Rojin Nair, Advisor
June 1st, 2021
At Incyub8 Inc, Rojin is focusing on nurturing and guiding various national and international start-[...]
European Parliament Adopts First Reading Position On Proposed Regulation And Directive On European Crowdfunding Service Providers
Orrick | Heidi Wardle | April 30 2019
On the March 27, the European Parliament issued a press release announcing that it has adopted its position at first reading on the proposed Regulation on European crowdfunding service providers (2018/0048 (COD)). The Parliament’s first reading position sets out its amendments to the European Commission’s legislative proposals, in this case MEPs extended the scope of the regulation by increasing the maximum threshold for each crowdfunding offer to €8,000,000 (from €1,000,000 as proposed by the European Commission) calculated over a period of 12 months.
See: European Parliament Draft Legislation Shows Intent to Enable Crowdfunding Platforms to Host Initial Coin Offerings
The proposal aims to help crowdfunding services to function smoothly in the internal market and to foster cross-border business funding in the EU. It also intends to better protect investors, including by ensuring that crowdfunding service providers give clients clear information about financial risks and charges related to their investment and that investors are provided with a key investment information sheet drawn up by the project owner for each crowdfunding offer. The initiative forms part of the European Commission’s FinTech action plan. First Reading Position.
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
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Borderless Ventures | Ethan Pierse | Oct 27, 2021 You might not yet have heard of social tokens or creator coins, but it's very possible that you heard the news of Lionel Messi changing football clubs from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain. Well, millions of dollars of his $40M signing bonus were paid in $PSG tokens issued by social token platform Socios. Those tokens allow fans to interact with the team by earning rewards, participating in select club decisions, and accessing unique merchandise and experiences. But what are social tokens ? Social tokens allow brands, whether individuals or organizations, to include their fans and community in a dedicated tokenized economy that facilitates: - Direct monetization - Community engagement and loyalty - Governance See: 67 per cent of young Brits want a socialist economic system, finds new poll Social media platforms can take 5-30% of content creators' tips and payment tools like Venmo charge 3% commission. However, creator coin platforms like Rally are able to charge 0% for direct digital payments to creators. Amazing platforms like Patreon, Substack, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch have enabled creators to build business models on top of their communities and content, but in addition to expensive commissions, ...
Read More
Crowdfund Insider | JD Alois | Oct 26, 2021 Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) has topped $1 billion – five years after the securities exemption became actionable for issuers in need of growth capital. According to Crowdfund Capital Advisors (CCA), 1.2+ million investors have backed over 4500 companies to achieve this milestone. The third quarter of 2021 was said to be the best quarter ever with approximately $148 million committed to issuers raising capital on funding portals or regulated broker dealers. See: Reg CF Update: Interview with Sherwood Neiss on Investment Crowdfunding This amount was 93% greater than the same quarter last year and 12.5% over Q2. The third quarter broke the record of number of offerings pegged at around 400 securities sales. Year to date as of Q3, approximately $409 million has been raised with 1,177 individual offerings. Software was the most popular industry to raise money using the exemption. The top five platforms during Q3 dominated the sector of online capital formation accounting for around 88% of investment activity. CCA noted that Reg CF activity helped to create more than 17,000 jobs during the quarter. See: Doug Ellenoff on US Reg CF Increasing Issuer Caps to $5 million: Investment ...
Read More
Global News | Ian Bickis | Oct 24, 2021 If you haven’t shopped for a credit card in a while, you may see some unfamiliar names in the offerings. Companies like Brim Financial, Float Inc., Caary Capital Ltd., Jeeves Inc., and Neo Financial are part of a growing crop of tech-enabled lenders that are looking to snag a share of the lucrative credit card market from the big banks. The startups have to be creative with rewards programs because they lack the scale to offer the big sign-up bonuses of the big banks, said Castaldo. See: Any bank, merchant or Fintech on Mastercard’s vast network can soon offer crypto services On corporate cards, companies like Jeeves, Float and Caary are aiming mostly at startups and small to medium businesses, offering fast sign-up, numerous digital cards, higher credit limits and no personal guarantee, as well as easier integration into some accounting and spend management software. Jeeves directly monitors a client’s bank account and uses machine learning to assess risk, which Thazhmon said allows them to offer the higher credit limit and no personal guarantee. The new competition for the big banks comes as the market is already feeling pressure. Credit card ...
