Category Archives: Fintech Opinions

How the Big Five Banks Control Canada’s Payment Systems

Policy Options | Alex Vronces | June 7, 2022

banks regulatory captureIn the early 2000s, the federal government convened a task force to review [why the banks have disproportionate influence over moving money in Canada]. The findings? Canada’s payment systems were still “controlled by Canada’s major banks and other key institutions,” whose “interests are best-served by keeping at bay new entrants to the system‚ the very entrants who would bring the innovations that Canadians need.”

Don’t disrupt the banks – disrupt the distributional coalitions

Decades ago, American economist and political scientist Mancur Olson argued that the longer a country is stable, the more “distributional coalitions” it will have. Distributional coalitions are interest groups. They lobby the government to protect them from competition, muting the forces of creative destruction and slowing down the rate of economic growth.

Canada’s problem is not that it doesn’t have a competitive payment system. The problem is that it has old and powerful distributional coalitions that stand between sclerosis and dynamism. Canada is predicted to be the slowest-growing OECD economy over the next decade. Although regulatory capture isn’t the only reason why, it’s one of them.

Old and powerful distributional coalitions need to be disrupted, beginning with the oldest one at the centre of the Canadian economy: the financial sector, which has a distribution coalition that predates 1867. “Improving the financial services sector’s productivity would not only boost its performance,” according to a recent report from the C.D. Howe Institute, “but also that of Canada’s economy as a whole.”

This should start with the Liberal government amending the Canadian Payments Act, which doesn’t let fintech companies become members of Payments Canada and use the payment systems.

Giving fintechs the ability to move money instantly empowers them to compete with big banks for market share. Moreover, as the fintechs get bigger, so will their distributional coalition, which also empowers them to compete with big banks.

Read: 

Ipsos Survey: Most Canadians Say (88%) We Need More Competition

Is productivity, wealth creation and competition at the forefront of Canada’s growth agenda?

In addition to letting new distributional coalitions get stronger, Canada should also prevent the old distributional coalitions from maintaining their dominance by anti-competitively merging with or acquiring their competitors. The Competition Act is up for review. The Liberal government should give the Competition Bureau the resources and legal room to do its job better.

Or we could do the opposite. We could wrestle power away from Canada’s biggest interests only to give it right back, as the federal government has done time and time again.

Continue to the full article --> here

 


NCFA Jan 2018 resizeThe National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

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Canada vs. UK: Which Is Better In Terms Of Technology?

Guest Post | June 6, 2022

Canada vs the UK for technologyThere are many reasons why many immigrants want to move to Canada or the United Kingdom. Not only do they provide great standards for living, but they also offer numerous opportunities when it comes to work and career.

But apart from the scenic landscapes or abundant opportunities, one way to determine whether or not a country is prosperous is through its technology. It’s worth noting that technology is a primary driver of countries’ economic growth. This is because technological progress enables more efficient production of better and high-quality services and goods, which is what prosperity mainly depends on.

The point is that it’s necessary to look at a country’s tech scene if you want a clue about its current state of economic development, especially since it ultimately provides a glimpse of the kind of life it offers its citizens. The more advanced technology is in a certain country, the quicker the global and local economy improves.

If you’re planning to move to Canada or the UK, Total Law provides some of the best London lawyers for immigration that will assist you throughout the process of relocation. Having a professional attorney by your side will help ensure that your case gets processed smoothly and conveniently without going through all the unnecessary hassle.

That said, this article will compare the existing tech scene in both the UK and Canada and ultimately decide which one is better than the other in terms of technology.

Innovation in Canada vs. the UK

Both countries – without a doubt – both show promising potential when it comes to innovation and digital technology. But when you look at the rankings alone, the UK proves to be better when it comes to technology and innovation, particularly since it’s ranked 4th worldwide in terms of innovation outputs and is the first in Europe in terms of advanced digital technology. Moreover, it is also the 6th-ranking economy globally and hosts four of the world’s top 100 science and technology clusters: London, Cambridge, Oxford, and Manchester.

