Politics, Legal & Regulation

November 7, 2017 @ 2:20 pm By JD Alois  |  

Recently someone forwarded a copy of the Tezos Terms of Allocation regarding their spectacularly successful Initial Coin Offering (ICO). To update anyone that has not followed the odyssey of the high profile ICO, Tezos – a self amending cryptographic ledger”, raised $232 million this past… Read More

November 7, 2017 @ 1:59 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Commission has published an Inception Impact Assessment that pitches a legislative proposal for an EU framework for crowdfunding including peer to peer lending. The initiative is accepting feedback from interested parties until November 27, 2017. The expectation is the Commission will create a… Read More

November 6, 2017 @ 1:13 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has inked an agreement with the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) to cross promote Fintech firms in their respective markets. Australia has targeted Fintech as strategic for their economy. China is the largest Fintech market in the world…. Read More

November 6, 2017 @ 12:17 pm By Samuel Guzik  |  

As a securities lawyer and a sometimes advocate for smart regulation of capital formation, I must confess: When it comes to addressing the current state of the Initial Coin Offering (ICO) marketplace, I believe that market participants face a crisis of growing proportions. No Hype… Read More

November 6, 2017 @ 8:15 am By JD Alois  |  

HR 3903 or the “Encouraging Public Offerings Act of 2017″ may boost the moribund Initial Public Offering (IPO) market in the US. Passed by the US House of Representatives last week by a solid bipartisan vote of 419 to 0, the bill has three provisions designed… Read More

November 6, 2017 @ 7:28 am By JD Alois  |  

Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) says it continues to lead digital innovation in finance with significant progress reported on major Fintech markets initiatives. At its flagship Fintech event, SCxSC Digital Finance Conference 2017, SC Chairman Tan Sri Ranjit Ajit Singh in his speech delivered to attendees… Read More

November 5, 2017 @ 3:00 pm By Joshua Ashley Klayman  |  

You Can’t Generally Stop Someone From Suing You. In the years before the blockchain buzz, I often would sit in my mentor’s office for conference calls. Even on calls where there was not much for me to add, I always learned from listening to him… Read More

November 3, 2017 @ 11:36 am By JD Alois  |  

In a strong sign of bipartisan support, the House of Representatives approved by voice vote HR 1585 or the Fair Investment Opportunities for Professional Experts Act. Sponsored by Representative David Schweikert from Arizona, HR 1585 may address the profound shortcomings in the current definition of… Read More

November 3, 2017 @ 9:24 am By JD Alois  |  

The Monetary Authority of Singapore and China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) met this week in a roundtable meeting to discuss closer cooperation. This is the second meeting of its kind with the first taking place in Chongqing, China in April 2016. MAS and CSRC discussed how… Read More

November 2, 2017 @ 9:02 pm By Howard Marks  |  

It is clear with the Tezos Greek tragedy, many Initial Coin Offering (ICO) investors are worried about investing in complex and sometimes shady structures. The founders visiting the Swiss city of Zug to set up their foundation may find their days numbered. The idea to… Read More

November 2, 2017 @ 8:17 pm By JD Alois  |  

Tezos raised an astounding $232 million in an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) this past summer.  As the price of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies rocketed higher, some industry followers pegged the actual raise by Tezos closer to $400 million. A couple weeks back things started to… Read More

November 2, 2017 @ 3:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

As widely predicted, President Donald Trump selected current Federal Reserve Governor Jerome “Jay” Powell as the incoming Chair of the US Central Bank. Powell will replace current Fed Chairman Janet Yellen this coming February, if approved by the US Senate. Powell has been broadly lauded… Read More

November 2, 2017 @ 11:37 am By JD Alois  |  

The House Financial Services Committee, Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities, and Investment, has scheduled a hearing to discuss, “Legislative Proposals to Improve Small Businesses’ and Communities’ Access to Capital”. This hearing, which will be live streamed on the HFSC site, is scheduled to take place… Read More

November 1, 2017 @ 10:37 pm By JD Alois  |  

FinTech Australia has welcomed the announcement about “comprehensive credit reporting” by Treasurer Scott Morrison at the opening day of the Collab/Collide Summit in Melbourne. The Australian Government will mandate a comprehensive credit reporting regime that should help Australian borrowers get a better deal from lenders,… Read More

November 1, 2017 @ 7:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

Jerome “Jay” Powell, a current Federal Reserve Governor, appears to be the Trump Administration’s pick to replace current Fed Chair Janet Yellen this coming February. Powell may not have been an obvious selection but much of the media is describing him as a steady hand… Read More

November 1, 2017 @ 4:27 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is out with a note, and an investor alert, warning celebrities against the “unlawful” promotion of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and other investment opportunities. The SEC is referencing the multiple, prominent endorsements of ICOs by high profile celebrities such… Read More

October 31, 2017 @ 5:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Several years back while at LendIt Europe in London, I had the opportunity to sit down with Karen Mills a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Business School Harvard. Mills previously was a Cabinet Member during the Obama Administration from 2009 to 2013. At that time,… Read More

October 30, 2017 @ 6:13 pm By Joshua Ashley Klayman, Lewis Rinaudo Cohen and Robin Sosnow  |  

On Friday, Crowdfund Insider ran a story entitled “ICOs are Securities: Token Based Offerings Poised for a Rude Awakening as US Regulators May Soon Act”. Raising funds through the sale of digital tokens (commonly known as initial coin offerings or “ICOs”) has garnered tremendous attention… Read More

October 30, 2017 @ 2:38 pm By JD Alois  |  

The UK Department of International Trade (DIT) says a number of UK Fintech experts will headline this year’s Intersekt Fintech Festival in Australia. DIT has partnered with the Collab+Collide Fintech Summit to further expand their Fintech networks. The UK is widely recognized as the global… Read More

October 28, 2017 @ 12:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

A group of European industry advocates have published a proposition for a “Self Regulation Charter for European ICOs”.  According to the web site, organizers believe that Europe is in need of a manifesto governing Initial Coin Offerings or Initial Token Offerings (ITO) (however you want… Read More