Read More
CNBC | Hugh Son | Oct 26, 2021 The crypto economy is about to expand. Mastercard is preparing to announce that any of the thousands of banks and millions of merchants on its payments network can soon integrate crypto into their products, CNBC has learned. That includes bitcoin wallets, credit and debit cards that earn rewards in crypto and enable digital assets to be spent, and loyalty programs where airline or hotel points can be converted into bitcoin. To do so, the payments network is partnering with Bakkt, the crypto firm recently spun off by Intercontinental Exchange, which will be the behind-the-scenes provider of custodial services for those who sign up, executives at the two firms told CNBC. “We want to offer all of our partners the ability to more easily add crypto services to whatever it is they’re doing,” Sherri Haymond, Mastercard’s executive vice president of digital partnerships, said in an interview. “Our partners, be they banks, fintechs or merchants, can offer their customers the ability to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrency through an integration with the Baktt platform.” See: ‘Last year we saw about a 300% increase in transactions just using cryptocurrency’: Coinpayments CEO The announcement could lead ...
Read More
ComplianceX | Jack Kelly | Oct 26, 2021 The Securities and Exchange Commission has won a debate among US agencies to propose legislation and oversee the $131 billion stablecoin market, Bloomberg reported on Monday. The Wall Street watchdog’s “significant authority” over tokens like tether will be spelt out in a report expected to be published this week, Bloomberg said, citing sources familiar with the matter. Agencies including the Treasury will ask Congress to pass legislation stating coins should be regulated like bank deposits, one source said. See: A Regulated Stablecoin Means Having a Regulator On the Brink Podcast: George Selgin of the Cato Institute on Stablecoins, Bitcoin and Free Banking FCA Chair Charles Randall Discusses Crypto, Stablecoins and Digital Asset Regulation More regulation coming: SEC Chairman signals stablecoins and other tokens could fall under its rules on security-based swaps The report is expected to highlight the SEC’s powers, as Chairman Gary Gensler has been pushing for oversight and the ability to pursue enforcement action. It will clarify how the Biden administration will regulate the sector, with several agencies including the Commodity and Futures Trading Commission likely to have a role. These developments suggest the government will have clear and active authority over the stablecoin ...
Read More
TheStreet | Rob Lenihan | Oct 25, 2021 Cryptocurrency prices were climbing Monday with the parody cryptocurrency Shiba Inu coin soaring to a record over the weekend before losing ground. Shiba Inu's recent surge appears related to unconfirmed rumors that the coin would soon be listed on the popular stock trading app Robinhood, according to Fortune. Shiba Inu coins traded at a record $0.0000455 at 7:20am U.S. Eastern. That topped the previous record $0.0000388 from May 10, Coindesk reported, citing Messari data. It's currently trading at $0.000039. See: SEC says GameStop’s wild stock surge was not short covering Some market observers said that the currency started falling after Tesla CEO Elon Musk, famed for rattling crypto markets worldwide, tweeted on Sunday that he does not own the cryptocurrency. "Don't bet the farm on crypto," Musk tweeted. "True value is building products & providing services to your fellow human beings, not money in any form." Regulation remains a factor in the cryptocurrency world. -- "[The] U.S. Congress predictably looking at imposing standard financial industry 'Know your Client' and Internal Revenue Service reporting requirements -- "[The] UK warning about investor protection -- [The] EU cracking down on money laundering," and, -- "China clearing the field for ...
