Launch of Canada’s first B2B centralized digital platform for private placements
Something special is happening at the intersection of retail investors and financial technology, writes Crowdcube's Luke Lang.
Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Category Archives: Online Funding / Investing Portals
NEO and Silver Maple Ventures Inc. Introduce DealSquare to Disrupt Canadian Private Markets for the Better
DealSquare | Peter-Paul Van Hoeken | Oct 22, 2019
Launch of Canada’s first B2B centralized digital platform for private placements
Toronto, October 22, 2019 – NEO is pleased to introduce DealSquare, Canada’s first centralized platform to simplify private placements in Canada, by digitally connecting capital raisers to dealers and their investment advisor networks. DealSquare is a technology solution developed by NEO in partnership with Silver Maple Ventures Inc., the company behind Canada’s leading online B2C private markets investment platform, FrontFundr, DealSquare will support the entire private placement process from marketing investment opportunities and electronically managing the due diligence and subscription process, through to efficiently closing the deal.
By utilizing NEO Connect technology, exempt securities will be seamlessly integrated into client accounts and back office systems. With broader and more efficient access to private placement offerings, the costs and operational risks of raising private money will go down, ultimately expanding investment opportunities. It’s a win-win for capital raisers, dealers, investment advisors and investors.
Over the past ten years, investors have flocked to the private markets looking for superior returns and to add balance to their portfolios. However, despite the overall growth in private markets compared to public markets, asset managers and capital raisers of all sizes and stages are still limited in their ability to complete private placements without facing debilitating financial, operational and regulatory burdens. Private placements have also traditionally relied on friends, family and business relationships, inefficiently raising money from a very small subset of the investing community.
See: FrontFundr announces new chair of the board
DealSquare officially launched today, with three dealers immediately connected to the platform and six active private placement offerings.
“Private market investment continues to outpace the public markets; however, access to private offerings has been fragmented, marketed through word-of-mouth and transacted using archaic technology. Today, that changes,” stated Jos Schmitt, President and CEO, NEO. “Together with the team from Silver Maple Ventures, we are making access to private markets easier, more efficient and with less operational risk through DealSquare.
At NEO, our vision from day one has been to bring competition and innovation to all facets of the Canadian capital markets, including the private markets space. We are very proud to continue to deliver on our vision with the introduction of DealSquare. As of today, asset managers and capital-raising companies of all sizes can now partner with NEO to raise capital through multiple channels, whether through the public or private markets, on or off exchange.”
How DealSquare Works
Dealers connected to DealSquare can publish their approved deals to their investment advisors in an organized and centralized manner. They also have the option to open their deal rooms to other dealer networks. Due diligence teams can review all deal information in one place, then choose to approve an offering to be marketed to the advisor network. Registered advisors can download investor-ready documentation and share deal pages with their clients. Investment documents will be digitally executed on the platform, with reporting documentation instantly consolidated and organized. Upon closing, NEO Connect technology will be used to facilitate the electronic settlement of exempt securities into dealer
back office systems and client accounts.
“The private markets have been lagging the public markets with regards to access and efficiency in processing investments,” says Peter-Paul Van Hoeken, Managing Director of DealSquare. “With DealSquare, we simplify the private placement exchange and transaction between dealers and advisors in a fully digitalized and efficient online environment.
We are thrilled to partner with NEO on this opportunity. Our online capital raising and investment processing capabilities, combined with the NEO Connect technology, delivers a highly innovative and powerful private markets solution to the Canadian investment industry.”
See: Why Partnerships Are the Future for Fintech
Dealer and Investment Advisor Access to DealSquare
DealSquare is available to all Canadian investment dealers. Independent investment dealer Aligned Capital Partners Inc. is one of the first three dealers to pioneer DealSquare.. Investment advisors from these firms can request access to DealSquare to open a registered account and access, analyze and transact private market deals. For more information on how to register, please visit the DealSquare website
“We recognize this innovative solution will give our advisors access to private investment deals that will add opportunity and balance to their client portfolios,” said Christopher Enright, Founding Partner, President & Managing Director, Aligned Capital Partners.“ Like Aligned Capital, NEO is focused on providing efficient services and innovative solutions that put the needs and interests of their clients at the forefront. As a strategic partner they helped forge our relationship with DealSquare and we are proud to pioneer this private market deal platform.”
Digital execution will be enabled with the full roll-out of the DealSquare platform, expected during the first half of 2020. During the pilot phase, PDF documentation and manual execution will be faciliated by the DealSquare team.
Raising Capital on DealSquare
Any Canadian private or public company – large or small - can use the platform for private placement offerings. Asset managers can also leverage DealSquare to provide investors with innovative investment opportunities. Working with a dealer to market a private placement on DealSquare will provide broader reach to secure investment interest. A streamlined, electronic investment process will make it easier and more efficient for advisors to subscribe and invest on behalf of their clients. This will lead to a reduction in the cost of raising capital, as access and interest in the private investment opportunity goes up.
See: Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
To learn more about how DealSquare connects Dealers, Advisors and Capital Raisers and how it makes it easy to find, analyze and share private market opportunities, please visit:
https://www.dealsquare.io/About
About DealSquare
DealSquare is a centralized digital platform that gives registered users the ability to efficiently find, analyze and transact private market deals. With the complete roll-out of the platform during the first half of 2020, this dealer-to-dealer platform will digitally support the private placement process: capital raisers publish their private placement opportunities; dealers complete their due diligence; and advisors electronically subscribe to a deal, with exempt securities seamlessly integrated into client accounts and back office systems utilizing NEO Connect technology. DealSquare is a joint initiative between NEO and Silver Maple Ventures to make private markets better and more efficient.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dealsquaretech/ | https://twitter.com/dealsquaretech
About NEO
NEO or the NEO Group comprises Aequitas Innovations Inc. and its subsidiaries, a group of established fintech companies that provide capital markets infrastructure designed for and led by the industry. Our competition, innovation and advocacy enable change, for the better. NEO is currently home to two capital raising solutions, NEO Exchange, a progressive stock exchange that brings together investors and capital raisers within a fair and transparent environment, and NEO Connect, a technology platform that enables the distribution of financial assets not listed on a stock exchange. To learn more, please visit: https://www.aequitasneo.com
The 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
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
When fintech met crowdfunding
AltFi | Luke Lang | Oct 21, 2019
Something special is happening at the intersection of retail investors and financial technology, writes Crowdcube's Luke Lang.
It became clear that fintech companies began to prize crowdfunding three years ago. Monzo crashed our servers in 2016 when it raised £1m in 96 seconds. Last December, the now-serial crowdfunding neobank raised £20m from retail investors.
The staggering thing about Monzo’s raise – and it speaks volumes about where crowdfunding and fintech have reached – is that it did not need to raise the £20m from any of us on the street. In October – i.e. just two months shy of the raise – the bank had closed an £85m round led by VC firm Accel. Raising £20m is no walk in the park. You need to build a prospectus, which is a lengthy and expensive process. Monzo’s crowdfunding raise capped all investments at £2,000, meaning the team chose to have more investors to look after.
See: Canada Update: Alberta Updates Crowdfunding Regulations but Where Does Canada Stand in the National Harmonization of Rules? What about Fintech Development?
The world’s leading fintechs are using crowdfunding to cement and enhance their relationship with their customers. The latest Unicorns report from Beauhurst, an independent analysis firm, identifies the UK’s 21 unicorn companies – those worth $1bn (around £760m) or more. Of the 21, six are fintechs, and two are digital banks: Monzo and Revolut. Both have turned to crowdfunding – at a time when they are the darlings of the tech scene and its investors – to raise capital.
Why?
To answer that, I believe we have to go back to the financial crisis. After 2008, a chasm opened up in financial markets, encouraged by a profound lack of trust. We’re well-versed with the outcomes. The banks that survived had to change their ways, and new players came onto the scene. A decade later, it is the novel relationship between these latest entrants and consumers that gives us an idea of what the future looks like: a world where any business-to-consumer company knows that sharing ownership with its customers is fundamental to long-term success. This is the cooperative movement of the twenty-first century, and it is driven by technology.
Curve, Nutmeg, Freetrade – all these leading fintech companies that want as many as possible to profit from their success. In the last 12 months, we have facilitated the raising of £67m across 21 fintechs. By giving people skin in the game, these firms are securing a base of customers, and champions. From a commercial perspective, each customer’s lifetime value is hugely enhanced. Our customers find that their shareholders are less likely to move providers, more likely to refer friends and family, and more likely to buy more products and services.
Making consumers owners and giving them a say has become integral to how these companies run. Indeed, many are now building their own platforms to manage ownership. What does this tell us about the future? Here are businesses offering equity – not for money, not because they want to list, but to build an affinity with their customers. As these relationships evolve, both sides benefit: greater engagement – better products – more customers – growth – profit – both sides capitalise. It could be called the democracy of building business.