On the other hand, Canada ranks 2nd in terms of technology adoption based on Cisco System’s 2019 Digital Readiness Index Rankings but ranks 22nd when it comes to innovation outputs. Canada has long struggled with below-average rates in entrepreneurship, high consumer prices, low business exit, and entry rates, and stifled innovation. Its struggle with innovation is mainly due to a lack of competition and industry concentration from decades-long unchallenged merger waves.

In a nutshell, it’s easy to see that Canada is only closely behind the UK when it comes to technology and innovation. The UK has been a home for some of the brightest tech talents, and it’s set out to produce even more of them.

To elaborate, here is a brief comparison and description of the existing tech scenes in both Canada and the UK.

Tech scene in the UK 

Technology is in the heart of the United Kingdom, which is why it’s unsurprising to know that they’re a world leader in terms of artificial intelligence, data analytics, cyber security, and blockchain, among many others. The UK constantly spearheads some of the most exciting technological developments in the world, bringing nearly £184 billion to the economy as its digital technology companies continuously grow through the years. Because of this, the UK keeps attracting R&D investments from tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, and Cisco.

See:  UK Proposes Regulations That Would Recognize Stablecoins As A Form Of Payment

Besides this, the start-up scene in the UK is prospering, showing significant growth, which will be sustained in the following years. In 2017 alone, there was a jump of almost 60% in terms of newly-launched tech-based companies. Its digital suburbs also prove how the tech scene is thriving in the UK. There are over 15,000 jobs in tech, with digital tech businesses having a combined turnover of roughly £305 million in a single year alone.

The UK was once named the digital capital of Europe, ranking as one of the best countries in the world when it comes to technology and innovation – and it remains a go-to hub and powerhouse for it even now.

Tech Scene in Canada

There’s no doubt that the tech scene in Canada is growing. Given the country’s proximity to the United States and the size of its market, now is a good time for many Canadian start-ups to begin expanding to the US.

Moreover, the Canadian government also takes a rather active position when it comes to promoting modern-day research and technological advancement through various programs. In fact, Canada is best known for its efforts in space exploration and biotechnology research. Its government allocates about 2% of its Gross Domestic Product to Research and Development, their technology companies producing roughly $117 billion in GDP.

The constant research, stable work environment, and support of its government allow Canada to be among the most competitive countries when it comes to technology. The government keeps a futuristic outlook and is taking active steps in expanding the biotech industry. The country especially shows promising potential in developing novel health technologies, especially with nanotechnology and stem cell research at the forefront of their national agenda.


NCFA Jan 2018 resizeThe National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

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The Growing Relevance Of Bitcoin In Real Estate

Guest Post | June 3, 2022

Bitcoin and real estateAbout 14 in every 100,000 properties listed on the real estate market accept Bitcoin. Since the currency has only been in existence since 2009, this figure speaks to the growing relevance of Bitcoin in real estate.

What do you need to know about Bitcoin in the real estate industry?

Keep reading to learn how Bitcoin is being used in real estate transactions and the benefits and disadvantages of selling and buying homes using Bitcoin.

The Increasing Relevance Of Bitcoin In Real Estate

Bitcoin is being used in the real estate industry in several ways. More and more real estate companies are enabling transactions using Bitcoin. This section will cover how you can use Bitcoin in the real estate industry.

Listing Homes For Sale Using Bitcoin

For sellers looking to get in on the Bitcoin phenomenon by selling their home for Bitcoin, there are real estate companies that can list your home for sale in exchange for Bitcoin. Not all real estate agents deal with Bitcoin transactions, but some do.

Sellers can list their homes for sale using Bitcoin, which allows them to make a considerable investment in the cryptocurrency, which could increase significantly in value over time as cryptocurrency becomes more present in everyday transactions.

Bitcoin In The Rental Market

It is also possible to list your home for rent in exchange for bitcoin, offering property investors the chance to diversify their income.

Buying Homes Using Bitcoin

Buying homes using Bitcoin is a little more complex, as you will only be able to buy homes listed for sale via Bitcoin. This will significantly impact the number of homes you can choose from.

See:  How Proptech is changing the real estate industry

You could potentially speak with the seller and place an offer in Bitcoin, but there is no guarantee that they will accept this offer.

When you buy a home with Bitcoin, this is an excellent way to diversify your investment portfolio. If Bitcoin decreases in value, you will have real estate investments to fall back on. Buying homes using Bitcoin is recommendable if you have a significant amount of money invested into bitcoin, as it will reduce the risk factor.

