Sue Britton, Advisor, Corporate Innovation & Partnerships
September 26th, 2018
Sue Britton is CEO & Founder of FGS (FinTech Growth Syndicate) – Canada’s leading FinTech innova[...]
When the Tide Goes Out: Big Questions for Crypto in 2019
Coindesk | Gary Gensler | Dec 17, 2018
Gary Gensler is a former chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under President Barack Obama, a Senior advisor to the MIT Media Lab Digital Currency Initiative and Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he currently teaches several classes on blockchain technology and crypto finance.
After this year’s wild market ride and so many failed projects, what might Satoshi Nakamoto’s innovative “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System” mean for money and finance in 2019 and beyond?
Satoshi’s innovation – the use of append-only timestamped logs, secured by cryptography, amongst multiple parties, forming consensus on a shared ledger – needs to be taken seriously. The resulting blockchains of data can form widely verifiable peer-to-peer databases.
For any chance of a lasting role in the long evolution of money, though, blockchain applications and crypto assets have to deliver real economic results for users. And while bringing the crypto finance markets within public policy norms is critical, the greatest challenge remains the seriousness of commercial use cases.
A bunch of hype masquerading as fact won’t do it.
What We’ve Learned
Blockchain technology and crypto tokens provide an alternative means to move value on the Internet without relying upon a central intermediary. They promise the potential to lower verification and networking costs, ranging from censorship, privacy, reconciliation and settlement costs to the costs of jump starting and maintaining a network.
These features tie blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies directly to the essential plumbing of the financial sector, which at its core has the role of efficiently moving, allocating and pricing money and risk within an economy. It could lower costs, risks and economic rents in the financial system, which represents 7.5 percent of U.S. GDP.
See: Experts predict the five big fintech trends of 2019
To do so, though, blockchain technology must address its many technical and commercial challenges – scalability, efficiency, privacy, security, interoperability and governance. Industry reforms and regulations also must bring order to the markets surrounding this technology, especially for crypto exchanges and initial coin offerings.
In the meantime, the financial sector is mainly exploring private blockchain applications – without native tokens – built on software such as Hyperledger Fabric, R3 Corda or Quorum.
Any use case’s value proposition needs to be rigorously compared with simply using a traditional data base. In particular, any token offering must address how it will sustainably lower verification or networking costs – how such crypto asset benefits users more than simply using broadly accepted fiat currencies. While money is but a social construct, its history tells us that there are overwhelming network benefits when a currency is widely used and accepted for all three roles of money – as a unit of account, medium of exchange and store of value.
In essence, how might any blockchain technology project or any initial coin offering’s (‘ICO’) proposed token be more than simply a means to raise cheap money from the public? In 2019 and beyond, venture capitalists, large incumbents and crypto investors will likely be more discerning and rigorous in their investments and projects.
Public Policy Frameworks
The crypto finance markets can only gain public confidence and reach their potential by coming within long-established public policy frameworks. As with any other technology, we must guard against illicit activities, such as tax evasion, money laundering, terrorist financing and avoiding sanctions.
We must promote fair and open competition while ensuring for financial stability. We must protect investors and consumers.
While criminals have often exploited the existing financial system for money laundering, cryptocurrencies have given bad actors new ways to conduct old crimes. Dark markets conduct sales of illegal drugs and other contraband using cryptocurrencies. State actors, such as Venezuela, Russia, and Iran have used crypto finance to undermine U.S. policies. Additionally, cryptocurrencies add new challenges to global tax compliance.
What investor protection does exist in crypto markets seems little more than an effort to stay ahead of law enforcement’s and regulators’ attention.
Crypto Exchanges
Most crypto exchanges are unregistered. Manipulative behavior goes unchecked and billions of dollars in customers’ tokens have been stolen. Compared to traditional financial exchanges, they lack intermediation through regulated broker-dealers. Further, according to CryptoCompare’s October Exchange Review, only 47 percent of exchanges impose strict know-your-customer (‘KYC’) requirements.