See:
-
Architecting a New World: Investment Crowdfunding and Digital Assets
-
Early-stage Investing – The Public gets a Seat at the Table
Technology is making this shift around the consumer possible not just in finance, but across markets. While the former has emerged as the vanguard, there are other non-tech sectors that have leapfrogged traditional ownership structures and cemented their own success. Food and beverage, historically underserved by the financial world, was an early adopter of crowdfunding. BrewDog is the poster child for this – a four-time Crowdcube funded brewery. It has 120,000 investors, aka Equity Punks, who, in its words, kick-started the craft beer revolution and, presumably, enjoy its beer. The prospect gets so much more exciting when you start to think of the markets that are hardest to disrupt, build a community around, and fight injustices: insurance, mining, the coffee industry, healthcare.
We are going to see another huge change: big businesses are signalling they’re stepping up beyond paying lip-service with grandiose CSR initiatives.
Continue to the full article --> here
The 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
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
Canadian Fintech & Funding Directory
May 2020: Checkout NCFA's New Fintech directory and networking platform!
FintechCanada.io
Our vision is simple. Help Canadian Fintech companies scale and export their products and services abroad by connecting them with investors, buyers and partners who can help them expand to foreign markets around the globe. We do this by providing a one-stop destination for stakeholders to conduct research, share information, facilitate connections and Q&A and learn about Canadian Fintech companies and the growing ecosystem.
Explore Fintechs
- Blockchain, Digital Assets, Cryptocurrency
- Capital Markets, DeFi, Crowdfinance
- Digital Banking / Analytics / Infrastructure
- Finance / Accounting
- Insurtech
- Lending, Borrowing
- Payments, Transfers, Rewards
- Personal Finance
- Real Estate
- Security, Identity, Regtech
- Wealthtech, Alternative Investing
Or
Create a new listing or claim existing
Export Resources and Education
OLD DIRECTORY (For those nostalgic folks)
Last Revised: January 31, 2019
This is an ever evolving and growing directory of active (or beta) online financial technology platforms and service providers in Canada including sectors such as blockchain, crowdfunding, alternative finance, real estate, P2P lending, regtech, insurtech, aggregators, consultants and ecosystems. To request to be listed in the directory you need to be a member of NCFA and also email us directly with your request at casano@ncfacanada.org and we'll do our best to make updates periodically. To become a member of NCFA please click here.
| Type | Name | Description | Base | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Provider | Accesswire | Flat Fee News Distribution | US | Site |
| Portal | Art Market Canada | Creative and Artistic Projects | ON | Site |
| Portal | ArtsFunding.ca | Crowdfunding for the Arts | ON | Site |
| Portal | ATB BoostR | Crowdfunding for local businesses in Alberta | AB | Site |
| Service Provider | Bennett Milner Williams Consulting | Crowdfunding consultant | AB | Site |
| Lending Portal | Borrowell | Loans for responsible Canadians | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | Brix | Real Estate Equity crowdfunding | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Canadian Media Fund | Canadian Crowdfunding Resources | ON | Site |
| Portal | Chimp | Canadian Charities | BC | Site |
| Service Provider | CoinPayments | Integrated payment gateway for cryptocurrencies and ICO marketplace | BC | Site |
| Service Provider | Commercial Passport | Blockchain Document Custody KYC | QC | Site |
| Equity Portal | ConsiderFunding.com | Equity Crowdfunding Platform | BC | Site |
| Portal | Cookiee Jar | General Purpose Awareness and Fundraiser | ON | Site |
| Royalty Portal | Corl | Revenue based financing for tech startups and companies | QC | Site |
| Portal | Crowd Amplify | Multi-purpose platform aimed at users inexperienced with crowdfunding | NB | Site |
| Service Provider | Crowdfund Beat | Crowdfunding news and info (Canadian edition) | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Crowdfund Suite | Crowdfunding Management + Consulting | BC | Site |
| Portal | Crowdfundfusion | Crowdfunding aggregator | MB | Site |
| Service Provider | Crowdfunding Dojo | Direct marketing techniques for reward based campaigns | ON | Site |
| Portal | Crowdfunding.ca | General Crowdfunding (WIP) | SK | Site |
| Service Provider | CrowdfundingADR | Dispute Resolution Services (North America - office in LA) | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | CrowdFundOffice.com | Investor Services, Accounting and Compliance | ON | Site |
| Portal | Crowdhelps | Crowdfunding campaigns to help women | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | Crowdmatrix | Equity Crowdfunding Platform | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Crowdrating.ca | Crowdsourced ratings | QC | Site |
| Portal | CrowdSurfer | General | AB | Site |
| Service Provider | Curexe | Send and Receive Funds Globally | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Donorhut | White label fundraising software for charities and non-profits | MB | Site |
| Service Provider | Equibit Group | Blockchain solutions for the securities industry | ON | Site |
| Portal | Fan.si | Subscription-based crowdfunding for musicians and fans | ON | Site |
| Portal | FANPUSH | Music & Entertainment | BC | Site |
| Service Provider | FinTech Growth Syndicate | Business Accelerator | ON | Site |
| Portal | Flipgive | Crowdfunding for non-profits through product sales & donations | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | Foregrowth | Institutional Quality Investments | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | FrontFundr | Online Investment Platform | BC | Site |
| Service Provider | Fundica | Crowdsourced access to grants, tax credits, loans and equity funding | QC | Site |
| Equity Portal | FundingNomad | Crowdfunding for Entertainment, Media and Real Estate Investment | ON | Site |
| Portal | Fundo | Crowdfunding | QC | Site |
| Portal | FundRazr | Rewards and cause based crowdfunding | BC | Site |
| Lending Portal | FundThrough | Small Business Loans | ON | Site |
| Portal | FutureFunder.ca | Carleton University | ON | Site |
| Portal | Giveffect | Crowdfunding for Charities | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Global Blockchain Technologies | Public Investment fund focused on blockchain | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | Gotroo | Equity Crowdfunding Platform | QC | Site |
| Service Provider | Grow | Digital Banking Solutions for Financial Institutions | BC | Site |
| Portal | Haricot | General purpose | QC | Site |
| Portal | HeroX | Crowdsourcing global solutions and crowdfunding incentive prizes | BC | Site |
| Equity Portal | Homebound | Invest in Crowdfunded Real Estate Properties (beta) | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | IgnitionDeck | Wordpress Crowdfunding Plugin | AB | Site |
| Service Provider | Integral Transfer | Share Transfer Agency | ON | Site |
| Portal | Invest Local BC | Community Futures Stuart Nechako | BC | Site |
| Equity Portal | InvestX | Private equity for every investor | BC | Site |
| Service Provider | Katipult | White Label Crowdfunding Software | AB | Site |
| Service Provider | Kreativ Thotz | Concept development to retail market services | ON | Site |
| Portal | La Ruche | Projects impacting Quebec City and surrounding areas | QC | Site |
| Portal | Labfundr | Crowdfunding for Science | NS | Site |
| Portal | Launchopolis | Full service crowd venture | ON | Site |
| Lending Portal | Lendified | Small Business Loans | ON | Site |
| Lending Portal | Lending Loop | Online Lending Marketplace | ON | Site |
| Lending Portal | LendMart | Small business lending options service | QC | Site |
| Portal | Lendpool | Crowdfunding for projects | ON | Site |
| Portal | Luevo | Crowdfunding Fashion | ON | Site |
| Portal | Make a Champ | Athletes and Sporting Organizations | QC | Site |
| Portal | Make Giving Happen | Crowdfunding platform that is customizable to your brand and goals | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Matterealize | Product Design Consultancy | AB | Site |
| Portal | Meatme.ca | Farm to table crowdfunding | BC | Site |
| Service Provider | MLG Blockchain Consulting | Global blockchain development and consulting firm | ON | Site |
| Portal | My Class Needs | Canadian Classrooms K-12 | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | NexusCrowd | Accredited Investor Crowdfunding | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Niko / Nikola Tesla Unite | Niko Coin Ecosystem | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | Open Avenue | Real Estate Crowdfunding | ON | Site |
| Portal | Opportunity International Canada | Funding individuals, groups and businesses that work to end poverty | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | Optimize Capital Markets | Private placement for Accredited Investors and Institutions | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Pegasus Fintech | ICO Advisory Services | ON | Site |
| Portal | Picatic | Ticketing and Event Management | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | Polymath Network | Blockchain Securities (beta) | ON | Site |
| Lending Portal | Progressa | Consumer loans - helping Canadians build credit | BC | Site |
| Portal | Project Her INC | Crowdfunding for women entrepreneur owned & led businesses | BC | Site |
| Portal | Projexity | Urban Change Projects | ON | Site |
| Portal | Pursuit | Canadian Athletes | NS | Site |
| Equity Portal | R2 | Online marketplace for Real Estate Debt/Equity Capital and Investments | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | RealStarter | Real Estate Equity Crowdfunding | QC | Site |
| Service Provider | REMITR | International Money Transfers for Business | ON | Site |
| Portal | Rocket | Security Token Crowdfunding | BC | Site |
| Service Provider | Seeding Factory | Crowdfunding Consulting and Management | QC | Site |
| Portal | Seeds of Change | McGill University Projects | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | SeedUps Canada | Fundraising services | AB | Site |
| Portal | ShareSpring | Community Fundraising | BC | Site |
| Portal | Smallchangefund | Grassroots community projects | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Smarter.loans | Loan Directory for Any type of Loan or Financing | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | SVX | Social Venture Exchange for Impact Ventures, Funds and Investors | ON | Site |
| Portal | The Funding Portal | Access to government grants, tax credits, accredited investors and private capital | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Thrinacia | Donation/reward-based White Label Platforms | BC | Site |
| Portal | Tilt Canada | Group payments | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | TODA.Network | Foundational Layer for Decentralized Networks | US | Site |
| Equity Portal | TokenFunder | Blockchain Crowdfunding. Initial Coin Offering (ICOs) *Beta | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | Touchstone Services | Crowdfunding Back office | ON | Site |
| Portal | TrackieProfile | Crowdfunding for track and field athletes | ON | Site |
| Service Provider | TravelCoin Foundation | Transforming the Travel Industry | UK | Site |
| Service Provider | Travis Southin | Crowdfunding Research | ON | Site |
| Portal | Trend Trunk | Creative crowdfunding for non-profits & charities | ON | Site |
| Portal | Truth North Strong | Northern Credit Union Communities | ON | Site |
| Portal | UNU Fund | General Purpose | ON | Site |
| Portal | USEED | For groups/organizations and programs at University of Alberta | AB | Site |
| Service Provider | Vanbex | Globally recognized Blockchain consulting and expertise | BC | Site |
| Lending Portal | VaultCircle | Digital Lending Investment Platform for Accredited Investors | ON | Site |
| Equity Portal | Vested | Equity crowdfunding for startups | BC | Site |
| Portal | Yoyomolo | Social fundraising platform | QC | Site |
The 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
| | |
|---|---|---|
Nov 7, 2026 | Last Updated Nov 13, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Whisperer | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Competition And Market Structure, Cross Border Payments And FX, Cybersecurity Fraud And Financial Crime, Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Digital Banking And BaaS, Embedded Finance, Insurance And Insurtech, Lending Consumer Credit And BNPL, Open Banking Open Finance And Data Sharing, Payments Infrastructure And Money Movement, Regulation And Policy, Risk Compliance And Regtech, SME Finance And Business Banking, Sustainable Finance ESG And Financial Inclusion, Treasury Liquidity And Cash Management, Wealthtech Investing And Trading NCFA Fintech Whisperer is a live weekly market intelligence page tracking financial technology and financial innovation developments that change how markets operate. Coverage spans NCFA's full financial innovation taxonomy, with Canada first and global developments included when they materially affect rules, market access, competition, capital, technology adoption, distribution, risk or execution. We focus on changes that founders, investors, financial institutions, regulators and operators may need to act on, not simply what's making headlines. This page is updated throughout the week as material developments emerge, then closed and archived before the next weekly window begins. Missed a prior week's Fintech Whisperer? Browse December 6 to 12, ...
