Rojin Nair, Advisor
June 1st, 2021
At Incyub8 Inc, Rojin is focusing on nurturing and guiding various national and international start-[...]
SEC Launches Fintech Hub To Engage With Cryptocurrency Startups And More
Forbes | | Oct 18, 2018
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is launching a portal for engaging with companies using blockchain, artificial intelligence and more.
Available today, the new fintech hub, or FinHub for short, is designed to bring the SEC’s existing services to a single access point and provide an easier way for companies to communicate with the public.
As startups building with blockchain increasingly come under the SEC’s attention, the new portal has the potential to streamline the process of building compliant platforms prior to launch.
The SEC’s FinHub will be led by Valerie A. Szczepanik, senior advisor for digital assets and innovation and associate director in the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance.
“We’ve been doing these things for years,” Szczepanik told Forbes. “This is going to bring it all together.”
The FinHub will be staffed by representatives from the SEC’s divisions and offices who have expertise and involvement in fintech-related issues.
See: Canadian securities regulators provide additional guidance on securities law implications for offerings of tokens
In addition to asking questions of the SEC, those who use the site will be able to request meetings. To increase engagement, a binary code “Easter egg” message has been hidden on the page.
Over the past year the number of cases being publicly pursued by the SEC has increased. As a result the U.S securities regulator earlier this year published a webpage that spoofed scam websites as a way to educate potential investors and blockchain builders. The new portal appears to be an extension of that strategy.
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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Centre for Future Work | Jim Stanford | May 24, 2022 There is little evidence that robots and other advanced technologies are displacing workers and causing technological unemployment in Canada. To the contrary, Canada’s adoption of new technology has surprisingly slowed down in recent years. That is the conclusion of a major new report on innovation and automation in Canada’s economy, from the Centre for Future Work. The report, titled Where are the Robots?, reviews nine empirical indicators of Canadian innovation, technology adoption, and robotization. They paint a worrisome picture that Canadian businesses have dramatically reduced their innovation effort since the turn of the century, and are lagging well behind other industrial countries in putting new technology to work in the real economy. See: AI Will Transform 500 Million White-Collar Jobs In 5 Years; Silicon Valley Must Help While there is no evidence that the quantity of jobs in Canada has been undermined by new technology, there are many signs that the composition and quality of work has shifted in negative ways. “The failure of employers to implement new technologies is causing an over-reliance on low-quality work, holding back our productivity and incomes, and squandering the potential for safer jobs ...
Read More
Scott Galloway | May 24, 2022 By far, Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world 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 ...
Read More
Guest Post | May 24, 2022 Introduction We know for a fact that digitalization has taken over the world. As a result, digital payment usage is booming like never before. These days, there are plenty of payment options available. Whether it be getting salaries, purchasing something, or ordering food, most of the population is interested in digital payment, thanks to the seamless deposits and withdrawals. With this growth and flexibility in payment methods, businesses need to keep up with the trend and expand their payment options. Otherwise, they might lose a large demographic for insufficient payment facilities and eventually face devastating business loss. How Multiple Payment Options Generate More Revenue? With huge diversity among customers, payment preference is bound to vary. Therefore, multiple payment methods in e-commerce can lead to an increase in revenue. Lack of options in payment can cost you losing potential customers. On average, 70% of customers abandon their cart on e-commerce sites. Among them, 8% do so due to the lack of payment options, and the percentage is 42% in the US. This percentage can be crucial for many businesses. Building trust with the customers and providing them with what they want is essential to achieving ...