The Pros And Cons Of Bitcoin In Real Estate

To help you understand why Bitcoin is becoming more relevant in the real estate sphere, here, we will cover the benefits and disadvantages of using Bitcoin in real estate transactions.

The Pros Of Bitcoin In Real Estate

Here are some of the benefits to consider with Bitcoin real estate transactions:

  • Diversification of investments - holding all of your assets in Bitcoin can be particularly risky, as the value of Bitcoin has risen dramatically since its origins in 2009 and could potentially drop, just as other cryptocurrencies have collapsed. So, by diversifying your investments, you can ensure that a more stable real estate investment mitigates the risk of your cryptocurrency investment.
  • Increased privacy - when you buy or sell a home using Bitcoin, you are offered significantly more privacy. You can also avoid tax on the transfer of property rights.
  • Profit - if you have made money on your cryptocurrency investments, and wish to lock in your assets, then investing in property is an excellent opportunity. More and more real estate agencies are adopting cryptocurrency in their transactions to appeal to the market of Bitcoin investors who wish to secure their investments.
  • Negotiating power - if a buyer is willing to make a transaction in Bitcoin, this will give them a more competitive edge over sellers. Using Bitcoin in real estate transactions will provide buyers with more room to negotiate with the seller and get a better deal.
  • Easier international and overseas real estate transactions - Bitcoin facilitates easier international and overseas real estate transactions that will primarily take place online.

The Cons Of Bitcoin In Real Estate

Here are some of the disadvantages that real estate investors, sellers, and real estate agents must consider when it comes to using Bitcoin in real estate:

  • Limited availability - if you’re looking to purchase a home using only Bitcoin, limit your choices. You could reach out to sellers and discuss the potential for a Bitcoin transaction, but this will increase the length of your property search. There will be fewer properties on the market for sale with Bitcoin, so you must be prepared for limited availability.
  • Fewer interested buyers - Bitcoin investors make up a small percentage of home buyers and real estate investors, so you will have fewer interested buyers when you put your home up for sale using Bitcoin. You will likely have to wait longer for your home to sell, putting you at a disadvantage.
  • Less negotiating power - if you wish to sell your home for Bitcoin, then the lack of interested buyers will put you at a disadvantage when it comes to negotiations. You could get less for your home than you would by selling it for cash.
  • Missed opportunities - securing Bitcoin gains with a real estate investment, or diversifying your investment portfolio, could cause buyers to miss out on future profits..
  • Complex tax situations - cryptocurrency is an unregulated currency, which means that any tax calculations could be tricky to navigate. The transaction will likely be subject to capital gains tax, and it’s best to get the advice of a tax expert well-versed in cryptocurrency transactions to avoid a visit from the authorities in the future.
  • Lack of regulations - with the lack of restrictions on cryptocurrency transactions comes the potential for new rules that could make the transaction more complicated than you bargained for.

Summary

Bitcoin is new to the real estate industry, but it doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. There are both advantages and disadvantages to using Bitcoin in real estate transactions, so it is up to the seller or buyer’s discretion whether they think real estate transactions using Bitcoin are right for them. In the future, we can expect to see more transactions being made with Bitcoin in the real estate sphere, which will likely come with more regulations and an increased number of tax experts proficient in cryptocurrency transactions.


NCFA Jan 2018 resizeThe National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

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Oligopolistic way of organizing our society is just not cutting it any more

FP | Jake Edmiston | May 27, 2022

Competition Commissioner Matthew Boswell

Matthew Boswell, Commissioner Competition Bureau

To beat back the worst inflation in decades, Canada needs to modernize its competition laws and chase down companies that collude to jack up prices, the federal competition watchdog said in a speech this week.

Competition commissioner Matthew Boswell made the case for competition policy as a tool to tamp down consumer prices in Canada, where shopping for groceries and pumping gas has become “anxiety inducing,” as he put it:

  • Know this: Less competition makes matters worse.  Vigorous enforcement of competition laws is absolutely necessary. It deters business conduct that could otherwise make inflation worse, due to collusion with rivals or harm to the competitive process.
  • I can assure you we have zero tolerance for any attempts to use the current economic context as cover to engage in anti-competitive conduct.
  • While it’s not the silver bullet to combat inflation, more competition must be part of the solution to help address the rising cost of living.  There’s a role for governments at all levels to examine policies and regulations to ensure they encourage, and not undermine, competition in our economy.

