March 1, 2019 @ 4:07 pm By JD Alois  |  

Speaking at a Fintech conference in Brussels this past week, Chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) Chair Steven Maijoor, told the audience it was “time to deliver” when it comes to regulating crypto-assets and affiliated distributed ledger technology (DLT). Why aptly noting… Read More

January 21, 2019 @ 11:28 am By JD Alois  |  

A joint report by the European Securities Markets Authority (ESMA), the European Banking Authority (EBA), and the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA), addresses the topic of Fintech Sandboxes, the approach by regulators to partner with emerging Fintech firms by creating a safe place… Read More

January 9, 2019 @ 12:55 pm By JD Alois  |  

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has just published its “Advice” on “Initial Coin Offerings and Crypto-Assets.” In the past, ESMA has issued several warnings regarding crypto-assets and virtual currencies. The Advice outlines ESMA’s position on the issues that exist in the rules within ESMA’s… Read More

March 28, 2018 @ 9:23 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has banned the marketing, distribution and sale of binary options to retail investors. Simultaneously, contracts for differences (CFDs) will have a restriction on the marketing, distribution or sale to retail investors. ESMA can only introduce temporary intervention measures… Read More

March 9, 2018 @ 6:43 am By JD Alois  |  

The UK Crowdfunding Association (UKCFA) has shared a brief comment regarding proposed rules released by the European Commission yesterday that are expected to be enacted. These updated rules are designed to streamline cross border crowdfunding offerings to the benefit of issuers, investors and platforms. By… Read More

November 17, 2017 @ 12:06 pm By JD Alois  |  

  The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) spoke up this week on the hot topic of Initial Coin Offerings. The ESMA published two different documents: The first targeted the risks of ICOs for investors. The second addressed issuers and applicable rules. Located in Paris, the ESMA… 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

June 7, 2017 @ 2:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

Response Specifically Targets, AI, Crowdfunding, Blockchain, Regtech & More. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has responded to the European Commission consultation paper on “Fintech: a more competitive and innovative financial sector”. The ESMA welcomed the initiative to take a stock-take of the EU’s… Read More

October 30, 2015 @ 1:00 am By Therese Torris  |  

Insights from the European Crowdfunding Convention 2015 The European Crowdfunding Network (ECN) has been holding its 4th Convention in Paris. The main topic of the first day was the Capital Markets Union and its implications for crowdfunding. The European equity funding gap The Capital Markets… Read More

July 26, 2015 @ 10:26 pm By JD Alois  |  

The European Securities & Markets Authority (ESMA) has published a Q&A addressing the potential for nefarious characters to abuse investment crowdfunding to launder cash or provide financing to terrorist organizations.  This is a subject the traditional banking sector knows rather well as they are subjected… Read More

December 18, 2014 @ 9:28 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Crowdfunding Network (ECN), an advocacy group based in Brussels, has published their annual report reviewing crowdfunding regulations in Europe, the United States, Israel and Canada. “Since we have started our work in 2012 and especially since our first edition of this paper in… Read More

December 18, 2014 @ 7:07 am By JD Alois  |  

The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has published an Opinion along with an Advice on investment crowdfunding. The ESMA is an independent EU authority that works closely with other EU supervisory authorities such as the EBA, EIOPA and the ERSB.  The organizations mission is to… Read More