Politics, Legal & Regulation

March 20, 2018 @ 4:43 pm By JD Alois  |  

  The Group of Twenty or G20 held a meeting this week in Buenos Aires. Participating countries include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States plus the… Read More

March 20, 2018 @ 8:48 am By Erin Hobey  |  

Step in line, crypto platforms. Global Digital Finance (GDF) has launched to drive a code of conduct for cryptoassets. Non-profit GDF has convened key stakeholders to develop a global code of conduct and a taxonomy for cryptoassets, comprised of global distributed ledger and cryptoasset space… Read More

March 20, 2018 @ 8:19 am By JD Alois  |  

The Israel Securities Authority (ISA) has published their interim report on cryptocurrencies. The document was present to Chairman of the ISA, Anat Gueta, yesterday. The document is a product of an inter-departmental Committee that was established last August to research cryptocurrencies. The report includes a… Read More

March 19, 2018 @ 3:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

HD View 360 Inc (OTC:HDVW), another company that issued a press-release mentioning Blockchain only to see trading in their shares suspended, has been hit with an enforcement action by the Securities and Exchange Commission along with a related criminal prosecution. The SEC first issued an… Read More

March 19, 2018 @ 3:19 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Less than two months after Venezuela issued a white paper on its proposed cryptocurrency, Petro, President Trump has signed an executive order that bans the controversial cryptocurrency. As previously reported, Petro’s background dates back to “proposals for global financial and monetary coordination prior to the hegemony… Read More

March 19, 2018 @ 11:15 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) first launched investigations into initial coin offerings (ICOs) and the gatekeepers that have been facilitating these offerings several months back. The news of these investigations was first published by Crowdfund Insider in late February. Chatter regarding investigations had been building… Read More

March 19, 2018 @ 10:04 am By JD Alois  |  

Christopher Woolard, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority  Executive Director of Strategy and Competition, delivered a keynote speech today at the Innovate Finance Global Summit. Woolard is the defender and champion of the vital competition mandate that has made the FCA a successful financial regulator.  Woolard… Read More

March 19, 2018 @ 8:48 am By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Stability Board (FSB), the international body that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system, has published its assessment of risk in advance of the upcoming G20 meeting which will take place in Buenos Aires today and tomorrow. The FSB is chaired by… Read More

March 19, 2018 @ 7:00 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Commission recently revealed its plan to support Fintech Innovation across Europe – a vital aspect of the EU economy. Included within the plan, was a statement and outline of improving the environment for pan-European crowdfunding. In many ways, investment crowdfunding is core to the… Read More

March 18, 2018 @ 2:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last week, the 2018 Joint Economic Report from the House Representatives was published. The 334 page document attempts to encapsluate the current state of the economy while addressing challenges and policy issues. The Congressional report outlines an improving economy that is creating jobs while economic… Read More

March 18, 2018 @ 10:51 am By JD Alois  |  

Last week, during a meeting of the House Financial Services Committee, subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities, and Investment, Members of the Committee peppered cryptocurrency / initial coin offering experts with questions regarding the emerging method of online capital formation. While the overall tenor of the discussion… Read More

March 17, 2018 @ 5:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

While several countries have sought to stomp out crypto-innovation, and others have tried to accomplish rule making by enforcement action, France appears to be ready to embrace the cryptocurrency revolution. According to a report in Les Echos, the most prominent business publication in France, legislators… Read More

March 16, 2018 @ 2:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

Le Liste Noire The Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) in France has published a list of blacklisted cryptocurrency exchanges. On December 1st, the AMF exapanded an existing list of erstwhile investment opportunities that needed to comply with existing regulations. Today, the AMF said cryptocurrenices will… Read More

March 16, 2018 @ 9:48 am By JD Alois  |  

Bitgrail, an Italy-based cryptocurrency exchange, was attacked several weeks back and approximately $153 million in NANO was stolen. In the ensuing weeks, an acrimonious discussion took place between Bitgrail founder and CEO Francesco Firano, team NANO and users who were impacted by the theft. The attack… Read More

March 16, 2018 @ 9:16 am By JD Alois  |  

The Digital Assets Coalition of America (DAC) is out with a note on the addition of advisor Frank McCarthy of McCarthy Advanced Consulting. DAC says that McCarthy is a 20 year DC veteran with a track record of lobbying success. Adding his skills comes at… Read More

March 16, 2018 @ 8:55 am By David Felsenthal and Jesse Overall  |  

The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) has reportedly sent a wave of subpoenas and information requests to companies engaged in Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). The SEC scrutiny is perhaps not surprising, given that, as Crowdfund Insider writes, “if you invest in an ICO, the play… Read More

March 16, 2018 @ 6:41 am By JD Alois  |  

The Bank of England, Financial Policy Committee (FPC), is out with their statement from the meeting on March 12th regarding the outlook for UK financial stability risks. Included within the statement is a comment on crypto-assets. The Bank states: The Committee recognises the potential benefits… Read More

March 15, 2018 @ 6:46 pm By JD Alois  |  

The US House of Representatives has passed legislation that will increase the Reg A+ cap to $75 million from the current $50 million amount. Reg A+ is the creation of the JOBS Act of 2012 and one of three securities crowdfunding exemptions which have been… Read More

March 15, 2018 @ 8:59 am By JD Alois  |  

Following in the footsteps of the European Commission’s Fintech Roadmap, the European Banking Authority (EBA) has released its opinion as to how to best foster and promote Fintech adoption. The EBA’s Fintech Roadmap is the result of a recent consultation as to how the Authority… Read More

March 15, 2018 @ 2:20 am By JD Alois  |  

Luxembourg is the most recent country to issue a warning to consumers regarding the hazards of initial coin offerings and virtual currencies. The Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (Financial Sector Supervisory Commission) has issued an almost perfunctory statement. In two separate documents, the CSSF… Read More