Read More
Project Syndicate | Kishore Mahbubani , Tony Chan | May 20, 2022 The increasingly bitter rivalry between the United States and China ultimately will leave both countries – and the world – worse off. While competition is unavoidable and even beneficial in some areas, comprehensive efforts to derail each other’s progress stand little chance of success, and will likely backfire. SINGAPORE/LOS ANGELES – The Sino-American geopolitical rivalry is growing increasingly bitter, with Russia’s war in Ukraine only the latest source of schism. The mutual antagonism is deepening, with little effort on either side to stem the deterioration in the bilateral relationship. It doesn’t have to be this way. To maintain global peace, and to address humanity’s urgent collective challenges, the United States and China need to find discrete areas where they can pursue cooperation and reverse the rot in their relationship. Science and technology – particularly as they relate to climate change – offer the best prospects for renewed cooperation. To take advantage of such opportunities, however, both sides will first need to reassess fundamental assumptions and lower the temperature of their rhetoric. See: Is productivity, wealth creation and competition at the forefront of Canada’s growth agenda? On the American side, ...
Read More
Crowdfund Insider | David R. Burton | May 16, 2022 Passed with large bipartisan majorities and signed into law by President Obama, the 2012 JOBS Act was a bipartisan achievement of consequence. The JOBS Act substantially improved the laws governing entrepreneurial capital formation and has had a measurable positive impact on entrepreneurial capital formation. On the 10th anniversary of the JOBS Act, Senate Banking Committee Republicans under Sen. Toomey’s leadership, have released a discussion draft of new legislation, called JOBS Act 4.0, that would considerably improve the regulatory environment for entrepreneurs seeking to raise capital. In all, it contains 29 discrete pieces of legislation, many of which have also been introduced as stand-alone legislation. The package, considered as a whole, can be expected to have a very positive impact comparable to that of the original JOBS Act. These bills were discussed at an April 5th Senate Banking Committee hearing at which the author testified. Sen. Toomey is seeking public comments on how the draft legislation may be improved by June 3, 2020. Comments may be provided by email to submissions@banking.senate.gov. See: Fintech Fridays EP57: 10 Years of Investment Crowdfunding: Past, Present & Future Since the JOBS Act The discussion draft ...
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UK Law Society Gazette | Jonathan Goldsmith | May 16, 2022 Warren Buffett famously said: ‘Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked.’ The withdrawal of nearly all Western support for Russia and Russian money has been one of history’s tide-turning moments, and among those found to be swimming naked have been solicitors. We have been hammered for our servicing of oligarchs whose money was obtained by theft, violence, corruption and other crimes. It is not good enough for us to say that others were at it, too – and that our very own government was knee-deep in the mire. We are solicitors with important values, and should examine ourselves closely in the aftermath. Having said that, which I believe needs to be said before I turn to others who bear responsibility, I consider that many governments, and intergovernmental organisations like the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD), need to consider their own failings, too. See: Opinion: Rising cost of compliance may lead to consolidation I want to focus here on the elaborate structure which they foisted on us to stop the servicing of corrupt money – the anti-money laundering laws proliferating around the ...
Read More
FP | Stephanie Hughes | May 17, 2022 Swedish fintech leader Klarna Bank is planning to establish a product development and tech hub in Toronto as it looks to grow its “buy now, pay later” model in the increasingly competitive North American market. BNPL is already starting to take off in Canada and BNPL payments are projected to grow 63.5 per cent and reach $5.9 billion in 2022 (Source: Research and Markets). Now, with more than 400,000 merchants on board and US$1.6 billion in net operating income, founder and chief executive officer Sebastian Siemiatkowski is looking to catch a ride on Toronto’s thriving tech scene and take advantage of the country’s shift into open banking. See: Welcome to the third largest tech-hub in North America Why Canada? Klarna initially set its sights on Canada in February, when it brought its “Pay in 4” (split payment) service to Canada in February and partnered with retailers such as Harry Rosen, Mejuri and Frank And Oak as well as hundreds of others. Building a tech hub with up to 500 people would give the company a startup feel as well as a foothold in the North American market. Being part of an ecosystem ...