See: Crypto Bear Market Gives UK Regulators Breathing Space to Finalize Crypto Regulation
Safeguards to date – treating crypto exchanges and digital wallet providers through money transmission laws in the same manner as Western Union or MoneyGram – are unsatisfactory.
Crypto exchanges are trading venues and need be treated as such, with mandated investor protections in place. Front running and other manipulative behavior needs to be banned. Exchanges need to fully comply with anti-money laundering laws and seriously fix or consider spinning off their custodial functions.
In 2019 and beyond, we will see multiple exchanges register in the U.S. – those trading ICO tokens will register as broker-dealers under Regulation ATS and Intercontinental Exchange’s new Bakkt exchangewill register and operate under the Commodities Exchange Act.
We’re also likely to see declining operating margins and consolidation in the more than 200 crypto exchanges.
Initial Coin Offerings
Of the thousands of ICOs to date, many have failed, and investors have lost billions. A recent EY studyreported that through the third quarter of 2018, 86 percent of the top ICOs of 2017 were trading below their listing price and only 13 percent actually have a working product.
Filecoin, for instance, raised over $250 million in October 2017 but is not due to go live until mid-2019. Academic and market studies also have found the ICO market rife with scams and frauds.
Debates have raged around the globe about how cryptocurrencies, and particularly ICOs, fit within existing securities, commodities and derivatives laws. Many contend that so-called ‘utility tokens’ sold for future consumption are not investment contracts – but this is a false distinction.
See: New eToro Survey Reveals Strong Interest in Cryptoasset Education, Despite Market Downturn
By their very design, ICOs mix economic attributes of both consumption and investment. ICO tokens’ realities – their risks, expectation of profits, reliance on the efforts of others, manner of marketing, exchange trading, limited supply, and capital formation — are attributes of investment offerings.
In the U.S., nearly all ICOs would meet the Supreme Court’s ‘Howey Test’ defining an investment contract under securities laws. As poet James Whitcomb Riley wrote over 100 years ago: “When I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck.”
In 2019, we’re likely to continue seeing high ICO failure rates while funding totals decline. Regulators and the courts will bring added clarity to the market through increased numbers of enforcement cases and related private litigation.
Central Banks
Central banks are studying blockchain technology and crypto markets with one eye on financial stability and another eye on what it means for the fiat currencies they issue and oversee.
Canada’s project Jasper and Singapore’s project Ubin are exploring use of permissioned blockchain applications to update payment systems.
See: IMF: Nations Need to Consider a Central Bank Backed Cryptocurrency
While the policy challenges are significant, some Central Banks also are considering giving the public access to central bank payment systems and digital reserves through so-called ‘central bank digital currency’ (CBDC). Two countries’ review – one strong and one in distress – are noteworthy. In Sweden, use of paper-based Krona has declined and the Riksbank, the world’s oldest central bank, is pursuing an e-Krona project to provide electronic central bank money directly to the public.
Venezuela, facing hyperinflation, economic instability, and sanctions is promoting public use of a purportedly oil-backed token, Petro, though there are reports that seriously question the token’s legitimacy.
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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STARTUP DEALS ARE GOING FAST (>85%)! |
Crowdfund Insider | By Bret Conkin | March 22, 2019 VoCare is raising capital for the launch of a new Medtech device, the Vitals360; a smartphone-sized diagnostic device for the Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Point-of-Care verticals. Current investors include AGS Capital and SAW Capital and tax credits are available to Indiana investors via the State of Indiana. The Vitals360 eliminates the need for extra peripherals, hubs, and tablets for managing cardiac care, diabetes and other chronic conditions and offers cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled real-time data transfer to provider, patient and family portals. The Vitals360 device measurements include: (1) Blood Glucose, (2) Blood Pressure, (3) Pulse, (4) Oximetry, (5) Temperature, and (6) Electrocardiography (ECG). When reviewing their options to raise capital, VoCare researched and consulted with a number of crowdfunding platforms. Their goal was a $2M capital raise via Reg D 506c for trials and sales and marketing so VoCare developed the PPM required for compliance. After several years in R&D for a “doctor’s office in your pocket” vitals device, the Vitals360 was moving through FDA approvals. VoCare’s goals also wanted to build a community and attract partners. See: Search Finally. Canadian Securities Administrators Announce Intent to Harmonize & ...