About NCFA Canada | Craig Asano | November 13, 2026 Featured Guest: ROB EIJGENRAAM, Founder, TokenMinds (LinkedIn) Rob Eijgenraam is the Founder of TokenMinds and Creator of TMX, a suite of blockchain and AI technology products. Based in Singapore, Rob helps established businesses outside the crypto industry develop token launches, fundraising strategies and Web3 products, with each project designed around a clear return on investment. An experienced entrepreneur with a background spanning Europe and Asia, Rob founded TokenMinds in 2017 during the early ICO boom. Over nearly a decade, he has navigated major crypto market cycles while expanding the company's capabilities in tokenization, blockchain development and AI-powered financial applications. Rob combines deep entrepreneurial experience with hands-on blockchain and AI execution. Working closely with CEOs, business owners and their advisors, he focuses on finding practical solutions that fit each company's commercial objectives and growth opportunities. About TokenMinds TokenMinds is an award-winning blockchain and AI firm that helps established businesses raise growth capital through token launches without giving up equity. Founded in 2017, TokenMinds has worked with more than 200 companies worldwide, supporting end-to-end solutions for token fundraising through innovative Web3 and AI strategies. Its services span tokenomics, fundraising strategy, investor outreach, blockchain development, token launches ...
Nov 12, 2026 Buying a Canadian money services business starts with identifying what the buyer will acquire: a legal entity, a registration history, contracts, records and possibly an active operation. The value of that package depends on whether it supports the services the new owner intends to provide. A FINTRAC registration entry is an important starting point. It does not establish the company’s financial condition, the quality of its compliance programme or the availability of banking relationships after an acquisition. A payment business may also need a separate assessment under the Retail Payment Activities Act, or RPAA. For investors evaluating a Canadian MSB company for sale, due diligence should connect registration status, actual activities, transaction structure and financial evidence before the parties agree a completion timetable. Verify the Canadian MSB registration and legal entity Begin with the target’s exact legal name, incorporation details, registration number and current status. Match the entity in the corporate documents to the entity in FINTRAC’s Money Services Business Registry. FINTRAC explicitly states that registration does not mean it endorses or licenses a business. It also states that it does not issue licences or certificates of registration. A sales presentation using the phrase “FINTRAC licence” should ...
November 12, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Wealthtech Investing And Trading Strategy still runs a software business, but Bitcoin now dominates its assets and capital raising. MSCI no longer treats that balance as an index eligible operating company. November 11, 2026, MSCI confirmed Strategy’s removal from the MSCI USA and MSCI World indexes after the November 30 close under its new methodology for non operating companies. MSCI is one of the world’s largest index providers, and its benchmarks are followed by funds investing across global equity markets. Japan’s Metaplanet is also being removed from an MSCI index. MSCI has decided that Strategy no longer qualifies for its equity indexes because Bitcoin now dominates its assets and much of its capital raising. Strategy still sells software and reports operating revenue, but MSCI is drawing a line between a business that holds investment assets and one where those assets have become the main financial story. Why Is MSCI Removing Strategy From Its Indexes? MSCI first looked at a rule aimed specifically at digital asset treasury companies. It later dropped that proposal and change it's methodology to cover companies whose finances ...
Nov 12, 2026 Crypto market cap is calculated by multiplying an asset's reference price by its circulating supply. A token priced at $2 with 50 million units circulating has a market cap of $100 million. The calculation estimates the value of that supply at the reference price; it does not total the money investors deposited. To understand a change in the ranking, examine both inputs and the provider's definitions. A larger number can result from price changes, supply changes, or revised reporting. Establish what the two inputs represent The arithmetic is simple, but neither input is self-explanatory. “Price” may be a reference assembled from selected trading pairs and venues, rather than the last transaction on the exchange you use. A provider may exclude observations or convert quote currencies. Two services can publish different estimates because their source selection and methods differ. Circulating supply is an estimate of units treated as available in the market under a provider's rules. It may differ from the number minted, the total recorded by a contract, or the maximum permitted under a protocol's current design. Locked balances, treasury allocations, burns, and scheduled releases require interpretation. A transparent methodology matters because identical arithmetic can still use ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Risk Compliance And Regtech Financial firms are putting AI agents into production well before giving them broad financial authority. That creates time to set identity, permissions and transaction controls before autonomous execution becomes common. On November 11, 2026, Bank of England Financial Policy Committee external member Jonathan Hall used his final FPC speech to examine what happens when AI agents get more authority inside financial firms. A Bank of England and FCA survey of 196 firms found that 80% already deploy AI agents and another 14% plan to within 12 months. Only 2% reported agents with broad autonomy, and none of those were in trading and payments. Finance is adopting agents quickly, but firms are still keeping people and hard limits around the decisions that can change money, positions or customer outcomes. AI Agents Are In Finance But They Are Not Trading Alone The 2026 Bank of England and FCA survey separates four levels of authority: Decision support lets an agent recommend an action while a person decides and executes it. Constrained execution lets the agent act inside preset rules. Conditional autonomy ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Entrepreneurs Startups Small Businesses, Equity Crowdfunding And Alternative Funding A small group of large rounds is carrying Canadian venture totals while deal count and growth stage financing remain well below recent norms. On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association published its Q3 2026 venture capital report. Canadian companies raised $4.3 billion across 397 deals through September, only 1% less capital than a year earlier. But 23 rounds of $50 million or more represented just 6% of disclosed deals and absorbed 58% of all venture capital invested. Deal count has also fallen every year since 2021. The national total is holding up far better than the number of companies getting financed. Six Big Rounds Carried 59% Of Q3 Venture Capital Q3 produced $1.35 billion across 129 deals. Capital was 1% higher than Q2, but deal count fell 15%. Six rounds above $50 million accounted for $793 million, or 59% of the quarter’s capital. That's a decent quarter for the companies that closed those rounds, but a weak quarter for everyone else. Mega rounds above $50 million totalled $2.5 billion across 23 transactions ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Story Intelligence | Competition And Market Structure, Wealthtech Investing And Trading, Regulation And Policy Canada is cutting bank fees and switching barriers after years of weak competition, high concentration and poor productivity. On November 7, 2026, the federal government proposed something Canadian investors have complained about for years. Banks would no longer be allowed to charge most investment account transfer fees, which typically cost about $150 per account. Ottawa also wants clearer transfer information and tighter timelines for moving investments to another financial institution. The fee matters because leaving can already be slow and frustrating. Receiving firms often reimburse the outgoing charge to win the account. That means a fee collected by the institution losing the customer can become part of the acquisition cost for the institution trying to win that customer. Canada's six largest banks hold roughly 93% of banking assets. The Competition Bureau was warning about barriers facing fintech competitors in 2017. Ottawa began reviewing open banking in 2018. A federal advisory committee later recommended an operating system by January 2023 and warned that government should not delay. January 2023 came and went. Real Time Rail also slipped years beyond its first expected ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Regulation And Policy Funds, Collateral And Settlement Lead Canada’s Near Term Tokenization Opportunity On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators published its Project Tokenization Phase 1 findings, setting out where Canadian market participants see the strongest commercial opportunities for tokenization and what regulators plan to test next. The report draws on 233 organizations, 21 bilateral meetings and 80 survey responses, along with workshops attended by 281 people in Calgary and 491 in Toronto. Participants put investment funds, private assets, collateral, treasury and settlement infrastructure ahead of public stocks as the strongest near term opportunities. The report also cuts through one of tokenization’s biggest sales pitches. Blockchain can change how an asset is recorded, transferred or settled, but it doesn't automatically create liquidity, investor demand, broader eligibility or stronger ownership rights. Those outcomes still depend on the product, market, legal structure and infrastructure around it. The CSA now plans to take specific projects into Phase 2 through a 120 day public call for proposals. Firms may be able to use existing regulatory processes, tailored regulatory treatment or bounded testing in a ...