Read More
Institute for New Economic Thinking | Lynn Parramore | Oct 14, 2021 Famed short-seller is even more concerned with political fallout from Evergrande than economic/financial woes. LP: Let’s talk about Evergrande, the Shenzhen developer whose crisis has got everybody worried. How did things get so bad? JC: Last year, as the tech crackdown was gaining momentum, Xi’s administration put down a set of rules called the “three red lines.” They were sort of balance sheet financial tests. It was an attempt to deleverage the real estate developers. LP: So with Evergrande, everyone came to expect a bailout? JC: I think we’re at that crossroads. The problem is that these companies are so much bigger than they were in 2015 or 2011. Can you bail everybody out? In the case of the developers, you have an additional problem. The biggest amount of liabilities is not necessarily to banks and bondholders. It’s to apartment buyers. Here’s why: the Chinese real estate finance system is exactly the opposite of ours. In our system, when there’s a new development, you’re typically required to put 10% down to sign a contract, with the balance due on closing. See: Opinion: Evergrande and Crypto Where is Bitcoin ...
Read More
Linklaters | Oct 22, 2021 OFAC recommendations for virtual currency industry participants A U.S. regulator has again reminded the virtual currency industry that it is subject to the same compliance obligations as more traditional industries. Last week, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued specific guidance regarding the application of U.S. sanctions requirements to the virtual currency industry. OFAC views participants in the virtual currency industry as playing “an increasingly critical role in preventing sanctioned persons from exploiting virtual currencies to evade sanctions and undermine U.S. foreign policy and national security interests.” See: CSA and IIROC Publish Guidance and Regulatory Framework for Crypto Asset Trading Platform Compliance As with any sector of the economy, virtual currency industry participants are expected to evaluate a variety of factors in assessing their unique sanctions risks and formulating a risk-based compliance strategy. In the guidance, OFAC identifies the following key measures that virtual currency industry participants should carefully consider in implementing their risk-based compliance programs: Geolocation Tools – these tools allow companies to determine the locations of IP addresses, in particular to identify any that are in comprehensively sanctioned jurisdictions; OFAC makes clear that a failure to use ...
Read More
CIX | Oct 25, 2021 1) Presentations by the 30 award winning companies, as selected out of 492 CEOs & Founders of CIX Top 20 Early and CIX Top 10 Growth 2021 Inductees: 2) AND your chance to meet the presenting companies face to face after their presentation in the 6 ‘Meet the Presenting Companies’ sessions. 3) More presentations from founders and CEO of these promising startups a) Atlantic Canada Tech Showcase b) DMZ Women Founders Showcase c) Intuit Prosperity Accelerator.AI Showcase 4) Reverse Investors’ Pitches - Top VCs explain why you should choose them! 5) Canada Success Story Spotlights: fireside chats with founders and CEOs sharing their journey and insights. 6) CIX 2021 Innovator of the Year -Trulioo’s CEO in a fireside chat with investor TCV. 7) Ask an Expert - Your opportunity to pick the brains of serial entrepreneurs, top investors in face to face conversations. 8) The Current M&A Landscape - Hear how the pandemic is impacting current deals and how you can benefit. 9) Digital Identity and Credentials - Vaccine Passports, DeFi, age verification and passwords. How they work and the opportunities to use them to build your business. 10) Recruiting Talent in the Current Climate- hear from experts discuss the struggles ...
Read More
BNN Bloomberg | Kevin Orland | Oct 21, 2021 Power Corp. of Canada’s online financial-services company Wealthsimple is adding retirement portfolios that include Bitcoin and Ethereum for its group-retirement clients, another sign of the possible mainstreaming of cryptocurrencies. Employees of companies with retirement plans run by Wealthsimple Work will be able to allocate 1 per cent to 3 per cent of their holdings into exchange-traded funds made up of Bitcoin and Ethereum, Wealthsimple said Thursday. The plans will automatically rebalance to keep the crypto, stock and bond portions of their portfolios at their targeted levels. For Wealthsimple, adding cryptocurrencies to retirement plans is a way to differentiate its offerings from those of other financial-services providers and lure more companies to sign up with Wealthsimple Work. The move also is meant to encourage younger employees -- who may be enthusiastic about crypto, but less interested in saving for retirement -- to start contributing to Wealthsimple Work plans. “When you’re young, that’s the best time to start saving for retirement,” Tim Kalimov, head of Wealthsimple Work, said in an interview. “So getting those folks invested is really critical.” See: Wealthsimple CEO Michael Katchen on his not-so-simple mission: to help people — especially ...