Read More
NCFA / Team FFCON19, March 19, 2019 FFCON19 FEARLESS to address the challenges and successes of entrepreneurs and innovators in the vanguard of transforming the financial industry TORONTO, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2019 / The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA), the non-profit cross-body organisation that promotes and supports fintech and funding throughout Canada, is proud to announce additions to the speaker line-up and programme for its flagship Fintech and Financing Conference - FFCON19: FEARLESS - taking place in Toronto April 3-4. Now in its 5th year, FFCON19 will bring together prominent industry experts, entrepreneurs, professionals, regulatory bodies and ecosystem stakeholders in fintech, blockchain, crypto, AI, capital markets innovation and alternative finance to discuss Canadian fintech and its ability to innovate and globally compete, the latest industry developments, emerging regulation, trends and thought leadership in a fearless framework and forum. The two-day event will feature inspiring keynote addresses and panel discussions with industry leaders, pitching competitions, awards, and prime networking opportunities. Prominent speakers include The Honorable Bill Walker, Minister of Consumer and Government Services, Ontario, and steward of the Province's new Data policy; and Teri Kirk, Founder & CEO of Fundingportal who will discuss Open Data vs. Proprietary ...
Read More
Bloomberg | By Doug Alexande and Matt Robinson | March 19, 2019 His crimes: identity theft related to a bank-and-credit card scam. His sentence: 18 months in U.S. federal prison and, later, deportation to Canada. Once there, Omar Dhanani underwent a remarkable transformation -- into a new identity and the wild world of cryptocurrencies. Dhanani, now known as Michael Patryn, has emerged as an enigmatic figure in the strange case of Quadriga Fintech Solutions Corp., the digital exchange owner that hasn’t been able to find C$260 million ($195 million) of clients’ cash and cryptocurrencies. Patryn co-founded Quadriga five years ago with the late Gerry Cotten, whose sudden death in December at age 30 left the Vancouver-based firm in shambles. Patryn denied he was Dhanani in a Feb. 8 report in Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper and disputed a subsequent report linking him to a criminal past. But Canadian records obtained by Bloomberg News confirm he legally changed his name -- twice: in 2003 and in 2008. The revelation adds a new layer to the mystery surrounding Quadriga, whose closure in January left 115,000 clients wondering if they’ll ever get their money back. Cotten ran the operation mostly from his laptop, so ...
Read More
Ryan Aceman, special to BNN Bloomberg | March 15, 2019 #FFCON19 is set to showcase the importance of being fearless to succeed in Fintech 12 cutting-edge companies will compete in a ground-breaking pitch competition Key emerging trends from tech and investment realms will be highlighted Where finance and technology meet, lies one of the most fascinating sectors of the modern world. From its inception, the financial technology (Fintech) space has been built on inventive thinking and unconventional concepts. This crucial intersection has the power to transform global banking, investing, and many other sectors that people and businesses interact with on a daily basis. "The Canadian Fintech industry is leading the way in revolutionizing financial services and events such as FFCON19 to help create a strong ecosystem that cultivates innovation and growth. Excited to be a part of it!" — Dr. Dan Rosen, CEO of d1g1t.com From April 3rd–4th in Toronto, Ontario, FFCON2019: Fearless will aim to embody this innovative essence, hosting a variety of influential thought leaders, industry experts, and 750 attendees. The event will function as a comprehensive and daring expo showcasing innovators and disrupters that are having significant impacts within Fintech. Attendees will learn vital content delivered from ...
