Tagged: perspective

January 28, 2019 @ 4:36 pm By JD Alois  |  

FINRA recently posted their annual Risk Monitoring and Examination Priorities Letter. As part of the letter, FINRA stated they would be evaluating how firms conduct suitability analyses as well as communications and AML requirements for both Reg D 506c and Reg A+ offerings. These two exemptions… Read More

January 28, 2019 @ 1:00 am By Zoë Adamovicz  |  

We often hear that “code is law”. It means that all transactions happening on decentralized networks are final and immutable. It does not mean, however, that code derives from the law. The legal frameworks we operate within are not God-given. They are social agreements that… Read More

January 22, 2019 @ 12:00 pm By Zhuling Chen  |  

Make way for the next generation of blockchain crowdfunding Alongside the rise of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) saw explosive growth in 2017, with more than 1,500 ICOs raising a combined total of over $28 billion in the last two years alone…. Read More

January 19, 2019 @ 6:46 pm By JD Alois  |  

The StartEngine Index tracking Reg CF crowdfunding issuers was published a few days ago. According to StartEngine, total successful offerings since the securities exemption was launched in May of 2016 now stands at $161.5 million. So how does 2018 compare to the year prior? Excellent question…. Read More

January 18, 2019 @ 3:00 pm By Mark Elenowitz  |  

In 2012 the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act was signed into law by President Barack Obama. It required the SEC to write rules and issue studies on capital formation, disclosure, and registration requirements. There were three main areas that the investment community took notice… Read More

January 17, 2019 @ 3:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last month, CI covered the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF) Americas Report. Overall, alternative finance grew 26% with the US dominating the sector as the largest market in the region. But digging into Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), this market grew by a huge 94%… Read More

January 14, 2019 @ 9:48 pm By Anthony Zeoli  |  

While most people were busy with last minute Christmas shopping, on December 20th of last year, Representatives Warren Davidson and Darren Soto were busy finalizing and introducing the proposed new “Token Taxonomy Act” (HR 7356). The proposed Token Taxonomy Act seeks to modify both existing… Read More

January 13, 2019 @ 9:29 pm By Filipe Castro  |  

Are stablecoins the future of cryptoassets? In the quest to develop a digital token with the decentralization aspects of bitcoin and none of the associated volatility has sparked interest from many. From talented tech teams, economists and VCs it seems stablecoin projects have the potential… Read More

January 9, 2019 @ 6:54 pm By Richard van Hooijdonk  |  

Technology has infiltrated our lives, and the wave of digital disruption has impacted various industries. The finance sector is no exception. Since the industry is becoming more complex, relying on traditional methods is no longer enough. In fact, it can do your business more harm… Read More

January 8, 2019 @ 10:45 pm By Cali Haan  |  

Arnold Kling, an economist and adjunct scholar at the Libertarian think tank The Cato Institute, has blogged his reflections on a recent interview with blockchain proponents and tech VCs Andreessen-Horowitz (A-H). Like A-H, Kling was around during the Internet’s nascent phase and made money from… Read More

January 8, 2019 @ 2:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Fintech Predictions for 2019. Financial innovation continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Startups launch and shutdown with regularity. Traditional financial firms experiment and partner with more agile firms. It’s all about the digitization of finance where services are ubiquitous and instantaneous – all available… Read More

January 7, 2019 @ 8:18 pm By JD Alois  |  

This past week, global consultancy firm McKinsey published a widely read report on the emerging blockchain industry, titled, Blockchain’s Occam problem. In brief, McKinsey said that blockchain is failing to live up to its perceived potential. While billions of dollars are being spent on experimentation… Read More

January 7, 2019 @ 6:00 pm By Lorna Smith  |  

Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) are booming in offshore financial centres. In 2017, only a small minority of cryptocurrency transactions were taking place offshore but just a year later, according to a study by PriceWaterhouseCoopers and CryptoValley, the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands (BVI) and Singapore… Read More

January 7, 2019 @ 5:01 pm By Cali Haan  |  

The President of the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute, Paul Smith, has taken to the media to call out shrinking IPO markets in the US and call for the restoration of fair and secure investment opportunities for retirement savers. Smith points at “alarming changes” in US… Read More

January 7, 2019 @ 11:08 am By Cali Haan  |  

Management consultancy McKinsey & Company have published an elegant analysis of enterprise blockchain called “Blockchain’s Occam,” stating: “A key to finding the value is to apply the technology only when it is the simplest solution available.” Blockchain has been touted as a revolutionary technology capable… Read More

January 2, 2019 @ 11:06 am By Timothy Li  |  

As we head into a market correction, 2019 and beyond will be very interesting for the evolving Fintech industry. This sector of finance saw significant M&A activity and massive fundraising during the 2nd half of 2018 and I predict that we will see more of… Read More

December 26, 2018 @ 8:01 am By JD Alois  |  

EY has published their second annual “Fast Growth Tracker” report that surveys founders and entrepreneurs in the UK. The brief report provides an interesting perspective into the UK innovation economy that is vital to economic growth and prosperity. An interesting finding from the report is… Read More

December 23, 2018 @ 10:09 am By Max Lyadvinsky  |  

Equity crowdfunding platforms have democratized the way that individuals and organizations raise and invest capital, by lowering the previously high barrier to entry for investment. And, ever since these platforms emerged, expectations have been high about the effects that this new utilitarian form of investment… Read More

December 21, 2018 @ 11:59 am By JD Alois  |  

This week, CI reported about a problem for Regulation A issuers (or Reg A+ as it is called). Speaking with Mark Elenowitz, a Wall Street veteran and CEO of Tripoint Global and Bank, he explained a nagging problem for issuers using the security exemption who… Read More

December 20, 2018 @ 6:50 am By JD Alois  |  

Blockchain or distributed ledger technology (DLT) has been a red-hot topic in the financial services industry the past few years. The one-two punch of Bitcoin excitement and the Ethereum fueled revelation of smart contracts and decentralization, caused many to label blockchain internet 3.0. But is… Read More