Read More
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Read More
Afrotech | Josh Rodgers | May 16, 2022 Elon Musk and the acquisition of social media giant, Twitter, have caught the attention of many high-profile individuals. Whether it’s celebrities denouncing their association with the app because they disagree with him or A-listers trying to gain a piece of the pie, there is no shortage of interest around the estimated multi-billion-dollar deal. AfroTech previously reported that Meek Mill tweeted his desire to purchase shares of Twitter after the billionaire bought it. Now, LA rap legend Snoop Dogg has entered the chat, and he doesn’t just want to buy a part of it — he wants the entire thing. In a tweet from May 13, Snoop Dogg wrote, “May have 2 buy Twitter now.” See: Snoop Dogg Reveals He’s An NFT Whale While it’s unclear whether the California rapper was serious or not, he did follow up his original tweet with some detailed plans if he were to go through with purchasing the social media platform. From changing up the board of directors to giving everyone a verified blue checkmark, Snoop’s hypothetical purchase comes with some big shake-ups. He even started the hashtag #WhenSnoopBuysTwitter to chronicle his list of ideas. With all ...
Read More
eMarketer | Adriana Nunez | May 18, 2022 Mastercard’s new Biometric Checkout Program brings facial and fingerprint recognition technology to the point-of-sale (POS). By linking consumers’ biometrics with their payment cards Mastercard can grow card volume even if a physical card isn’t present during the transaction. The program lets consumers link their facial and fingerprint biometrics to a payment card. Once enrolled in the system, customers can check out with their face or fingerprint, no cards or mobile phones necessary. Mastercard is working with several biometric and tech firms, including Payface and Fujitsu, to roll out the program. It kicked off a pilot in Brazil, where it is trialing the tech with Payface across five St Marche supermarket locations. Mastercard plans to launch similar pilots in the Middle East and Asia. See: How to protect your digital identity? Contactless payments have become more popular during the pandemic, as consumers opt for more touchless checkout experiences. The number of global proximity mobile payment users is expected to hit 1.345 billion in 2022, up from 1.182 billion in 2020, per Insider Intelligence forecasts. QR code-based transactions and tap-and-pay cards are also fueling contactless payment growth. And growing fraud threats have made payment ...
Read More
Centre for Future Work | Jim Stanford | May 24, 2022 There is little evidence that robots and other advanced technologies are displacing workers and causing technological unemployment in Canada. To the contrary, Canada’s adoption of new technology has surprisingly slowed down in recent years. That is the conclusion of a major new report on innovation and automation in Canada’s economy, from the Centre for Future Work. The report, titled Where are the Robots?, reviews nine empirical indicators of Canadian innovation, technology adoption, and robotization. They paint a worrisome picture that Canadian businesses have dramatically reduced their innovation effort since the turn of the century, and are lagging well behind other industrial countries in putting new technology to work in the real economy. See: AI Will Transform 500 Million White-Collar Jobs In 5 Years; Silicon Valley Must Help While there is no evidence that the quantity of jobs in Canada has been undermined by new technology, there are many signs that the composition and quality of work has shifted in negative ways. “The failure of employers to implement new technologies is causing an over-reliance on low-quality work, holding back our productivity and incomes, and squandering the potential for safer jobs ...
Read More
Read More
Scott Galloway | May 24, 2022 By far, Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world 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 ...
Read More
Read More
Guest Post | May 24, 2022 Introduction We know for a fact that digitalization has taken over the world. As a result, digital payment usage is booming like never before. These days, there are plenty of payment options available. Whether it be getting salaries, purchasing something, or ordering food, most of the population is interested in digital payment, thanks to the seamless deposits and withdrawals. With this growth and flexibility in payment methods, businesses need to keep up with the trend and expand their payment options. Otherwise, they might lose a large demographic for insufficient payment facilities and eventually face devastating business loss. How Multiple Payment Options Generate More Revenue? With huge diversity among customers, payment preference is bound to vary. Therefore, multiple payment methods in e-commerce can lead to an increase in revenue. Lack of options in payment can cost you losing potential customers. On average, 70% of customers abandon their cart on e-commerce sites. Among them, 8% do so due to the lack of payment options, and the percentage is 42% in the US. This percentage can be crucial for many businesses. Building trust with the customers and providing them with what they want is essential to achieving ...