Read More
Chainbits | Nathan Rodriguez | March 14, 2019 After the ongoing saga of Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX’s downfall, another Canadian cryptocurrency company is now coming under scrutiny. Canada Bitcoin Exchange Inc. is now being investigated as a possible scam. Warning Against Canada Bitcoin Exchange The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC), a Canadian financial regulator, has issued a warning against Canada Bitcoin Exchange. The watchdog stated that the company was offering overly attractive BTC (Bitcoin) investment plans to its customers. Canada Bitcoin Exchange was offering 4 different BTC investment plans on its website. Each of the programs asked users to invest a certain amount of capital for a period of 24 to 48 hours. In return, the company offered returns that started at 3.586% and went as high as 7.985%. The website stated that Canada Bitcoin Exchange would reinvest customers’ BTC in other stocks as well as cryptocurrencies. The company claimed to have a team of professional market analysts in place who knew how to find hot stocks. The company also stated that this project was run by the Canada Bitcoin Exchange Group. Signs of a Scam Upon investigating the company, the BCSC found that Canada Bitcoin Exchange was an ...
Read More
Dr Dan Rosen is a FinTech Entrepreneur and Quant. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of d1g1t Inc., a new digital wealth management platform, powered by analytics, that offers advanced transparent portfolio management services to advisors and their individual investors. He is an Adjunct Professor of Mathematical Finance at the University of Toronto and was the first Director of the Centre for Financial Industries at the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences. Dr Rosen was the co-founder and CEO R2 Financial Technologies, acquired by S&P Capital IQ in 2012, and where he was Managing Director for Risk and Analytics until 2015. Prior to starting R2 in 2006, Dr Rosen had a successful career over a decade at Algorithmics Inc., where he led financial engineering and research, strategy, products and marketing. In addition to working with numerous financial institutions around the world, he lectures extensively on financial engineering, portfolio management, enterprise risk and capital management, credit and market risk, valuation of derivatives and structured finance. He has authored numerous risk management and financial engineering publications, including two books, and several patents, and serves in the editorial board of various industrial and academic journals. Dr Rosen was inducted in 2010 ...
Read More
NCFA | FFCON19 Team | March 14, 2019 Want some credit for being in Fintech? Things are tough out there for some parts of Fintech. If you are part of the ICO, blockchain economy for example, they tell you it’s winter. Those bear markets are tough. It’s like Rodney Dangerfield used to say: No respect. You just wish you could get some credit for your hard work and your groundbreaking innovation... I’ve got some good news for you. FFCON19: FEARLESS has partnered with a company that wants to give you the credit you deserve. Well, $10 bucks worth on your next ride with our friends at Lyft. (No taxi for you!) But only if you register and join us on April 3-4 in downtown Toronto. FFCON19 is a fintech focused conference and expo with several special guests, an amazing lineup of speakers, many well known investors and investment opportunities galore through a pitching competition. And guess what? You can still get a discounted ticket. But you only have 2, that’s right, TWO days left. This deal disappears on March 15, 2019. So if you would like Lyft to give you a little fintech credit while networking, pitching, speaking, connecting and ...
Read More
CSA | March 14, 2019 Toronto – The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) today published Joint Canadian Securities Administrators/Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada Consultation Paper 21-402 Proposed Framework for Crypto-Asset Trading Platforms. The consultation paper seeks input from the fintech community, market participants, investors and other stakeholders on how regulatory requirements may be tailored for crypto-asset trading platforms (platforms) operating in Canada. “This consultation outlines a proposed regulatory framework that provides clarity for platforms, greater market integrity and protection for investors,” said Louis Morisset, CSA Chair and President and CEO of the Autorité des marchés financiers. “Platforms have told us that a tailored regulatory framework is welcome as they seek to build consumer confidence and expand their businesses across Canada and globally.” “The emergence of digital and crypto assets continues to be a growing area of interest for regulators, investors and marketplaces – and, together, securities regulators are taking steps to deepen our understanding of this area,” added Andrew J. Kriegler, President and CEO, IIROC. “We must adapt to innovation, and provide clarity to the market about how regulatory requirements might best be tailored and applied to these unique business models, while ...