If we do this right, we can keep growing.  Or we can get it wrong. We can stifle competition, whether due to anti-competitive behaviour or regulatory impediments. And suffer now and for years in the future as a result.

See:

The remarks come as Boswell’s Competition Bureau embarks on one of the most high-profile legal battles in its history, attempting to block Rogers Communications Inc.’s $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. In his speech, Boswell said he’s challenging the merger because he wants to “protect Canadians from higher prices, poorer service quality and fewer choices” — reiterating the bureau’s previous statements on the matter.

Robin Shaban, a former officer at the Competition Bureau and senior economist at Vivic Research:

We do know that our current approach, an oligopolistic way of organizing our society, it’s just not cutting it any more.

Continue to the full article --> here


NCFA Jan 2018 resizeThe National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

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US Fed’s CBDC Report Comments: The Good, Bad, and Ugly

Rich Turrin | May 29, 2022

Good Bad Ugly – responses to US digital dollar reportThe Fed’s report on CBDC was published at the end of January and the comment period officially closed on May 20, 2022 meaning that we can now look at what representatives from banking, stablecoins, and crypto had to say about the report!  For the record I am no fan of the Fed’s long-awaited report on a U.S. central bank digital currency (CBDC) and proclaimed that it read like a high school book report. I wrote about the report in great detail: here.

The Ugly: American Bankers Association

It’s no surprise that the American Bankers Association (ABA) was going to come after the digital dollar with knives drawn. Download ABA response: Here

“ABA’s analysis suggests that deposits accounting for 71% of bank funding would be at risk of moving to the Federal Reserve. This could increase the average cost of funding for banks by approximately 170 basis points. Such an increase in average funding costs would be unsustainable and would undermine the economics of the banking business model."

See:  Federal documents warn of sweeping implications if ‘digital loonie’ adopted

Bank of Canada scenario analysis of a CBDC on bank deposits show that even under the most severe scenario where 40% of deposits migrate to CBDC bank funding is still healthy. Full report: Here

The ABA’s 71% figure which they pass off as “analysis” assumes all bank deposits in the United States will convert to CBDC!  The reality is very different:  So using the ABA’s figures the actual impact will be far less than placing “71% of funding at risk.” Using the ABA’s own figure of $16.9 trillion (rounded to 17) the impact will be:

  • $446 billion = 2.7% of $17 trillion in bank deposits
  • $1 trillion = 5.8% of $17 trillion in bank deposits

The Bad: Stablecoin Circle

Download Circle’s response to the Fed: Here

See:  Alt-M Analysis: Where the U.S. Feds CBDC Proposal Goes Wrong

  • Many of the potential benefits of a CBDC detailed in the discussion paper are already being met by existing blockchain-based payment system innovations.
  • Bringing stablecoins like Circle’s USD Coin (“USDC”) under common-sense regulatory guidelines would ensure proper supervision over an asset that is already achieving many of the Federal Reserve’s objectives in a potential CBDC.
  • If a digital asset behaves like a currency or payment system, it should be afforded the benefits of digital legal tender status or conformity with well-laid money transmission, e-money, financial markets infrastructure and prudential rules.

The Good!: Crypto, Stellar

Stellar’s response was the most upbeat of them all: Here, saying:

  • Can a CBDC promote financial inclusion? We think so.
  • A well-designed CBDC could have a positive effect on inclusion and the economy by expanding access to and usage of affordable financial services.

Continue to the full article --> here


NCFA Jan 2018 resizeThe National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

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BC’s Cyber Talent Shortage and What To Do About It

Techouver |   | May 26, 2022

Cyber talent shortageIt is widely believed that cybercrime has already surpassed the drug trade as the single most profitable sector of illegal activities in the world.

In essence, cybersecurity is not something specific to IT and its hardware and infrastructure, but embedded in business, and government and their processes that rely on IT. If cybersecurity is foundational to business, government and education, and military, then it has thus become fundamental to society as a whole and therefore, of concern to everyone.

