Tagged: david burton

August 25, 2020 @ 5:28 pm By JD Alois  |  

It should be obvious to most everyone that the current definition of an Accredited Investor not only disenfranchises the vast majority of the population it is not really an effective proxy to evaluate an individual’s ability to assess risk and the opportunity affiliated with private… Read More

December 21, 2019 @ 11:49 am By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation, has published its inaugural report on the ability for small businesses in the US to access growth capital. The Advocate is a newly-formed sector of the SEC created by legislation… Read More

October 8, 2019 @ 10:14 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) officially closed comments on its concept release regarding regulatory harmonization of securities offerings exemptions on September 24, 2019. But as in past cases, comments have continued to trickle in and we would not be surprised if more follow. That… Read More

November 7, 2018 @ 11:00 am By JD Alois  |  

Yesterday, mid-term elections took place in the US and while the Republicans maintained control of the Senate, the House of Representatives moved over to the Democrats. This split government means that an already divisive, and at times excessively acrimonious, political environment will get even more… Read More

August 31, 2018 @ 9:36 am By JD Alois  |  

The current definition of an accredited investor is profoundly flawed and a travesty of rule making. Everyone knows it. As it stands today, an accredited investors must earn at least $200,000 (jointly $300,000) or have a net worth of $1 million beyond a primary residence…. Read More

July 15, 2018 @ 3:46 pm By JD Alois  |  

Small businesses in the US, and just about every other country, are the life blood of the economy where they operate. This is a fact. Providing access to capital to smaller firms is thus a vital need to drive economic growth, create jobs, and enable… Read More

July 13, 2018 @ 6:07 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade, part of the House Financial Services Committee, has updated the information on the forthcoming hearing entitled “The Future of Money: Digital Currency.” The Hearing, which will be live streamed on the Committee web site, will include the following… Read More

March 30, 2018 @ 6:05 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last time we checked in back at the end of December, there were 36 FINRA approved Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) portals in operation. Today, that number has increased to 38 as two more entrants have entered the Reg CF space. As for portals that have… Read More

February 23, 2018 @ 4:52 pm By JD Alois  |  

Here is an interesting write up that should make cryptocurrency advocates happy. The Heritage Foundation, a leading policy think tank in Washington, DC, published a report at the end last year telling Congress and other public authorities they need to back off of Bitcoin and… Read More

October 3, 2017 @ 7:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or FINRA is currently in the midst of a comprehensive review of its rules and practices. The internal project has been labeled FINRA 360 and is said to ensure that FINRA is operating as the most effective self-regulatory organization it can be…. Read More

September 1, 2017 @ 2:56 pm By JD Alois  |  

Congress returns next week hopefully reinvigorated and ready to reduce regulation and pass meaningful tax reform following some time off. Congress has not accomplished too much this year, much like many past years, but hope springs eternal and after a bumpy start of the year… Read More

July 20, 2017 @ 7:40 pm By JD Alois  |  

Commissioner Michael Piwowar, who was Acting Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) until the successful appointment of Jay Clayton, visited with David Burton of the Heritage Foundation earlier this week providing a unique glimpse into the world of the SEC. Burton, who is… Read More

March 23, 2017 @ 4:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or FINRA is seeking feedback on how to best execute on its mission to regulate members who operate in the securities industry. FINRA has come under criticism in recent years as losing touch with its membership and negating its “Self-Regulatory Organization”… Read More

March 12, 2017 @ 6:05 pm By JD Alois  |  

Entrepreneurship and the creation of small business is vital to the economic growth of the country and the welfare of the nation. This is a simple, indisputable fact. Yet too frequently, small business and entrepreneurs get pushed to the side as policymakers and regulators focus… 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

December 19, 2016 @ 7:00 am By David Burton  |  

Capital formation and entrepreneurship improve economic growth, productivity and real wages. Existing securities laws impede entrepreneurial capital formation. To promote prosperity, Congress and a reconstituted Securities and Exchange Commission need to systematically reduce or eliminate state and federal regulatory barriers hindering entrepreneurs’ access to capital…. Read More

September 9, 2016 @ 4:59 pm By JD Alois  |  

The House of Representatives passed four bills this week designed to help smaller businesses access the capital they need to expand, hire and grow the economy.  Small businesses are the economic engine of the country. Small businesses provide 55% of all jobs and 66% of all… Read More

August 18, 2016 @ 8:00 am By JD Alois  |  

Under Reg D more than a trillion dollars is raised each year for companies that are not publicly traded. This market is huge – far larger than the annual rate of IPOs. Yet these private placements are only available to “accredited investors”: Individuals who earn… Read More

June 3, 2016 @ 2:15 pm By JD Alois  |  

FinCEN, a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, has proposed changing the regulatory definition of a “broker or dealer in securities.”  The proposed amendment will impact crowdfunding portals as created under the JOBS Act of 2012.  According to FinCEN; “these amendments would require funding… Read More

May 4, 2016 @ 12:09 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last month the US Department of Treasury, Division of Financial Crimes and Enforcement Network (FinCEN), announced a proposed rule change that will impact Reg CF crowdfunding portals. Now the concept of a crowdfunding portal is a new approach that was legalized under the JOBS Act… Read More