Nov 11, 2026 A positive work environment is key for any team that wants to succeed. Team morale is crucial for productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Engaging in activities that lift spirits and strengthen connections can lead to great results. Creating a positive team environment requires creativity, engagement, and some fun. Each activity can strengthen connections, boost motivation, and improve workplace dynamics. When teams focus on strategies to boost morale, they work toward shared success. These activities can lead to lasting memories and help build a stronger team culture. Here are some fun strategies to help improve your team's morale and make the workplace livelier. Fun at the Arcade Visiting an arcade spot is a great way to enjoy time together and build teamwork. Imagine your team facing challenges with various games. Whether it's racing or playing team games, the arcade encourages friendly competition and bonding. These fun experiences can help reduce stress and improve relationships among coworkers. Arcades offer many options to suit diverse interests and skill levels. The lively atmosphere invites everyone to relax and take a break from their daily tasks. Shared laughter and enjoyment can lead to better communication and teamwork when you return to the ...
Nov 7, 2026 | Last Updated Nov 13, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Whisperer | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Competition And Market Structure, Cross Border Payments And FX, Cybersecurity Fraud And Financial Crime, Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Digital Banking And BaaS, Embedded Finance, Insurance And Insurtech, Lending Consumer Credit And BNPL, Open Banking Open Finance And Data Sharing, Payments Infrastructure And Money Movement, Regulation And Policy, Risk Compliance And Regtech, SME Finance And Business Banking, Sustainable Finance ESG And Financial Inclusion, Treasury Liquidity And Cash Management, Wealthtech Investing And Trading NCFA Fintech Whisperer is a live weekly market intelligence page tracking financial technology and financial innovation developments that change how markets operate. Coverage spans NCFA's full financial innovation taxonomy, with Canada first and global developments included when they materially affect rules, market access, competition, capital, technology adoption, distribution, risk or execution. We focus on changes that founders, investors, financial institutions, regulators and operators may need to act on, not simply what's making headlines. This page is updated throughout the week as material developments emerge, then closed and archived before the next weekly window begins. Missed a prior week's Fintech Whisperer? Browse December 6 to 12, ...
About NCFA Canada | Craig Asano | November 13, 2026 Featured Guest: ROB EIJGENRAAM, Founder, TokenMinds (LinkedIn) Rob Eijgenraam is the Founder of TokenMinds and Creator of TMX, a suite of blockchain and AI technology products. Based in Singapore, Rob helps established businesses outside the crypto industry develop token launches, fundraising strategies and Web3 products, with each project designed around a clear return on investment. An experienced entrepreneur with a background spanning Europe and Asia, Rob founded TokenMinds in 2017 during the early ICO boom. Over nearly a decade, he has navigated major crypto market cycles while expanding the company's capabilities in tokenization, blockchain development and AI-powered financial applications. Rob combines deep entrepreneurial experience with hands-on blockchain and AI execution. Working closely with CEOs, business owners and their advisors, he focuses on finding practical solutions that fit each company's commercial objectives and growth opportunities. About TokenMinds TokenMinds is an award-winning blockchain and AI firm that helps established businesses raise growth capital through token launches without giving up equity. Founded in 2017, TokenMinds has worked with more than 200 companies worldwide, supporting end-to-end solutions for token fundraising through innovative Web3 and AI strategies. Its services span tokenomics, fundraising strategy, investor outreach, blockchain development, token launches ...
Nov 12, 2026 Buying a Canadian money services business starts with identifying what the buyer will acquire: a legal entity, a registration history, contracts, records and possibly an active operation. The value of that package depends on whether it supports the services the new owner intends to provide. A FINTRAC registration entry is an important starting point. It does not establish the company’s financial condition, the quality of its compliance programme or the availability of banking relationships after an acquisition. A payment business may also need a separate assessment under the Retail Payment Activities Act, or RPAA. For investors evaluating a Canadian MSB company for sale, due diligence should connect registration status, actual activities, transaction structure and financial evidence before the parties agree a completion timetable. Verify the Canadian MSB registration and legal entity Begin with the target’s exact legal name, incorporation details, registration number and current status. Match the entity in the corporate documents to the entity in FINTRAC’s Money Services Business Registry. FINTRAC explicitly states that registration does not mean it endorses or licenses a business. It also states that it does not issue licences or certificates of registration. A sales presentation using the phrase “FINTRAC licence” should ...
November 12, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Wealthtech Investing And Trading Strategy still runs a software business, but Bitcoin now dominates its assets and capital raising. MSCI no longer treats that balance as an index eligible operating company. November 11, 2026, MSCI confirmed Strategy’s removal from the MSCI USA and MSCI World indexes after the November 30 close under its new methodology for non operating companies. MSCI is one of the world’s largest index providers, and its benchmarks are followed by funds investing across global equity markets. Japan’s Metaplanet is also being removed from an MSCI index. MSCI has decided that Strategy no longer qualifies for its equity indexes because Bitcoin now dominates its assets and much of its capital raising. Strategy still sells software and reports operating revenue, but MSCI is drawing a line between a business that holds investment assets and one where those assets have become the main financial story. Why Is MSCI Removing Strategy From Its Indexes? MSCI first looked at a rule aimed specifically at digital asset treasury companies. It later dropped that proposal and change it's methodology to cover companies whose finances ...
Nov 12, 2026 Crypto market cap is calculated by multiplying an asset's reference price by its circulating supply. A token priced at $2 with 50 million units circulating has a market cap of $100 million. The calculation estimates the value of that supply at the reference price; it does not total the money investors deposited. To understand a change in the ranking, examine both inputs and the provider's definitions. A larger number can result from price changes, supply changes, or revised reporting. Establish what the two inputs represent The arithmetic is simple, but neither input is self-explanatory. “Price” may be a reference assembled from selected trading pairs and venues, rather than the last transaction on the exchange you use. A provider may exclude observations or convert quote currencies. Two services can publish different estimates because their source selection and methods differ. Circulating supply is an estimate of units treated as available in the market under a provider's rules. It may differ from the number minted, the total recorded by a contract, or the maximum permitted under a protocol's current design. Locked balances, treasury allocations, burns, and scheduled releases require interpretation. A transparent methodology matters because identical arithmetic can still use ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Risk Compliance And Regtech Financial firms are putting AI agents into production well before giving them broad financial authority. That creates time to set identity, permissions and transaction controls before autonomous execution becomes common. On November 11, 2026, Bank of England Financial Policy Committee external member Jonathan Hall used his final FPC speech to examine what happens when AI agents get more authority inside financial firms. A Bank of England and FCA survey of 196 firms found that 80% already deploy AI agents and another 14% plan to within 12 months. Only 2% reported agents with broad autonomy, and none of those were in trading and payments. Finance is adopting agents quickly, but firms are still keeping people and hard limits around the decisions that can change money, positions or customer outcomes. AI Agents Are In Finance But They Are Not Trading Alone The 2026 Bank of England and FCA survey separates four levels of authority: Decision support lets an agent recommend an action while a person decides and executes it. Constrained execution lets the agent act inside preset rules. Conditional autonomy ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Entrepreneurs Startups Small Businesses, Equity Crowdfunding And Alternative Funding A small group of large rounds is carrying Canadian venture totals while deal count and growth stage financing remain well below recent norms. On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association published its Q3 2026 venture capital report. Canadian companies raised $4.3 billion across 397 deals through September, only 1% less capital than a year earlier. But 23 rounds of $50 million or more represented just 6% of disclosed deals and absorbed 58% of all venture capital invested. Deal count has also fallen every year since 2021. The national total is holding up far better than the number of companies getting financed. Six Big Rounds Carried 59% Of Q3 Venture Capital Q3 produced $1.35 billion across 129 deals. Capital was 1% higher than Q2, but deal count fell 15%. Six rounds above $50 million accounted for $793 million, or 59% of the quarter’s capital. That's a decent quarter for the companies that closed those rounds, but a weak quarter for everyone else. Mega rounds above $50 million totalled $2.5 billion across 23 transactions ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Story Intelligence | Competition And Market Structure, Wealthtech Investing And Trading, Regulation And Policy Canada is cutting bank fees and switching barriers after years of weak competition, high concentration and poor productivity. On November 7, 2026, the federal government proposed something Canadian investors have complained about for years. Banks would no longer be allowed to charge most investment account transfer fees, which typically cost about $150 per account. Ottawa also wants clearer transfer information and tighter timelines for moving investments to another financial institution. The fee matters because leaving can already be slow and frustrating. Receiving firms often reimburse the outgoing charge to win the account. That means a fee collected by the institution losing the customer can become part of the acquisition cost for the institution trying to win that customer. Canada's six largest banks hold roughly 93% of banking assets. The Competition Bureau was warning about barriers facing fintech competitors in 2017. Ottawa began reviewing open banking in 2018. A federal advisory committee later recommended an operating system by January 2023 and warned that government should not delay. January 2023 came and went. Real Time Rail also slipped years beyond its first expected ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Regulation And Policy Funds, Collateral And Settlement Lead Canada’s Near Term Tokenization Opportunity On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators published its Project Tokenization Phase 1 findings, setting out where Canadian market participants see the strongest commercial opportunities for tokenization and what regulators plan to test next. The report draws on 233 organizations, 21 bilateral meetings and 80 survey responses, along with workshops attended by 281 people in Calgary and 491 in Toronto. Participants put investment funds, private assets, collateral, treasury and settlement infrastructure ahead of public stocks as the strongest near term opportunities. The report also cuts through one of tokenization’s biggest sales pitches. Blockchain can change how an asset is recorded, transferred or settled, but it doesn't automatically create liquidity, investor demand, broader eligibility or stronger ownership rights. Those outcomes still depend on the product, market, legal structure and infrastructure around it. The CSA now plans to take specific projects into Phase 2 through a 120 day public call for proposals. Firms may be able to use existing regulatory processes, tailored regulatory treatment or bounded testing in a ...
