Politics, Legal & Regulation

February 13, 2017 @ 4:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

Equitise is an investment crowdfunding platform set up to operate in New Zealand and Australia. While New Zealand created a bespoke regulatory regime to allow equity crowdfunding to evolve some time ago, Australia has struggled to enact new rules. This week, the Australian Senate published… Read More

February 13, 2017 @ 10:59 am By JD Alois  |  

Today the Australian Senate published a report on the Corporation Amendment or Crowd-Sourced Funding Bill – the legislation designed to improve the investment crowdfunding sector in Australia. The provisions of the bill were referred to the Economics Legislation Committee. The committee recommended that the bill… Read More

February 13, 2017 @ 1:02 am By JD Alois  |  

The Housing Market is broken in the UK. The demand / supply imbalance has driven up prices of residential property not just in London but across the UK.  While good for sellers, buyers have struggled.  The UK government has recognized the economic challenge and has… Read More

February 10, 2017 @ 2:57 am By JD Alois  |  

Singapore’s Committee on Future Economy (CFE) has identified seven strategies for Singapore’s next stage of growth in its report. Singapore has experienced an enviable period of economic growth and prosperity. The island city-state tmaintains one of the highest standards of living in the world. The… Read More

February 9, 2017 @ 7:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

FINRA, or the “Financial Industry Regulatory Authority”, is one of the most powerful financial regulators in the United States. It is also a private corporation that performs its duties as a “self-regulatory organization” (SRO). FINRA oversees the thousands of broker-dealers and other financial industry participants… Read More

February 9, 2017 @ 2:46 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

UK-based private equity firm, IW Capital, announced on Thursday the release of its 2017 investor index. This new report reveals the impact of 2016’s biggest events, which consists of Brexit, Donald Trump’s U.S. Presidential win, and Theresa May. According to IW Capital, the new research… Read More

February 9, 2017 @ 6:46 am By Erin Hobey  |  

Bank regulatory bodies need to coordinate their strategies for dealing with emerging financial technology at a global level, says a new report from International Organization of Securities Commissions (Iosco). The Iosco Research Report on Financial Technology highlights the growing intersection between fintech and securities markets across a number… Read More

February 8, 2017 @ 2:57 pm By JD Alois  |  

The SEC’s Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies (ACSEC) is scheduled to meet in Washington, DC next week at SEC HQ.  On the Committee’s agenda are two important issues: Secondary market liquidity for Regulation A Tier 2 and non-exchange listed companies and why companies are… Read More

February 7, 2017 @ 12:07 pm By Timothy Li  |  

The Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is an independent bureau within the United States Department of the Treasury that was created by the National Currency Act of 1863 (154 years ago, 20 years before the automobile was invented by Karl Benz from Germany)…. Read More

February 6, 2017 @ 10:43 pm By JD Alois  |  

Patrick T. Harker, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, delivered a speech today on Fintech innovation and the importance of regulation. Harker stated that regulation is not only about protecting consumers but it is important to protect innovators as well; “It’s in their… Read More

February 6, 2017 @ 10:53 am By JD Alois  |  

Last December, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) – part of the Department of Treasury-  proposed a “National Bank Charter for Fintech Companies”. The exploration stirred up a hornet’s nest of public officials that were not too pleased the OCC would think… Read More

February 3, 2017 @ 5:06 pm By JD Alois  |  

President Trump signed another Executive Order today. This time it was targeting financial regulations and the growing morass of regulation that has been piled upon the electorate. In a televised presser, President Trump signed the order on “Core Principles for Regulating the United States Financial… Read More

February 3, 2017 @ 1:53 pm By JD Alois  |  

In an Oval Office ceremony today, President Donald Trump signed executive orders relating to the Dodd-Frank Act and the Department of Labor’s Fiduciary Rule. Two acts of legislation that have come under harsh scrutiny in recent years. Dodd-Frank has been criticized for raising costs for both… Read More

February 3, 2017 @ 1:45 pm By JD Alois  |  

The UK government is expected to publish soon a White Paper on the UK housing challenge. Housing starts are at an all time high but hurdles remain as demand continues to outstrip supply. Expectations are for “radical plans” to be outlined to help the government… Read More

February 3, 2017 @ 11:39 am By JD Alois  |  

The Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA), the research arm of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has partnered with New York University’s Salomon Center on a half-day conference reviewing investment crowdfunding. The event, which is open to the public, will be held at… Read More

February 2, 2017 @ 11:14 pm By Martin Baker  |  

The State of Fintech in the United Kingdom. Observers in London see a paradox at the heart of today’s financial technology sector. If Fintech is all about playing the cutting edge and disrupting the mainstream, how come so many Fintech players and commentators obsess so… Read More

February 2, 2017 @ 6:48 pm By JD Alois  |  

The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) has published an online survey while announcing a dedicated “Tech Team” as part of an initiative designed to better understand and support financial innovation. The BCSC described the project as part of ongoing outreach to BC Fintech and other… Read More

February 2, 2017 @ 5:30 am By Erin Hobey  |  

CEO and founders from India-based fintech platforms Walnut, Artoo and CreditVidya weighed in to comment on yesterday’s Founders of the Union Budget 2017 given by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, noting its potential impact in increasing access of digital services and  building a more inclusive economy: “The Budget announcements are… Read More

February 2, 2017 @ 5:03 am By Erin Hobey  |  

The Belgian Law of 18 December 2016 on crowdfunding entered into full force yesterday.   The crowdfunding law creates a specific status for equity and debt crowdfunding platforms (referred to as “alternative financing platforms”) and prescribes operating requirements for both alternative financing platforms and regulated entities… Read More

February 2, 2017 @ 4:01 am By Erin Hobey  |  

In a recent post, FoundersClub Christopher Steiner reflected on current concerns with the US’ newest president and hostile immigration policy, “The last five days have led to a great deal of introspection across industries regarding relationships with, and even dependencies on, the greatest American ally of… Read More