Read More
Borderless Ventures | Ethan Pierse | Oct 27, 2021 You might not yet have heard of social tokens or creator coins, but it's very possible that you heard the news of Lionel Messi changing football clubs from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain. Well, millions of dollars of his $40M signing bonus were paid in $PSG tokens issued by social token platform Socios. Those tokens allow fans to interact with the team by earning rewards, participating in select club decisions, and accessing unique merchandise and experiences. But what are social tokens ? Social tokens allow brands, whether individuals or organizations, to include their fans and community in a dedicated tokenized economy that facilitates: - Direct monetization - Community engagement and loyalty - Governance See: 67 per cent of young Brits want a socialist economic system, finds new poll Social media platforms can take 5-30% of content creators' tips and payment tools like Venmo charge 3% commission. However, creator coin platforms like Rally are able to charge 0% for direct digital payments to creators. Amazing platforms like Patreon, Substack, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch have enabled creators to build business models on top of their communities and content, but in addition to expensive commissions, ...
Read More
Read More
Crowdfund Insider | JD Alois | Oct 26, 2021 Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) has topped $1 billion – five years after the securities exemption became actionable for issuers in need of growth capital. According to Crowdfund Capital Advisors (CCA), 1.2+ million investors have backed over 4500 companies to achieve this milestone. The third quarter of 2021 was said to be the best quarter ever with approximately $148 million committed to issuers raising capital on funding portals or regulated broker dealers. See: Reg CF Update: Interview with Sherwood Neiss on Investment Crowdfunding This amount was 93% greater than the same quarter last year and 12.5% over Q2. The third quarter broke the record of number of offerings pegged at around 400 securities sales. Year to date as of Q3, approximately $409 million has been raised with 1,177 individual offerings. Software was the most popular industry to raise money using the exemption. The top five platforms during Q3 dominated the sector of online capital formation accounting for around 88% of investment activity. CCA noted that Reg CF activity helped to create more than 17,000 jobs during the quarter. See: Doug Ellenoff on US Reg CF Increasing Issuer Caps to $5 million: Investment ...
Read More
Read More
Global News | Ian Bickis | Oct 24, 2021 If you haven’t shopped for a credit card in a while, you may see some unfamiliar names in the offerings. Companies like Brim Financial, Float Inc., Caary Capital Ltd., Jeeves Inc., and Neo Financial are part of a growing crop of tech-enabled lenders that are looking to snag a share of the lucrative credit card market from the big banks. The startups have to be creative with rewards programs because they lack the scale to offer the big sign-up bonuses of the big banks, said Castaldo. See: Any bank, merchant or Fintech on Mastercard’s vast network can soon offer crypto services On corporate cards, companies like Jeeves, Float and Caary are aiming mostly at startups and small to medium businesses, offering fast sign-up, numerous digital cards, higher credit limits and no personal guarantee, as well as easier integration into some accounting and spend management software. Jeeves directly monitors a client’s bank account and uses machine learning to assess risk, which Thazhmon said allows them to offer the higher credit limit and no personal guarantee. The new competition for the big banks comes as the market is already feeling pressure. Credit card ...