Nov 11, 2026 A positive work environment is key for any team that wants to succeed. Team morale is crucial for productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Engaging in activities that lift spirits and strengthen connections can lead to great results. Creating a positive team environment requires creativity, engagement, and some fun. Each activity can strengthen connections, boost motivation, and improve workplace dynamics. When teams focus on strategies to boost morale, they work toward shared success. These activities can lead to lasting memories and help build a stronger team culture. Here are some fun strategies to help improve your team's morale and make the workplace livelier. Fun at the Arcade Visiting an arcade spot is a great way to enjoy time together and build teamwork. Imagine your team facing challenges with various games. Whether it's racing or playing team games, the arcade encourages friendly competition and bonding. These fun experiences can help reduce stress and improve relationships among coworkers. Arcades offer many options to suit diverse interests and skill levels. The lively atmosphere invites everyone to relax and take a break from their daily tasks. Shared laughter and enjoyment can lead to better communication and teamwork when you return to the ...
Kickstarter accused of union-busting after firing workers
BBC | Sep 16, 2019
Kickstarter has been accused of "union-busting" after firing three employees.
Taylor Moore, the company's head of comedy and podcasts, tweeted that he and another employee were fired on Thursday, while tech and design lead Clarissa Redwine was fired last week.
All three were heavily involved in the formation of a Kickstarter union this year, Mr Moore added.
Kickstarter confirmed the employees were fired, but denied that it was because of their union activity.
Mr Moore tweeted that he had worked at the company for six years.
He said that when Kickstarter fired him they "offered me no real reasons, but one month's severance for signing an NDA" - a non-disclosure agreement. "I will not be signing it."
"The union busting campaign that Kickstarter management is engaging in is illegal and wrong," he added. "It is an unforgivable abandonment of the values of an organisation that I have loved and served with my whole heart."
Ms Redwine also tweeted at the company, saying: "I will not be signing your termination agreement containing a non-disparagement clause. You can keep my severance."
See: A Digitized Staff Compliance Platform is a Must-Have
She added: "Kickstarter's management continues to state that I was fired for performance issues. I find this strange because I not only met but exceeded all performance metrics in Q2. I was great at my job. And I loved it."
In a statement sent to the BBC, Kickstarter said Mr Moore and Ms Redwine were fired for performance reasons, and not because of their union organising. The third employee's role was eliminated from the company.
Continue to the full article --> here
The 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
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
Regulation Crowdfunding Surpasses $250,000,000 in Commitments The Model is Working but its Potential is Much Greater
Crowdfund Capital Advisors | Sherwood 'Woodie' Neiss | Aug 7 ,2019
It has been just over 3 years since Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) went into effect and most recently the industry surpassed a quarter of a billion dollars in commitments. Since inception over 1,800 companies in cities all across the United States have filed to raise money under Regulation Crowdfunding. Over 271,000 investors, most of which are friends, followers or customers of these businesses have made commitments to start, scale or expand operations.
The average raise stands around $237,000 which firmly addresses the Valley of Death[1] issue. Most of the successful companies are raising funds in less than 90 days which is far faster than other forms of financing like Venture Capital or Bank Loans. There’s been no fraud or Wild West as opponents had claimed.
“Essentially we built a financing mechanism which is doing exactly what we said it would,” said Sherwood Neiss Principal at Crowdfund Capital Advisors (CCA) “We’re funding local businesses with a vested group of local investors that is creating local jobs and powering local economies.”
Regulation Crowdfunding began on May 16, 2016. It allows any startup or small business to raise up to $1,070,000 online from family, friends and followers (accredited or not) provided issuers use an online investment platform that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and disclose information about their company and financial wellbeing.
See: The SEC Publishes Report on Reg CF: “The number of crowdfunding offerings as well as the total amount of funding during the considered period was relatively modest”
Since the industry began, Crowdfund Capital Advisors has been collecting information on every offering in its CCLEAR Database. CCLEAR is the leading Regulation Crowdfunding database that collects, cleans, aggregates and reports on all companies seeking funds via Regulation Crowdfunding as well as those doing parallel 506(c) offerings[2]. This information includes financial performance, security offering, valuation, industry, daily commitments and number of investors. The information is summarized and published on a daily basis on the CCLEAR Regulation Crowdfunding dashboard.
Here are some key data trends:
- Capital commitments – From FY17[3] to FY18 capital commitments increased 178% from $45.7M to $81.1M. The second full FY of Reg CF saw capital commitments increase 139% to $113M. Total capital commitments to date is over $250M.
- Issuers – During the same period the number of companies seeking to raise funds increased 187% from 317 to 592 and 137% to 810 in FY19. Total issuers to date is over 1,800.
- Investors – The number of individual investors grew from 44.5k in FY17 to 92.6K in FY18 to 117.8K in FY19. Total investors to date is over 270,000.
“No matter how you look at it, there’s been an impressive growth of at least 250% in 2 years,” says Neiss. “If we extrapolate out over the next 2 years, we estimate that over 3,400 companies across the United States will receive half a billion dollars by over half a million investors.”
CCLEAR captures a maximum of 56 different industries from Advertising and Marketing, to Healthcare and Utilities. During the first fiscal year there were 44 industries represented. That number increased to 47 last fiscal year. While application software, alcoholic beverages, business services, consumer packaged goods, entertainment, personal services and restaurants were the most common industries seeking funds, financial services, business services, employment services and retail saw the greatest increase in offerings between the first and third fiscal years.
“The wide representation of so many industries speaks to the broad appeal of regulation crowdfunding to both companies seeking and investors looking to deploy capital,” says Neiss. “No matter what industry you are in, if you have an engaged group of customers that could be investors, Regulation Crowdfunding is something you should explore.”
Companies in 48 of the 50 States have registered to raise funds via Reg CF.
See: OurCrowd Double IPO Success Provides Crowdfunding Validation
From an employment perspective, the data shows that Reg CF continues to sustain and support local jobs. In the first fiscal year over 1,482 jobs were supported. This grew by another 3,150 in the second fiscal year and another 4,448 in the third.
“Collectively almost 10,000 jobs have been supported around the United States since the launch of Regulation Crowdfunding,” says Neiss.
“We expect this number to grow by another 10,000 in the next 2 years. 20,000 jobs means 20,000 people employed by local businesses and reinvesting their income back into these communities through mortgage payments, groceries, dining out, education and more. This is how we support local economies. And we are doing it despite the current $1M cap on company raises. Imagine what we could do if we increased these caps from $1M to $5M, $10M or $20M? It is easy to see how we could increase this from 20,000 to 200,000 jobs.”
While not all Regulation Crowdfunding companies are revenue generating those that are had over $400M of Revenue in their most recent fiscal year.
“Given that the majority of these firms are growing and reinvesting their earnings, you can only imagine the multiplier effect that this has on local economies,” says Neiss. “Businesses are reinvesting into their local economies by purchasing goods and services to support them and hiring employees. And employees are using their paychecks to support themselves. Together we estimate they are pouring close to a billion dollars into local economies.”
Continue to the full article --> here
The 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
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
Early-stage Investing – The Public gets a Seat at the Table
FrontFundr | Peter-Paul Van Hoeken | June 12, 2019
Traditionally, only a small group of investors, angel investors and other venture capitalists, have had access to investment opportunities in startups and growth companies. The public has been locked out from investing in startups.