Read More
Read More
Project Syndicate | Kishore Mahbubani , Tony Chan | May 20, 2022 The increasingly bitter rivalry between the United States and China ultimately will leave both countries – and the world – worse off. While competition is unavoidable and even beneficial in some areas, comprehensive efforts to derail each other’s progress stand little chance of success, and will likely backfire. SINGAPORE/LOS ANGELES – The Sino-American geopolitical rivalry is growing increasingly bitter, with Russia’s war in Ukraine only the latest source of schism. The mutual antagonism is deepening, with little effort on either side to stem the deterioration in the bilateral relationship. It doesn’t have to be this way. To maintain global peace, and to address humanity’s urgent collective challenges, the United States and China need to find discrete areas where they can pursue cooperation and reverse the rot in their relationship. Science and technology – particularly as they relate to climate change – offer the best prospects for renewed cooperation. To take advantage of such opportunities, however, both sides will first need to reassess fundamental assumptions and lower the temperature of their rhetoric. See: Is productivity, wealth creation and competition at the forefront of Canada’s growth agenda? On the American side, ...
Read More
Read More
Crowdfund Insider | David R. Burton | May 16, 2022 Passed with large bipartisan majorities and signed into law by President Obama, the 2012 JOBS Act was a bipartisan achievement of consequence. The JOBS Act substantially improved the laws governing entrepreneurial capital formation and has had a measurable positive impact on entrepreneurial capital formation. On the 10th anniversary of the JOBS Act, Senate Banking Committee Republicans under Sen. Toomey’s leadership, have released a discussion draft of new legislation, called JOBS Act 4.0, that would considerably improve the regulatory environment for entrepreneurs seeking to raise capital. In all, it contains 29 discrete pieces of legislation, many of which have also been introduced as stand-alone legislation. The package, considered as a whole, can be expected to have a very positive impact comparable to that of the original JOBS Act. These bills were discussed at an April 5th Senate Banking Committee hearing at which the author testified. Sen. Toomey is seeking public comments on how the draft legislation may be improved by June 3, 2020. Comments may be provided by email to submissions@banking.senate.gov. See: Fintech Fridays EP57: 10 Years of Investment Crowdfunding: Past, Present & Future Since the JOBS Act The discussion draft ...
Read More
Read More
UK Law Society Gazette | Jonathan Goldsmith | May 16, 2022 Warren Buffett famously said: ‘Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked.’ The withdrawal of nearly all Western support for Russia and Russian money has been one of history’s tide-turning moments, and among those found to be swimming naked have been solicitors. We have been hammered for our servicing of oligarchs whose money was obtained by theft, violence, corruption and other crimes. It is not good enough for us to say that others were at it, too – and that our very own government was knee-deep in the mire. We are solicitors with important values, and should examine ourselves closely in the aftermath. Having said that, which I believe needs to be said before I turn to others who bear responsibility, I consider that many governments, and intergovernmental organisations like the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD), need to consider their own failings, too. See: Opinion: Rising cost of compliance may lead to consolidation I want to focus here on the elaborate structure which they foisted on us to stop the servicing of corrupt money – the anti-money laundering laws proliferating around the ...
