Politics, Legal & Regulation

October 16, 2015 @ 2:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

The team at Engine, under the leadership of Evan Engstrom, Policy Director of the group, has crafted a must-read document on what needs to be fixed to address the shortcomings of Title III, equity crowdfunding.  While both Reg A+ (Title IV) and accredited crowdfunding (Title… Read More

October 16, 2015 @ 6:00 am By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) published its proposed portal rules for crowdfunding platforms under Title III of the JOBS Act of 2012.  The guidelines from FINRA have been expected for some time and with the SEC ready to announce final rules for retail crowdfunding… Read More

October 15, 2015 @ 3:48 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Federal Ministry of Finance (Bundesministerium der Finanzen) is researching the advent of Fintech. Fintech has become a catch-all term for internet-based finance where technology is driving huge gains in efficiency which is poised to benefit investors and those seeking access to capital. The Finance… Read More

October 15, 2015 @ 1:38 pm By JD Alois  |  

Congressman Eric Swalwell (CA), along with House Representatives Derek Kilmer (WA), Seth Moulton (MA), Grace Meng (NY), Ruben Gallego (AZ), and Patrick Murphy (FL) joined the chorus of elected officials demanding rules for Title III, retail crowdfunding be released immediately.  The letter addressed to SEC… Read More

October 12, 2015 @ 10:26 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Parliament has adopted the proposal by the European Commission regarding a revised directive on payment services – also called PSD2. The law was originally proposed in July of 2013.  The legislation is designed to protect consumers when they make payments online and via… Read More

October 11, 2015 @ 5:08 pm By Spencer Li  |  

  At the end of July, China’s central bank issued a set of draft regulations on online payments for public opinion, which recently concluded at the end of August. The draft rules were hailed by industry players and media as the “harshest rules in history”… Read More

October 9, 2015 @ 10:41 am By Erin Hobey  |  

The People Versus Carmichael Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign continues to gain momentum as it swiftly passed the £106,140 mark with the help of over 5,955 backers. Fiona MacInnes and Tim Morrison’s original campaign was 102% funded on June 24, 2015. The purpose of the continued crowdfunding campaign… Read More

October 9, 2015 @ 9:40 am By JD Alois  |  

The North Carolina  JOBS/PACES Act, an investment crowdfunding bill, has died in committee as NC legislators ignored a bill that garnered the support of the Governor and advocates of the local economy. According to a report in WRAL TechWire; “this represents a huge missed opportunity… Read More

October 7, 2015 @ 10:15 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced a “Call for Input” (CFI) today regarding the massive mortgage industry in the UK.  The FCA is seeking input from interested parties to “identify potential areas where competition may not be working well and could be improved”.  The FCA… Read More

October 7, 2015 @ 11:02 am By Erin Hobey  |  

In the days since the 27 September vote, Catalonia’s call for independence and regional election results have reignited debates against the Spanish government’s longstanding refusal to allow an independence referendum.   There has also been a call for freedom in finance, specifically a call for… Read More

October 7, 2015 @ 1:57 am By Midori Yoshimura  |  

Australia’s Innovation Minister Christopher Pyne recently stated that governments had procrastinated on crowdfunding changes, and it was now a top priority, according to Australia’s Financial Review. Pyne said, To me it’s not that complicated, but that’s one of our highest priorities. There are things you can do quickly, there are… Read More

October 5, 2015 @ 3:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

SEC Commissioner Kara Stein took a quick trip across the Atlantic to speak at the Eurofi Forum in Luxembourg this past month.  She addressed the conference with a wide-ranging, brief speech that started at the financial crises and went on to “digital disruption and beyond”…. Read More

October 4, 2015 @ 10:20 pm By JD Alois  |  

There were over one hundred submissions for the RFI by the US Department of Treasury on Marketplace / Peer to Peer Lending. As one would expect, most commenters came with either an ax to grind or an urgent message to deliver.  In reading many (not… Read More

October 1, 2015 @ 3:34 pm By JD Alois  |  

  As the Marketplace Lending industry begins to mature, awareness is growing across the population.  More and more consumers realize they may be able to save time, and money, by doing a greater portion of their banking online. Lending Club, the largest Marketplace Lending platform… Read More

October 1, 2015 @ 1:46 am By Midori Yoshimura  |  

Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority, or OJK, will announce a countrywide crowdfunding regulation next week, said OJK Chairman Muliaman Hadad, according to DealStreetAsia. The regulation will be simple and allow startups open access to funding, he added. The upcoming regulation would lay out plans for promoting VC businesses and for establishing new… Read More

September 30, 2015 @ 10:21 pm By JD Alois  |  

Online lending is undergoing a bit of an introspective period.  The US Department of Treasury published a request for information which posed multiple questions to industry participants and interested observers.  The UK P2PFA took the opportunity to share their point of view from across the… Read More

September 30, 2015 @ 11:47 am By JD Alois  |  

Lending Club (NYSE:LC), the largest marketplace lending platform in the US today, has submitted their opinion to the US Department of Treasury request for information (RFI) on the eve of the deadline for comments of September 30th, 2015.  Lending Club, the first publicly traded online lending… Read More

September 30, 2015 @ 9:14 am By JD Alois  |  

As expected the European Commission has published its “action plan” on the Capital Markets Union (CMU) initiative.  The basis of the European Community has been economic integration. The reality has been far different as individual nations are loathe to submit to the vagaries of policy… Read More

September 30, 2015 @ 12:18 am By Midori Yoshimura  |  

China recently noted that it will promote greater use of equity crowdfunding for startups to encourage entrepreneurship, according to a Cabinet document posted on the central government’s website, writes the South China Morning Post. Repeatedly, the Chinese government has stated its interest in stimulating employment in the state-dominated… Read More

September 29, 2015 @ 11:56 am By JD Alois  |  

The SEC will be holding a meeting of its Equity Market Structure Advisory Committee on October 27, beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET.   This will be the second meeting of the group which was established this past February to provide a formal mechanism for the… Read More