Investments in early-stage companies are typically high-risk. That is why early-stage investors typically invest in a portfolio of at least 10-20 companies. Those companies that are successful will realize exponential - ‘hockeystick’- growth and deliver huge returns for investors. The success of these companies can usually be attributed to the general public buying products and services from these companies. The same public that has had no access to investing in these companies and share in their success.
The public has been locked out from investing in startups.
Digital technology has been a significant enabler in creating online market places, such as Amazon and Shopify. These market places have dramatically increased access to products and services for every consumer and aggregated demand and supply supporting efficient price discovery that benefits all market participants.
See: [Report] A New North Star: Canadian Competitiveness in an Intangibles Economy
Why not apply the same digital technologies to connect private companies with the wider potential investor community supporting the entire process from discovery of investment opportunities to completion of investment transactions?
Welcome to the new venture capital market – The democratization of investing in early-stage companies where everyone, regardless of how deep their pockets are, can invest in companies they believe in. Investing online in private companies a.k.a. investment crowdfunding or equity crowdfunding. Anyone could become a shareholder of a company for minimum investment as low as $500, enabling the wider investor community to make multiple investments and diversify risk even with a relatively smaller sized investment portfolio.
Investment crowdfunding offers early-stage companies the opportunity to raise capital from the public - The same public that may be the early (and future) customers of these emerging companies. With investment crowdfunding, the public has taken a seat at the early-stage investing table and brought a large pool of available capital.
Investment Crowdfunding could unlock $2.5 billion per year in Canada for in early-stage companies
We estimate that in Canada $2.5 billion per annum of total financial assets held by Canadians could be directed towards investments in early stage companies. This figure is based on a conservative assumption that 1.8% of total financial assets would be directed towards investment in the private markets. $2.5 billion is a significant pool of capital in comparison to $162 million invested in Canadian startups by angel investor and $3.4 billion investments in Canadian startups and growth companies by venture capital and private equity firms in 2017.[1]
Investment crowdfunding can also help address the challenge for early stage companies to attract capital. Startup Genome published its Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2019[2] on May 9th, ranking the top startup ecosystems in the world. No surprise Silicon Valley takes the first place. Toronto-Waterloo ranked 13th, up three spots from last year.
See: $5 million Equity crowdfunding extended to private companies
Vancouver tumbled nine places from last year and ranked 24th. The report mentions that Vancouver as one of the top global ecosystems is hindered by a gap in early-stage funding, $320 million million in the period 2016 to first half 2018 compared to the worldwide average of $1.1 billion.
Investment Crowdfunding is democratizing the venture capital market
Montreal in 49th spot (down 15 places) $600 million went towards early-stage funding. However, even in the Toronto-Waterloo corridor, early-stage funding in startups is relatively low in comparison to its 13th place ranking with US$1.1 billion in 2016 to H1 2018.
Startup Genome ranked London (U.K.) as the 4th global ecosystem for early-stage funding with $4.3 billion in 2016 to H1 2018. EU-Startups highlights London’s exceptional access to venture capital funds, angel investors, crowdfunding platforms, banks and other financial possibilities.[3]
In the U.K., where investment crowdfunding has been around for nearly ten years, it has gone mainstream and is now an integral part of the startup funding ecosystem.
High growth entrepreneurship is key to Canada’s future economic success. Early stage companies drive innovation, economic growth, jobs and wealth creation. We need to help get these startups and growth companies to access the finance they need to grow and thrive. As we have seen in other countries like the U.K., investment crowdfunding can help expand the early-stage capital pool. Moreover, it goes further than helping early-stage companies get funding, investment crowdfunding also enables the public to share the risks and returns on venture capital investments jointly.
See: Architecting a New World: Investment Crowdfunding and Digital Assets
Investment crowdfunding has the potential to unlock a large pool of capital from the public and empowers everyone to invest in companies they believe in and share risks plus returns. Also in Canada, investment crowdfunding is poised to become integral to the venture capital market. Together we can make that happen.
Peter-Paul Van Hoeken is founder and CEO of FrontFundr, a Canadian investment crowdfunding platform. He is a director of the Private Capital Markets Association Canada (PCMA), Advisor to the National Crowdfunding and Fintech Association Canada (NCFA) and member of the Ontario Securities Commission Launchpad Fintech Advisory Committee.
[1] Statistics Canada (2019), Canadian Venture Capital Association, CVCA (2019), National Angel and Capital Organization Canada, NACO (2017), FrontFundr Team Analysis (2019)
[2] Startup Genome (2019), Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2019
[3] EU-Startups (2018), London’s startup ecosystem at a glance (November 20, 2018)
The 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
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
TokenFunder announces Canada’s first Security Token Exempt Market Dealer
TokenFunder Release | Alan Wunsche | April 22, 2019
TokenFunder has completed an important regulatory milestone of establishing TokenGX as Canada’s first registered Exempt Market Dealer with approval to issue digital securities using the TokenFunder security token issuance and investing platform.
TokenGX has been registered as Canada’s first Exempt Market Dealer (EMD) under the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) Regulatory Sandbox initiative and the OSC LaunchPad, with permission to issue digital securities on a public blockchain. (https://osc.gov.on.ca/en/Dealers_registrant-search_index.htm)
TokenFunder CEO Alan Wunsche says, “We are excited to establish TokenGX as Canada’s first Security Token Exempt Market Dealer. We knew earning this first-of-its-kind digital security token EMD registration in Canada wouldn’t be an overnight process – in fact, it was two years of design, development and iteration, working closely with the OSC LaunchPad and Canadian regulators to make this happen in a way that leverages our technology and puts investors first.”
Wunsche continued, “With this new EMD registration, we can provide an accessible, regulatory-compliant path for Canadians to invest in private Canadian companies. Our unique ability to execute Initial Token Offerings (ITOs) will help fund high-potential startups, scaleups and mature businesses raising capital by making them available to everyone. Retail investors will now have wealth-building opportunities previously only available to wealthy (accredited) investors.”
The TokenFunder Smart Token Asset Management Platform (STAMP) streamlines an automated Know-Your-Client (KYC) investor onboarding experience, enabling everyone to invest in accordance with up-to-date prospectus exemptions relevant to the issuing company. With efficient, blockchain-powered, record-of-ownership tracking built into the platform, investors will see their holdings and investor communications in a unified view on the platform’s portfolio dashboard. The platform’s investor relationship management services changes the landscape of today’s transactional offerings with longer term benefits for company issuers.
Related:
OSC approves first ICO in Ontario to TokenFunder
FINTECH FRIDAY$ (EP.19-Nov 23): Future of Business Tokenization – How Blockchain Challenges Concept of Money with Alan Wunsche, Founder and CEO, Token Funder
Wunsche added, “This begins with capital but there’s much more to the story. With many social, environmental and technological changes happening in the world today, people want investing opportunities that make a difference. We’re purpose-driven to offering everyday people impact investing and wealth-building opportunities that align with their values. Taking this path wasn’t easy but we’re excited about the democratization of investing opportunities in Canada, helping Canadians make an impact. As the number of offerings on the platform grows, this will enable liquidity and trading among investors not previously possible — we see this as the future of new digital asset marketplaces. This approval is an important step in our journey of offering a regulatory-compliant and efficient investing experience, so that everyone from accredited investors to loyal customers who want to become owners can participate, invest and make a difference.”
Contact us to fund your impact and reward your customers
Companies seeking to fund their growing impact or reward their loyal customer base with ownership opportunities are invited to contact info@tokenfunder.com to receive further details about raising capital on the platform.
Source: TokenFunder release
The 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
| | |
|---|---|---|
| | |
Nov 7, 2026 | Last Updated Nov 13, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Whisperer | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Competition And Market Structure, Cross Border Payments And FX, Cybersecurity Fraud And Financial Crime, Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Digital Banking And BaaS, Embedded Finance, Insurance And Insurtech, Lending Consumer Credit And BNPL, Open Banking Open Finance And Data Sharing, Payments Infrastructure And Money Movement, Regulation And Policy, Risk Compliance And Regtech, SME Finance And Business Banking, Sustainable Finance ESG And Financial Inclusion, Treasury Liquidity And Cash Management, Wealthtech Investing And Trading NCFA Fintech Whisperer is a live weekly market intelligence page tracking financial technology and financial innovation developments that change how markets operate. Coverage spans NCFA's full financial innovation taxonomy, with Canada first and global developments included when they materially affect rules, market access, competition, capital, technology adoption, distribution, risk or execution. We focus on changes that founders, investors, financial institutions, regulators and operators may need to act on, not simply what's making headlines. This page is updated throughout the week as material developments emerge, then closed and archived before the next weekly window begins. Missed a prior week's Fintech Whisperer? Browse December 6 to 12, ...