Read More
Read More
CNBC | Hugh Son | Oct 26, 2021 The crypto economy is about to expand. Mastercard is preparing to announce that any of the thousands of banks and millions of merchants on its payments network can soon integrate crypto into their products, CNBC has learned. That includes bitcoin wallets, credit and debit cards that earn rewards in crypto and enable digital assets to be spent, and loyalty programs where airline or hotel points can be converted into bitcoin. To do so, the payments network is partnering with Bakkt, the crypto firm recently spun off by Intercontinental Exchange, which will be the behind-the-scenes provider of custodial services for those who sign up, executives at the two firms told CNBC. “We want to offer all of our partners the ability to more easily add crypto services to whatever it is they’re doing,” Sherri Haymond, Mastercard’s executive vice president of digital partnerships, said in an interview. “Our partners, be they banks, fintechs or merchants, can offer their customers the ability to buy, sell and hold cryptocurrency through an integration with the Baktt platform.” See: ‘Last year we saw about a 300% increase in transactions just using cryptocurrency’: Coinpayments CEO The announcement could lead ...
Read More
Read More
ComplianceX | Jack Kelly | Oct 26, 2021 The Securities and Exchange Commission has won a debate among US agencies to propose legislation and oversee the $131 billion stablecoin market, Bloomberg reported on Monday. The Wall Street watchdog’s “significant authority” over tokens like tether will be spelt out in a report expected to be published this week, Bloomberg said, citing sources familiar with the matter. Agencies including the Treasury will ask Congress to pass legislation stating coins should be regulated like bank deposits, one source said. See: A Regulated Stablecoin Means Having a Regulator On the Brink Podcast: George Selgin of the Cato Institute on Stablecoins, Bitcoin and Free Banking FCA Chair Charles Randall Discusses Crypto, Stablecoins and Digital Asset Regulation More regulation coming: SEC Chairman signals stablecoins and other tokens could fall under its rules on security-based swaps The report is expected to highlight the SEC’s powers, as Chairman Gary Gensler has been pushing for oversight and the ability to pursue enforcement action. It will clarify how the Biden administration will regulate the sector, with several agencies including the Commodity and Futures Trading Commission likely to have a role. These developments suggest the government will have clear and active authority over the stablecoin ...
Read More
Read More
TheStreet | Rob Lenihan | Oct 25, 2021 Cryptocurrency prices were climbing Monday with the parody cryptocurrency Shiba Inu coin soaring to a record over the weekend before losing ground. Shiba Inu's recent surge appears related to unconfirmed rumors that the coin would soon be listed on the popular stock trading app Robinhood, according to Fortune. Shiba Inu coins traded at a record $0.0000455 at 7:20am U.S. Eastern. That topped the previous record $0.0000388 from May 10, Coindesk reported, citing Messari data. It's currently trading at $0.000039. See: SEC says GameStop’s wild stock surge was not short covering Some market observers said that the currency started falling after Tesla CEO Elon Musk, famed for rattling crypto markets worldwide, tweeted on Sunday that he does not own the cryptocurrency. "Don't bet the farm on crypto," Musk tweeted. "True value is building products & providing services to your fellow human beings, not money in any form." Regulation remains a factor in the cryptocurrency world. -- "[The] U.S. Congress predictably looking at imposing standard financial industry 'Know your Client' and Internal Revenue Service reporting requirements -- "[The] UK warning about investor protection -- [The] EU cracking down on money laundering," and, -- "China clearing the field for ...
Read More
Read More
Institute for New Economic Thinking | Lynn Parramore | Oct 14, 2021 Famed short-seller is even more concerned with political fallout from Evergrande than economic/financial woes. LP: Let’s talk about Evergrande, the Shenzhen developer whose crisis has got everybody worried. How did things get so bad? JC: Last year, as the tech crackdown was gaining momentum, Xi’s administration put down a set of rules called the “three red lines.” They were sort of balance sheet financial tests. It was an attempt to deleverage the real estate developers. LP: So with Evergrande, everyone came to expect a bailout? JC: I think we’re at that crossroads. The problem is that these companies are so much bigger than they were in 2015 or 2011. Can you bail everybody out? In the case of the developers, you have an additional problem. The biggest amount of liabilities is not necessarily to banks and bondholders. It’s to apartment buyers. Here’s why: the Chinese real estate finance system is exactly the opposite of ours. In our system, when there’s a new development, you’re typically required to put 10% down to sign a contract, with the balance due on closing. See: Opinion: Evergrande and Crypto Where is Bitcoin ...
