Politics, Legal & Regulation

November 15, 2017 @ 5:55 pm By JD Alois  |  

The French Autorités Des Marchés Financiers (AMF) announced a consultation on Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) at the end of the October. Crowdfund Insider published the document when it was first announced. Today, we are sharing an English version that may be consumed by a wider audience…. Read More

November 15, 2017 @ 5:18 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has published a document providing guidance on Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). Entitled “a Guide to Digital Token Offerings,” the document seeks to clarify when an ICO is in fact a security, and thus regulated and the application of securities… Read More

November 15, 2017 @ 4:34 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has revealed several changes to its advisory committees. These changes are designed to increase transparency around the committees and improve their effectiveness as a vehicle for firms to provide input on key issues before FINRA. The move is part… Read More

November 15, 2017 @ 4:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House Financial Services Committee has approved HR 3299 or the “Protecting Consumers’ Access to Credit Act of 2017.” The bill “restores consistency” in lending laws across state boundaries. HR 3299 impacts the case of Midland Funding, LLC v. Madden – an ongoing law suit… Read More

November 15, 2017 @ 12:41 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), announced he would be stepping down from his position by the end of November. Prior to joining the Bureau, Cordray served as Ohio’s Attorney General and is notably the first director of the CFPB.  Cordray… Read More

November 15, 2017 @ 8:55 am By Erin Hobey  |  

The Government of Anguilla announced its plan to enact the first cryptocurrency regulatory regime for registration of initial offerings of specified categories of cryptocurrency.  The law, called the Anguilla Utility Token Offering Act (or AUTO Act), establishes the world’s first registration process for an offering… Read More

November 15, 2017 @ 7:27 am By Erin Hobey  |  

Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the International Financial Centre in Abu Dhabi, is awarded “The Financial Centre of the Year (MENA)” for 2nd consecutive year by the Global Investor/ISF publication at the annual MENA Capital Markets Summit & Awards in Dubai. This accolade, presided by… Read More

November 14, 2017 @ 12:45 pm By Erin Hobey  |  

Blackmoon Crypto, a fintech blockchain-based company that raised $30 million during its ICO for its BMC token in September, has linked with global law firm Allen & Overy LLP to help establish the legal infrastructure that will serve as the backbone for Blackmoon’s crypto and… Read More

November 14, 2017 @ 5:57 am By Craig Peterson  |  

All eyes are on the UK’s property market since the Bank of England announced its first increase in the base rate since July 2007.  The question on everyone’s lips: how will the market react? After a decade of historically low rates homeowners have become relaxed… Read More

November 13, 2017 @ 3:00 pm By Amy Wan  |  

On Friday, November 10, 2017, StartEngine, a Regulation Crowdfunding platform based in Los Angeles, California organized ICO 2.0 Summit, the first regulated ICO conference – or at least the first that I’ve seen. While there seem to be an explosion of ICO and Blockchain-related conferences… Read More

November 12, 2017 @ 3:00 pm By Samuel Guzik  |  

Man Proposes and God Disposes On November 8, at an Annual  New York City gathering of securities professionals, SEC Chair Jay Clayton went off script – and in doing so provided what is likely to be the clearest guidance we can expect to receive from… Read More

November 10, 2017 @ 3:27 pm By JD Alois  |  

Acting Comptroller of the Currency Keith Noreika delivered a speech this week that has the traditional banking industry up in arms.  Noreika made the heretical statement that competition is good for the banking industry inciting the wrath of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA),… Read More

November 10, 2017 @ 2:10 am By JD Alois  |  

Germany’s financial regulator, the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin), has published a consumer warning today on Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). BaFin said the purchase of cryptocurrency coins or tokens may result in substantial risks for investors calling them highly speculative. The agency said the high… Read More

November 9, 2017 @ 3:29 pm By Amy Wan and Daniel Rice  |  

Well, here we are again. On November 6, Parity encountered yet another failure, and the result? Reportedly, some $150 to $300 million dollars worth of Ether (we are hearing conflicting reports as to how much ETH has been frozen) is locked down, and we’re hearing… Read More

November 9, 2017 @ 11:37 am By JD Alois  |  

The House of Representatives passed the Micro Offering Safe Harbor Act (HR 2201) today largely on a party line vote of 232 to 188. The bill, sponsored by Representative Tom Emmer from Minnesota,  seeks to allow small businesses to raise up toe $500,000 per year… Read More

November 8, 2017 @ 11:00 pm By Jor Law  |  

Initial coin offerings are all the craze, and for good reason.  According to CoinSchedule, over $3 billion has been raised in the first 10 months of October.  The Securities Exchange Commission released an investigative report concluding that DAO tokens were securities, and that scared people… Read More

November 8, 2017 @ 10:49 am By Therese Torris  |  

On 8 November 2017, the French Crowdfunding Association Financement Participatif France released the common set of performance indicators that member platforms specializing in loans, mini-bonds (a debt instrument specific to SME lending marketplaces) and bonds are invited to publish. Wishing to go beyond the legally… Read More

November 8, 2017 @ 9:34 am By JD Alois  |  

  Acting Comptroller of the Currency Keith Noreika delivered a speech today discussing the US banking industry. In the speech, Noreika makes an important point: US banks need more competition, not less. He also intimates that mixing commerce and banking can deliver benefits to consumers…. Read More

November 7, 2017 @ 5:00 pm By Therese Torris  |  

  Recently, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) held its first ever conference in Paris. The event underlined the growing importance of ESMA, the European Supervisory Authority for capital markets. Along with the European Commission and the Parliament, ESMA is one of the pillars… Read More

November 7, 2017 @ 3:08 pm By JD Alois  |  

The New Zealand Financial Markets Authority (FMA) is out with a statement on both cryptocurrencies and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO). New Zealand, a relatively small country that has been fairly supportive of Fintech, stated it wants to “facilitate responsible innovation, and ensure that the regulatory… Read More