About NCFA Canada | Craig Asano | November 13, 2026 Featured Guest: ROB EIJGENRAAM, Founder, TokenMinds (LinkedIn) Rob Eijgenraam is the Founder of TokenMinds and Creator of TMX, a suite of blockchain and AI technology products. Based in Singapore, Rob helps established businesses outside the crypto industry develop token launches, fundraising strategies and Web3 products, with each project designed around a clear return on investment. An experienced entrepreneur with a background spanning Europe and Asia, Rob founded TokenMinds in 2017 during the early ICO boom. Over nearly a decade, he has navigated major crypto market cycles while expanding the company's capabilities in tokenization, blockchain development and AI-powered financial applications. Rob combines deep entrepreneurial experience with hands-on blockchain and AI execution. Working closely with CEOs, business owners and their advisors, he focuses on finding practical solutions that fit each company's commercial objectives and growth opportunities. About TokenMinds TokenMinds is an award-winning blockchain and AI firm that helps established businesses raise growth capital through token launches without giving up equity. Founded in 2017, TokenMinds has worked with more than 200 companies worldwide, supporting end-to-end solutions for token fundraising through innovative Web3 and AI strategies. Its services span tokenomics, fundraising strategy, investor outreach, blockchain development, token launches ...
Nov 12, 2026 Buying a Canadian money services business starts with identifying what the buyer will acquire: a legal entity, a registration history, contracts, records and possibly an active operation. The value of that package depends on whether it supports the services the new owner intends to provide. A FINTRAC registration entry is an important starting point. It does not establish the company’s financial condition, the quality of its compliance programme or the availability of banking relationships after an acquisition. A payment business may also need a separate assessment under the Retail Payment Activities Act, or RPAA. For investors evaluating a Canadian MSB company for sale, due diligence should connect registration status, actual activities, transaction structure and financial evidence before the parties agree a completion timetable. Verify the Canadian MSB registration and legal entity Begin with the target’s exact legal name, incorporation details, registration number and current status. Match the entity in the corporate documents to the entity in FINTRAC’s Money Services Business Registry. FINTRAC explicitly states that registration does not mean it endorses or licenses a business. It also states that it does not issue licences or certificates of registration. A sales presentation using the phrase “FINTRAC licence” should ...
November 12, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Wealthtech Investing And Trading Strategy still runs a software business, but Bitcoin now dominates its assets and capital raising. MSCI no longer treats that balance as an index eligible operating company. November 11, 2026, MSCI confirmed Strategy’s removal from the MSCI USA and MSCI World indexes after the November 30 close under its new methodology for non operating companies. MSCI is one of the world’s largest index providers, and its benchmarks are followed by funds investing across global equity markets. Japan’s Metaplanet is also being removed from an MSCI index. MSCI has decided that Strategy no longer qualifies for its equity indexes because Bitcoin now dominates its assets and much of its capital raising. Strategy still sells software and reports operating revenue, but MSCI is drawing a line between a business that holds investment assets and one where those assets have become the main financial story. Why Is MSCI Removing Strategy From Its Indexes? MSCI first looked at a rule aimed specifically at digital asset treasury companies. It later dropped that proposal and change it's methodology to cover companies whose finances ...
Nov 12, 2026 Crypto market cap is calculated by multiplying an asset's reference price by its circulating supply. A token priced at $2 with 50 million units circulating has a market cap of $100 million. The calculation estimates the value of that supply at the reference price; it does not total the money investors deposited. To understand a change in the ranking, examine both inputs and the provider's definitions. A larger number can result from price changes, supply changes, or revised reporting. Establish what the two inputs represent The arithmetic is simple, but neither input is self-explanatory. “Price” may be a reference assembled from selected trading pairs and venues, rather than the last transaction on the exchange you use. A provider may exclude observations or convert quote currencies. Two services can publish different estimates because their source selection and methods differ. Circulating supply is an estimate of units treated as available in the market under a provider's rules. It may differ from the number minted, the total recorded by a contract, or the maximum permitted under a protocol's current design. Locked balances, treasury allocations, burns, and scheduled releases require interpretation. A transparent methodology matters because identical arithmetic can still use ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Risk Compliance And Regtech Financial firms are putting AI agents into production well before giving them broad financial authority. That creates time to set identity, permissions and transaction controls before autonomous execution becomes common. On November 11, 2026, Bank of England Financial Policy Committee external member Jonathan Hall used his final FPC speech to examine what happens when AI agents get more authority inside financial firms. A Bank of England and FCA survey of 196 firms found that 80% already deploy AI agents and another 14% plan to within 12 months. Only 2% reported agents with broad autonomy, and none of those were in trading and payments. Finance is adopting agents quickly, but firms are still keeping people and hard limits around the decisions that can change money, positions or customer outcomes. AI Agents Are In Finance But They Are Not Trading Alone The 2026 Bank of England and FCA survey separates four levels of authority: Decision support lets an agent recommend an action while a person decides and executes it. Constrained execution lets the agent act inside preset rules. Conditional autonomy ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Entrepreneurs Startups Small Businesses, Equity Crowdfunding And Alternative Funding A small group of large rounds is carrying Canadian venture totals while deal count and growth stage financing remain well below recent norms. On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association published its Q3 2026 venture capital report. Canadian companies raised $4.3 billion across 397 deals through September, only 1% less capital than a year earlier. But 23 rounds of $50 million or more represented just 6% of disclosed deals and absorbed 58% of all venture capital invested. Deal count has also fallen every year since 2021. The national total is holding up far better than the number of companies getting financed. Six Big Rounds Carried 59% Of Q3 Venture Capital Q3 produced $1.35 billion across 129 deals. Capital was 1% higher than Q2, but deal count fell 15%. Six rounds above $50 million accounted for $793 million, or 59% of the quarter’s capital. That's a decent quarter for the companies that closed those rounds, but a weak quarter for everyone else. Mega rounds above $50 million totalled $2.5 billion across 23 transactions ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Story Intelligence | Competition And Market Structure, Wealthtech Investing And Trading, Regulation And Policy Canada is cutting bank fees and switching barriers after years of weak competition, high concentration and poor productivity. On November 7, 2026, the federal government proposed something Canadian investors have complained about for years. Banks would no longer be allowed to charge most investment account transfer fees, which typically cost about $150 per account. Ottawa also wants clearer transfer information and tighter timelines for moving investments to another financial institution. The fee matters because leaving can already be slow and frustrating. Receiving firms often reimburse the outgoing charge to win the account. That means a fee collected by the institution losing the customer can become part of the acquisition cost for the institution trying to win that customer. Canada's six largest banks hold roughly 93% of banking assets. The Competition Bureau was warning about barriers facing fintech competitors in 2017. Ottawa began reviewing open banking in 2018. A federal advisory committee later recommended an operating system by January 2023 and warned that government should not delay. January 2023 came and went. Real Time Rail also slipped years beyond its first expected ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Regulation And Policy Funds, Collateral And Settlement Lead Canada’s Near Term Tokenization Opportunity On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators published its Project Tokenization Phase 1 findings, setting out where Canadian market participants see the strongest commercial opportunities for tokenization and what regulators plan to test next. The report draws on 233 organizations, 21 bilateral meetings and 80 survey responses, along with workshops attended by 281 people in Calgary and 491 in Toronto. Participants put investment funds, private assets, collateral, treasury and settlement infrastructure ahead of public stocks as the strongest near term opportunities. The report also cuts through one of tokenization’s biggest sales pitches. Blockchain can change how an asset is recorded, transferred or settled, but it doesn't automatically create liquidity, investor demand, broader eligibility or stronger ownership rights. Those outcomes still depend on the product, market, legal structure and infrastructure around it. The CSA now plans to take specific projects into Phase 2 through a 120 day public call for proposals. Firms may be able to use existing regulatory processes, tailored regulatory treatment or bounded testing in a ...
Nov 11, 2026 A positive work environment is key for any team that wants to succeed. Team morale is crucial for productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Engaging in activities that lift spirits and strengthen connections can lead to great results. Creating a positive team environment requires creativity, engagement, and some fun. Each activity can strengthen connections, boost motivation, and improve workplace dynamics. When teams focus on strategies to boost morale, they work toward shared success. These activities can lead to lasting memories and help build a stronger team culture. Here are some fun strategies to help improve your team's morale and make the workplace livelier. Fun at the Arcade Visiting an arcade spot is a great way to enjoy time together and build teamwork. Imagine your team facing challenges with various games. Whether it's racing or playing team games, the arcade encourages friendly competition and bonding. These fun experiences can help reduce stress and improve relationships among coworkers. Arcades offer many options to suit diverse interests and skill levels. The lively atmosphere invites everyone to relax and take a break from their daily tasks. Shared laughter and enjoyment can lead to better communication and teamwork when you return to the ...
Nov 7, 2026 | Last Updated Nov 13, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Whisperer | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Competition And Market Structure, Cross Border Payments And FX, Cybersecurity Fraud And Financial Crime, Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Digital Banking And BaaS, Embedded Finance, Insurance And Insurtech, Lending Consumer Credit And BNPL, Open Banking Open Finance And Data Sharing, Payments Infrastructure And Money Movement, Regulation And Policy, Risk Compliance And Regtech, SME Finance And Business Banking, Sustainable Finance ESG And Financial Inclusion, Treasury Liquidity And Cash Management, Wealthtech Investing And Trading NCFA Fintech Whisperer is a live weekly market intelligence page tracking financial technology and financial innovation developments that change how markets operate. Coverage spans NCFA's full financial innovation taxonomy, with Canada first and global developments included when they materially affect rules, market access, competition, capital, technology adoption, distribution, risk or execution. We focus on changes that founders, investors, financial institutions, regulators and operators may need to act on, not simply what's making headlines. This page is updated throughout the week as material developments emerge, then closed and archived before the next weekly window begins. Missed a prior week's Fintech Whisperer? Browse December 6 to 12, ...