See:  ISED: Cyber Security and Policy Statements

It is becoming clear to the layperson, that data breaches are affecting everyone, even those who barely use the Internet, because everyone’s personal data has been digitized by one company or another, and subsequently breached.

In recent years, there has been much written about endless cybersecurity job vacancies. More recently, more has been written about how to fill those vacancies and with more urgency.

Recommendations For Employers

1. Employers need to look internally as well as externally for people that might be able to fill their vacancies. This may require more creative internally selling, i.e., “illuminate all of the internal career paths that can end up in their cybersecurity ranks”. Employers simply can’t wait forever for external candidates. The marketplace is much too competitive.

2. Employers must now shift from buying expensive security technologies to studying the enormous amounts of cyber analytical data that few are looking at and creating an action plan for. At the least, entry level junior cybersecurity analysts need to be created, to help turn prior cyber technology investments into actionable cyber plans.

Recommendations For Government

The Canadian federal government has invested over $500 million in cybersecurity nationally, and created strategic organizations like CCCS, CCTX, Serene Risc, In-SEC-M and the National Research Council’s IRAP program. More funds have been provided since the 2021 study, in the Spring 2022 federal budget, towards improved critical infrastructure and national security.

See:  Fintech Cybersecurity Best Practices

In contrast, evidence of BC’s provincial government’s action on cybersecurity has been harder to find. And the loss of prestige due to chronic underfunding or neglect in cybersecurity is exemplified by the fact that no BC postsecondary institution is included in the recently announced Cyber Security Innovation Network (CSIN), which is driven by five non-B.C. universities across Canada called the National Cybersecurity Consortium (NCC).

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NCFA Jan 2018 resizeThe National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

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Vitalik: Designing Principles-based Stablecoins that (may not) collapse

Vitalik Buterin | May 25, 2022

Vitalik Buterin thought experimentsThe recent LUNA crash, which led to tens of billions of dollars of losses, has led to a storm of criticism of "algorithmic stablecoins" as a category, with many considering them to be a "fundamentally flawed product". The greater level of scrutiny on defi financial mechanisms, especially those that try very hard to optimize for "capital efficiency", is highly welcome. The greater acknowledgement that present performance is no guarantee of future returns (or even future lack-of-total-collapse) is even more welcome. Where the sentiment goes very wrong, however, is in painting all automated pure-crypto stablecoins with the same brush, and dismissing the entire category.

See:  Stablecoins: What’s old is new again – speech by Christina Segal-Knowles

What we need is not stablecoin boosterism or doomerism, but rather a return to principles-based thinking. So what are some good principles for evaluating whether or not a particular automated stablecoin is a truly stable one? For me, the test that I start from is asking how the stablecoin responds to two thought experiments.

1. Can the stablecoin, even in theory, safely "wind down" to zero users?

First, the volcoin price drops. Then, the stablecoin starts to shake. The system attempts to shore up stablecoin demand by issuing more volcoins. With confidence in the system low, there are few buyers, so the volcoin price rapidly falls. Finally, once the volcoin price is near-zero, the stablecoin too collapses.

2. What happens if you try to peg the stablecoin to an index that goes up 20% per year?

there is no genuine investment that can get anywhere close to 20% returns per year, and there is definitely no genuine investment that can keep increasing its return rate by 4% per year forever.  There's basically two ways for a stablecoin that tries to track such an index to turn out:

See: 

How Stable is your Stablecoin?

IMF: Capital Flow Management Measures in the Digital Age: Challenges of Crypto Assets

  1. It charges some kind of negative interest rate on holders that equilibrates to basically cancel out the USD-denominated growth rate built in to the index.
  2. It turns into a Ponzi, giving stablecoin holders amazing returns for some time until one day it suddenly collapses with a bang.

But this also shows a deeper and more important fact about stablecoins: for a collateralized automated stablecoin to be sustainable, it has to somehow contain the possibility of implementing a negative interest rate, can be done in two ways:

  1. RAI-style, having a floating target that can drop over time if the redemption rate is negative
  2. Actually having balances decrease over time

Continue to the full article --> here


NCFA Jan 2018 resizeThe National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

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