was created… Read More

August 10, 2020 @ 12:51 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) testing performed by tech giant Microsoft reveals that consumers are actually leaving their planned purchases at relatively high rates when challenged at the time of checkout. SCA is a European regulatory requirement that aims to reduce or eliminate fraudulent activities and… Read More

August 10, 2020 @ 10:30 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) recently noted that there are several different paths that virtual currency businesses may take to begin using or listing digital currencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), among many others. The NYDFS is the department of the… Read More

August 7, 2020 @ 6:05 pm By JD Alois  |  

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce, a public official that has long favored Fintech innovation and more specifically the digital asset sector, has been confirmed by the US Senate on a voice vote for another 5 year term. The vote was held yesterday and indicative of a… Read More

August 7, 2020 @ 10:29 am By Omar Faridi  |  

The US Federal Reserve, which is the central banking system of the country, has reportedly been working on a new real-time payment and settlement system, called FedNow. Governor Lael Brainard claims that the Fed plans to have FedNow fully operational as soon as possible. Brainard… Read More

August 6, 2020 @ 11:51 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Qatar has substantial capital that has been invested by local entities into the nation’s economy, which is more diversified than most other countries in the Middle East. However, foreign direct investment (FDI) may still serve a key role in developing the nation’s knowledge-based economy and… Read More

August 6, 2020 @ 6:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Earlier this week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee met to discuss how capital markets are serving underrepresented segments of entrepreneurship and small businesses. As we all know, every early-stage firm needs to have access to capital to thrive… Read More

August 6, 2020 @ 12:27 pm By JD Alois  |  

Legaltech LawCloud has partnered with securities crowdfunding platform Title3Funds. LawCloud will be providing its Form C service to issuers using the FINRA regulated funding portal to raise capital online. LawCloud’s service streamlines the legal filing process by providing entrepreneurs with a simple and cost-effective solution… Read More

August 5, 2020 @ 11:28 pm By Omar Faridi  |  

Russia’s largest banking institution, Sberbank, is reportedly looking into whether it should launch its own stablecoin, which are digital currencies that are pegged or backed by real-world assets, major fiat currencies, or commodities such as gold. Sergey Popov, director of state-owned Sberbank’s transaction business, said… Read More

August 4, 2020 @ 11:44 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) is seeking feedback on a regulatory framework for digital asset wallet providers. The review is expected to complement the existing frameworks for Digital Asset Exchange (DAX) and Initial Exchange Offering (IEO). The SC notes that digital asset wallet providers, now… Read More

August 4, 2020 @ 10:00 am By JD Alois  |  

Recently, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) posted a letter clarifying national banks’ and federal savings associations’ authority to provide cryptocurrency custody services for customers. Although recently we have seen improvements in banks providing services to crypto firms, many digital asset service providers… Read More

August 3, 2020 @ 3:29 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last week, Acting Comptroller of the Currency Brian P. Brooks virtually presented Varo Bank, N.A. its official charter. Varo Money has been in business for years having provided bank services by partnering with an already chartered bank. As of August 1st, 2020, Varo Bank can… Read More