About NCFA Canada | Craig Asano | November 13, 2026 Featured Guest: ROB EIJGENRAAM, Founder, TokenMinds (LinkedIn) Rob Eijgenraam is the Founder of TokenMinds and Creator of TMX, a suite of blockchain and AI technology products. Based in Singapore, Rob helps established businesses outside the crypto industry develop token launches, fundraising strategies and Web3 products, with each project designed around a clear return on investment. An experienced entrepreneur with a background spanning Europe and Asia, Rob founded TokenMinds in 2017 during the early ICO boom. Over nearly a decade, he has navigated major crypto market cycles while expanding the company's capabilities in tokenization, blockchain development and AI-powered financial applications. Rob combines deep entrepreneurial experience with hands-on blockchain and AI execution. Working closely with CEOs, business owners and their advisors, he focuses on finding practical solutions that fit each company's commercial objectives and growth opportunities. About TokenMinds TokenMinds is an award-winning blockchain and AI firm that helps established businesses raise growth capital through token launches without giving up equity. Founded in 2017, TokenMinds has worked with more than 200 companies worldwide, supporting end-to-end solutions for token fundraising through innovative Web3 and AI strategies. Its services span tokenomics, fundraising strategy, investor outreach, blockchain development, token launches ...
Nov 12, 2026 Buying a Canadian money services business starts with identifying what the buyer will acquire: a legal entity, a registration history, contracts, records and possibly an active operation. The value of that package depends on whether it supports the services the new owner intends to provide. A FINTRAC registration entry is an important starting point. It does not establish the company’s financial condition, the quality of its compliance programme or the availability of banking relationships after an acquisition. A payment business may also need a separate assessment under the Retail Payment Activities Act, or RPAA. For investors evaluating a Canadian MSB company for sale, due diligence should connect registration status, actual activities, transaction structure and financial evidence before the parties agree a completion timetable. Verify the Canadian MSB registration and legal entity Begin with the target’s exact legal name, incorporation details, registration number and current status. Match the entity in the corporate documents to the entity in FINTRAC’s Money Services Business Registry. FINTRAC explicitly states that registration does not mean it endorses or licenses a business. It also states that it does not issue licences or certificates of registration. A sales presentation using the phrase “FINTRAC licence” should ...
November 12, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Wealthtech Investing And Trading Strategy still runs a software business, but Bitcoin now dominates its assets and capital raising. MSCI no longer treats that balance as an index eligible operating company. November 11, 2026, MSCI confirmed Strategy’s removal from the MSCI USA and MSCI World indexes after the November 30 close under its new methodology for non operating companies. MSCI is one of the world’s largest index providers, and its benchmarks are followed by funds investing across global equity markets. Japan’s Metaplanet is also being removed from an MSCI index. MSCI has decided that Strategy no longer qualifies for its equity indexes because Bitcoin now dominates its assets and much of its capital raising. Strategy still sells software and reports operating revenue, but MSCI is drawing a line between a business that holds investment assets and one where those assets have become the main financial story. Why Is MSCI Removing Strategy From Its Indexes? MSCI first looked at a rule aimed specifically at digital asset treasury companies. It later dropped that proposal and change it's methodology to cover companies whose finances ...
Nov 12, 2026 Crypto market cap is calculated by multiplying an asset's reference price by its circulating supply. A token priced at $2 with 50 million units circulating has a market cap of $100 million. The calculation estimates the value of that supply at the reference price; it does not total the money investors deposited. To understand a change in the ranking, examine both inputs and the provider's definitions. A larger number can result from price changes, supply changes, or revised reporting. Establish what the two inputs represent The arithmetic is simple, but neither input is self-explanatory. “Price” may be a reference assembled from selected trading pairs and venues, rather than the last transaction on the exchange you use. A provider may exclude observations or convert quote currencies. Two services can publish different estimates because their source selection and methods differ. Circulating supply is an estimate of units treated as available in the market under a provider's rules. It may differ from the number minted, the total recorded by a contract, or the maximum permitted under a protocol's current design. Locked balances, treasury allocations, burns, and scheduled releases require interpretation. A transparent methodology matters because identical arithmetic can still use ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Risk Compliance And Regtech Financial firms are putting AI agents into production well before giving them broad financial authority. That creates time to set identity, permissions and transaction controls before autonomous execution becomes common. On November 11, 2026, Bank of England Financial Policy Committee external member Jonathan Hall used his final FPC speech to examine what happens when AI agents get more authority inside financial firms. A Bank of England and FCA survey of 196 firms found that 80% already deploy AI agents and another 14% plan to within 12 months. Only 2% reported agents with broad autonomy, and none of those were in trading and payments. Finance is adopting agents quickly, but firms are still keeping people and hard limits around the decisions that can change money, positions or customer outcomes. AI Agents Are In Finance But They Are Not Trading Alone The 2026 Bank of England and FCA survey separates four levels of authority: Decision support lets an agent recommend an action while a person decides and executes it. Constrained execution lets the agent act inside preset rules. Conditional autonomy ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Entrepreneurs Startups Small Businesses, Equity Crowdfunding And Alternative Funding A small group of large rounds is carrying Canadian venture totals while deal count and growth stage financing remain well below recent norms. On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association published its Q3 2026 venture capital report. Canadian companies raised $4.3 billion across 397 deals through September, only 1% less capital than a year earlier. But 23 rounds of $50 million or more represented just 6% of disclosed deals and absorbed 58% of all venture capital invested. Deal count has also fallen every year since 2021. The national total is holding up far better than the number of companies getting financed. Six Big Rounds Carried 59% Of Q3 Venture Capital Q3 produced $1.35 billion across 129 deals. Capital was 1% higher than Q2, but deal count fell 15%. Six rounds above $50 million accounted for $793 million, or 59% of the quarter’s capital. That's a decent quarter for the companies that closed those rounds, but a weak quarter for everyone else. Mega rounds above $50 million totalled $2.5 billion across 23 transactions ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Story Intelligence | Competition And Market Structure, Wealthtech Investing And Trading, Regulation And Policy Canada is cutting bank fees and switching barriers after years of weak competition, high concentration and poor productivity. On November 7, 2026, the federal government proposed something Canadian investors have complained about for years. Banks would no longer be allowed to charge most investment account transfer fees, which typically cost about $150 per account. Ottawa also wants clearer transfer information and tighter timelines for moving investments to another financial institution. The fee matters because leaving can already be slow and frustrating. Receiving firms often reimburse the outgoing charge to win the account. That means a fee collected by the institution losing the customer can become part of the acquisition cost for the institution trying to win that customer. Canada's six largest banks hold roughly 93% of banking assets. The Competition Bureau was warning about barriers facing fintech competitors in 2017. Ottawa began reviewing open banking in 2018. A federal advisory committee later recommended an operating system by January 2023 and warned that government should not delay. January 2023 came and went. Real Time Rail also slipped years beyond its first expected ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Regulation And Policy Funds, Collateral And Settlement Lead Canada’s Near Term Tokenization Opportunity On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators published its Project Tokenization Phase 1 findings, setting out where Canadian market participants see the strongest commercial opportunities for tokenization and what regulators plan to test next. The report draws on 233 organizations, 21 bilateral meetings and 80 survey responses, along with workshops attended by 281 people in Calgary and 491 in Toronto. Participants put investment funds, private assets, collateral, treasury and settlement infrastructure ahead of public stocks as the strongest near term opportunities. The report also cuts through one of tokenization’s biggest sales pitches. Blockchain can change how an asset is recorded, transferred or settled, but it doesn't automatically create liquidity, investor demand, broader eligibility or stronger ownership rights. Those outcomes still depend on the product, market, legal structure and infrastructure around it. The CSA now plans to take specific projects into Phase 2 through a 120 day public call for proposals. Firms may be able to use existing regulatory processes, tailored regulatory treatment or bounded testing in a ...
Nov 11, 2026 A positive work environment is key for any team that wants to succeed. Team morale is crucial for productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Engaging in activities that lift spirits and strengthen connections can lead to great results. Creating a positive team environment requires creativity, engagement, and some fun. Each activity can strengthen connections, boost motivation, and improve workplace dynamics. When teams focus on strategies to boost morale, they work toward shared success. These activities can lead to lasting memories and help build a stronger team culture. Here are some fun strategies to help improve your team's morale and make the workplace livelier. Fun at the Arcade Visiting an arcade spot is a great way to enjoy time together and build teamwork. Imagine your team facing challenges with various games. Whether it's racing or playing team games, the arcade encourages friendly competition and bonding. These fun experiences can help reduce stress and improve relationships among coworkers. Arcades offer many options to suit diverse interests and skill levels. The lively atmosphere invites everyone to relax and take a break from their daily tasks. Shared laughter and enjoyment can lead to better communication and teamwork when you return to the ...