Read More
Read More
Linklaters | Oct 22, 2021 OFAC recommendations for virtual currency industry participants A U.S. regulator has again reminded the virtual currency industry that it is subject to the same compliance obligations as more traditional industries. Last week, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) issued specific guidance regarding the application of U.S. sanctions requirements to the virtual currency industry. OFAC views participants in the virtual currency industry as playing “an increasingly critical role in preventing sanctioned persons from exploiting virtual currencies to evade sanctions and undermine U.S. foreign policy and national security interests.” See: CSA and IIROC Publish Guidance and Regulatory Framework for Crypto Asset Trading Platform Compliance As with any sector of the economy, virtual currency industry participants are expected to evaluate a variety of factors in assessing their unique sanctions risks and formulating a risk-based compliance strategy. In the guidance, OFAC identifies the following key measures that virtual currency industry participants should carefully consider in implementing their risk-based compliance programs: Geolocation Tools – these tools allow companies to determine the locations of IP addresses, in particular to identify any that are in comprehensively sanctioned jurisdictions; OFAC makes clear that a failure to use ...
Read More
Read More
CIX | Oct 25, 2021 1) Presentations by the 30 award winning companies, as selected out of 492 CEOs & Founders of CIX Top 20 Early and CIX Top 10 Growth 2021 Inductees: 2) AND your chance to meet the presenting companies face to face after their presentation in the 6 ‘Meet the Presenting Companies’ sessions. 3) More presentations from founders and CEO of these promising startups a) Atlantic Canada Tech Showcase b) DMZ Women Founders Showcase c) Intuit Prosperity Accelerator.AI Showcase 4) Reverse Investors’ Pitches - Top VCs explain why you should choose them! 5) Canada Success Story Spotlights: fireside chats with founders and CEOs sharing their journey and insights. 6) CIX 2021 Innovator of the Year -Trulioo’s CEO in a fireside chat with investor TCV. 7) Ask an Expert - Your opportunity to pick the brains of serial entrepreneurs, top investors in face to face conversations. 8) The Current M&A Landscape - Hear how the pandemic is impacting current deals and how you can benefit. 9) Digital Identity and Credentials - Vaccine Passports, DeFi, age verification and passwords. How they work and the opportunities to use them to build your business. 10) Recruiting Talent in the Current Climate- hear from experts discuss the struggles ...
Read More
Read More
BNN Bloomberg | Kevin Orland | Oct 21, 2021 Power Corp. of Canada’s online financial-services company Wealthsimple is adding retirement portfolios that include Bitcoin and Ethereum for its group-retirement clients, another sign of the possible mainstreaming of cryptocurrencies. Employees of companies with retirement plans run by Wealthsimple Work will be able to allocate 1 per cent to 3 per cent of their holdings into exchange-traded funds made up of Bitcoin and Ethereum, Wealthsimple said Thursday. The plans will automatically rebalance to keep the crypto, stock and bond portions of their portfolios at their targeted levels. For Wealthsimple, adding cryptocurrencies to retirement plans is a way to differentiate its offerings from those of other financial-services providers and lure more companies to sign up with Wealthsimple Work. The move also is meant to encourage younger employees -- who may be enthusiastic about crypto, but less interested in saving for retirement -- to start contributing to Wealthsimple Work plans. “When you’re young, that’s the best time to start saving for retirement,” Tim Kalimov, head of Wealthsimple Work, said in an interview. “So getting those folks invested is really critical.” See: Wealthsimple CEO Michael Katchen on his not-so-simple mission: to help people — especially ...
Read More
Read More
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