Read More
Read More
FP | Stephanie Hughes | May 17, 2022 Swedish fintech leader Klarna Bank is planning to establish a product development and tech hub in Toronto as it looks to grow its “buy now, pay later” model in the increasingly competitive North American market. BNPL is already starting to take off in Canada and BNPL payments are projected to grow 63.5 per cent and reach $5.9 billion in 2022 (Source: Research and Markets). Now, with more than 400,000 merchants on board and US$1.6 billion in net operating income, founder and chief executive officer Sebastian Siemiatkowski is looking to catch a ride on Toronto’s thriving tech scene and take advantage of the country’s shift into open banking. See: Welcome to the third largest tech-hub in North America Why Canada? Klarna initially set its sights on Canada in February, when it brought its “Pay in 4” (split payment) service to Canada in February and partnered with retailers such as Harry Rosen, Mejuri and Frank And Oak as well as hundreds of others. Building a tech hub with up to 500 people would give the company a startup feel as well as a foothold in the North American market. Being part of an ecosystem ...
Read More
Read More
Institute of Corporate Directors | Chami Akmeemana | Mar 14, 2022 Source: Convergence.Tech New era, new capabilities Modern, digital organizations are adopting new approaches to establish the capabilities needed to solve their most significant problems. They are using the power of these maturing emerging technologies coupled with advanced process engineering to design solutions with people at the centre, using anthropological techniques, such as behavioural science and human-centred design. See: Arca Report: DAOs – Institutional Guide to Decentralized Governance We have defined 10 key capabilities that are essential for modern, digital organizations. Credential-based Digital Identity – the evolution of traditional centralized identity solutions, such as Identity Access Management (IAM), to enable a more decentralized, self-sovereign identity (SSI)-based solution. This is the new entry point for organizations that are increasingly aware of the risks and obligations of safeguarding personal information. It is also important for participation in the open ecosystems, marketplaces and platforms that make up web 3.0 and government identity frameworks that aim to empower their citizens with portable identities. Decentralized & Open Systems – as the world moves toward more open, transparent platforms, organizations will shift from closed, linear relationships to being a part of a broader ecosystem. To do ...
Read More
Read More
Afrotech | Josh Rodgers | May 16, 2022 Elon Musk and the acquisition of social media giant, Twitter, have caught the attention of many high-profile individuals. Whether it’s celebrities denouncing their association with the app because they disagree with him or A-listers trying to gain a piece of the pie, there is no shortage of interest around the estimated multi-billion-dollar deal. AfroTech previously reported that Meek Mill tweeted his desire to purchase shares of Twitter after the billionaire bought it. Now, LA rap legend Snoop Dogg has entered the chat, and he doesn’t just want to buy a part of it — he wants the entire thing. In a tweet from May 13, Snoop Dogg wrote, “May have 2 buy Twitter now.” See: Snoop Dogg Reveals He’s An NFT Whale While it’s unclear whether the California rapper was serious or not, he did follow up his original tweet with some detailed plans if he were to go through with purchasing the social media platform. From changing up the board of directors to giving everyone a verified blue checkmark, Snoop’s hypothetical purchase comes with some big shake-ups. He even started the hashtag #WhenSnoopBuysTwitter to chronicle his list of ideas. With all ...
Read More
Read More
eMarketer | Adriana Nunez | May 18, 2022 Mastercard’s new Biometric Checkout Program brings facial and fingerprint recognition technology to the point-of-sale (POS). By linking consumers’ biometrics with their payment cards Mastercard can grow card volume even if a physical card isn’t present during the transaction. The program lets consumers link their facial and fingerprint biometrics to a payment card. Once enrolled in the system, customers can check out with their face or fingerprint, no cards or mobile phones necessary. Mastercard is working with several biometric and tech firms, including Payface and Fujitsu, to roll out the program. It kicked off a pilot in Brazil, where it is trialing the tech with Payface across five St Marche supermarket locations. Mastercard plans to launch similar pilots in the Middle East and Asia. See: How to protect your digital identity? Contactless payments have become more popular during the pandemic, as consumers opt for more touchless checkout experiences. The number of global proximity mobile payment users is expected to hit 1.345 billion in 2022, up from 1.182 billion in 2020, per Insider Intelligence forecasts. QR code-based transactions and tap-and-pay cards are also fueling contactless payment growth. And growing fraud threats have made payment ...
Read More
Read More
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