Tagged: securities and exchange commission

SEC Shares Agenda for May 31st Fintech Forum, Blockchain to be Hot Topic of Discussion

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has posted the agenda for the upcoming Fintech Forum scheduled to take place on May 31st. The event, entitled the 2019  Fintech Forum, will take place at SEC headquarters in Washington, DC. It will simultaneously be live-streamed on the… Read More

Here is the List of SEC Approved Alternative Trading Systems

Many crypto sector platforms are seeking to be approved as “alternative trading systems” or ATSs. An ATS can be very similar to an exchange with a different set of reporting requirements which are not quite as stringent. OTC Markets, a securities marketplace that many people… Read More

When You Mine Crypto are You Creating a Security? Templum Presses the SEC to Decide if Miners Must be Broker Dealers

Mining is a vital part of the cryptocurrency industry today. While some industry followers believe that crypto mining will go away in the not so distant future, it remains an active pursuit for individuals and companies to mint digital money using racks of computers. In… Read More

Marketplace Lending Platform Prosper Settles Fraud Charges Brought by SEC, Pays $3 Million Penalty

Leading marketplace lending platform Prosper has settled fraud charges for misstating returns, according to a release from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  Without admitting or denying the allegations, Prosper has consented to an SEC order finding it violated an anti-fraud provision of the Securities… Read More

Two Firms Forced by SEC to Drop Term “Blockchain” From ETF Product Names

The recent proliferation of themed ETF offerings- up five-fold 2014 to 2018- is leading to careful scrutiny of product names by the SEC, Bloomberg reports, and at least two firms, Amplify and Reality Shares, appear to have been required to drop the term “blockchain” from… Read More

SEC and FINRA Schedule Broker Dealer “Outreach Program.” Will Discuss Digital Assets

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) have scheduled their 2019 National Compliance Outreach Program for Broker-Dealers. The event, taking place in Chicago, is designed to provide an open forum for regulators and industry professionals to discuss topics such as… Read More

Is the No Action Letter for TurnKey Jet a No-Action Non Event? Doug Ellenoff Comments on SEC Digital Asset Statement and STO Framework

Last week, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) moved forward on clarifying their position regarding digital assets. First, a No-Action Letter (NAL) was released pertaining to the issuance of a token by TurnKey Jet. In a tightly defined issuance, Turnkey was deemed not to be… Read More

Here is the Letter the SEC Sent to Investment Advisors Regarding Custody of Digital Assets

Last month, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) forwarded a letter to the Investment Adviser Association requesting feedback on digital assets and custody. Beyond the public inquiry, the letter is indicative of the Commission’s ongoing interest and research into blockchain based securities. The letter from… Read More

Perspective: Depending on the Nature of a Digital Asset, 12(g) Reporting May Not be Necessary

Recently Crowdfund Insider was in communication with Securities Attorney Joe Nesler who posts regularly on his law firm’s web site pertaining to issues regarding crypto and securities law. A post by Nessler from last November touched upon reporting requirements under 12g and digital assets. CI… Read More

CoinMarketCap Admits it Has Data Accuracy Problems Regarding Crypto Exchange Reporting

Cryptocurrency market data aggregator CoinMarketCap.com, a reported “top 500″ cryptocurrency website, has admitted that concerns about the accuracy of data on its site recently expressed in an ETF affiliated document at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC )”are valid,” Bloomberg reports. In order to reduce… Read More

Must Read: American Bar Association Publishes Extensive Review of US Regulatory Environment for Crypto, Digital Assets

The American Bar Association (ABA) has published an extensive treatise on the US regulatory environment pertaining to cryptocurrency and other digital assets. In brief, the 353 white paper is a must-read review of current law and treatment by regulatory authorities such as the Securities and… Read More

Association for Online Investment Platforms & SBECouncil Visit US House & Senate plus SEC to Discuss Improvements to Crowdfunding Rules

The newly formed Association for Online Investment Platforms (AOIP) visited Washington, DC last week to discuss improvements for access to capital for small business and better opportunities for smaller investors. The trip was organized in partnership with the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council (SBECouncil) –… Read More

Coincenter Publishes Correspondence with SEC Chair Jay Clayton: Digital Assets May Be Sold as a Security but Could Change Over Time

Coincenter, a leading advocacy group for the cryptocurrency/virtual asset space, has shared a recent correspondence with SEC Chairman Jay Clayton. Chair Clayton responded last week to a letter originally sent last October by Congressman Ted Bud who was seeking additional clarity on crypto and its… Read More

What’s the Back Story to Security Token Offerings and Regulation?

The initial coin offering (ICO) / Security Token Offering (STO) continues to endure a period of regulatory uncertainty. As things stand right now, ICOs are securities. End of story. If you completed an ICO after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued the DAO Report… Read More

1Broker Settles SEC/CFTC Case “Without Admitting or Denying Factual Allegations”

1Broker, a Marshall Islands-registered company with a CEO based in Austria, has announced it has settled lawsuits filed against it by the US Securities regulators, the SEC and CFTC: “We are pleased to let you know that we settled the two lawsuits without admitting or… Read More

The SEC Asks Court Why Elon Musk Should Not be Held in Contempt for Tweets

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed a motion for an order to show cause, on February 25, why Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, should not be held in contempt for violating the terms of the Court’s October 16, 2018, Final Judgment. The agreed… Read More

The SEC Wants to Extend Test the Waters for Issuers and That’s Good Thing

Yesterday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed a reform that would permit potential issuers to gauge investor interest prior to pursuing an offering. According to the SEC, the new rule and related amendments would expand the “test-the-waters” process, currently available to emerging growth companies or “EGCs,”… Read More

Gladius Self Reports ICO to SEC – No Fine Imposed

Gladius Network, LLC, a company that raised $12.7 million dollars via ICO (initial coin offering) in late 2017 to, “develop a network for renting spare computer bandwidth to defend against cyber attacks and enhance delivery speed,” has settled with the SEC after self-reporting its unregistered… Read More

SEC Adds More Specificity in Latest Initial Coin Offering (ICO) Warning to the Public

In addition to its standard warnings about the generalized risks of ICO-investing and advice to interested ICO issuers that they read the SEC’s 2017 21(a) report, the agency’s latest guide to ICOs (initial coin offerings) gets more specific about the “fraud and manipulation” risks posed… Read More

Tokenization: The Meaning of “Equity Securities” Under 
Section 12(g) – It’s Broader than You May Think

2017 saw a roaring ICO market, with billions of dollars raised by blockchain-based digital asset issuers selling “utility tokens” in initial coin offerings. As the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) began cracking down on token issuers for failing to follow securities laws, in late… Read More

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