Read More
Polymath / KABN release | March 11, 2019 TORONTO & SAINT MICHAEL, Barbados & GIBRALTAR--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Polymath (www.polymath.network), the global leader in software solutions that enable assets to be digitized, distributed, fractionally owned, and ultimately liquidated, has formed a consortium in close collaboration with KABN (www.kabn.network), a global financial services platform that has developed, among its suite of products, a patent pending, blockchain based, GDPR compliant, Always On, global identification and accreditation as a support service for investors and other types of contributors. Polymath is leading the effort to make it easier for organizations to create digital securities from traditional assets through partnerships and a community that supports a transparent and compliant process for issuers and investors. Through its extensive service provider network with firms like KABN, Polymath provides security token issuers with access to top quality service providers. “Our solution supports the creation of digital securities from a wide range of traditional and non-traditional assets,” said Kevin North, CEO of Polymath. “The intention of this partnership is to create a best practice model for customers who need help with the full lifecycle of an STO (Security Token Offering). In this model, the issuer would work with an integrated network of ...
Read More
NCFA Canada | Burden Reduction Committee | March 1, 2019 Executive Summary In response to the Ontario Securities Commission’s (OSC’s) January 14, 2019 request for comments, this submission responds to the eight questions set out in the OSC’s Staff Notice 11-784. This submission draws heavily on, and also updates, the Association’s earlier submission to the OSC dated August 24, 2017 (see Appendix), which primarily focused on the crowdfunding requirements in Ontario. The National Crowdfunding and Fintech Association of Canada (the Association) represents over 2,000 fintech SMEs and individual members that support financial and capital market innovation, small businesses and technology. We are pleased that the Ontario government is undertaking this important regulatory burden reduction initiative to the benefit of all Ontarians. The Association has consulted a number of diverse crowdfunding and fintech stakeholders – including exempt market dealers, industry experts, securities lawyers, regulators and government agencies and is proposing several recommendations to reduce unjustifiable burdens placed on Ontario’s businesses. The Association recommends that the province undertake the following: The OSC conduct a review and publish a report evaluating the effectiveness of Ontario’s crowdfunding regulations (45-108) compared to other jurisdictions in Canada and international competitors such as the UK, US and ...
Read More
Crowdfund Insider | By Bret Conkin | March 22, 2019 VoCare is raising capital for the launch of a new Medtech device, the Vitals360; a smartphone-sized diagnostic device for the Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Point-of-Care verticals. Current investors include AGS Capital and SAW Capital and tax credits are available to Indiana investors via the State of Indiana. The Vitals360 eliminates the need for extra peripherals, hubs, and tablets for managing cardiac care, diabetes and other chronic conditions and offers cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled real-time data transfer to provider, patient and family portals. The Vitals360 device measurements include: (1) Blood Glucose, (2) Blood Pressure, (3) Pulse, (4) Oximetry, (5) Temperature, and (6) Electrocardiography (ECG). When reviewing their options to raise capital, VoCare researched and consulted with a number of crowdfunding platforms. Their goal was a $2M capital raise via Reg D 506c for trials and sales and marketing so VoCare developed the PPM required for compliance. After several years in R&D for a “doctor’s office in your pocket” vitals device, the Vitals360 was moving through FDA approvals. VoCare’s goals also wanted to build a community and attract partners. See: Search Finally. Canadian Securities Administrators Announce Intent to Harmonize & ...
Read More
Read More
NCFA / Team FFCON19, March 19, 2019 FFCON19 FEARLESS to address the challenges and successes of entrepreneurs and innovators in the vanguard of transforming the financial industry TORONTO, BC / ACCESSWIRE / March 19, 2019 / The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA), the non-profit cross-body organisation that promotes and supports fintech and funding throughout Canada, is proud to announce additions to the speaker line-up and programme for its flagship Fintech and Financing Conference - FFCON19: FEARLESS - taking place in Toronto April 3-4. Now in its 5th year, FFCON19 will bring together prominent industry experts, entrepreneurs, professionals, regulatory bodies and ecosystem stakeholders in fintech, blockchain, crypto, AI, capital markets innovation and alternative finance to discuss Canadian fintech and its ability to innovate and globally compete, the latest industry developments, emerging regulation, trends and thought leadership in a fearless framework and forum. The two-day event will feature inspiring keynote addresses and panel discussions with industry leaders, pitching competitions, awards, and prime networking opportunities. Prominent speakers include The Honorable Bill Walker, Minister of Consumer and Government Services, Ontario, and steward of the Province's new Data policy; and Teri Kirk, Founder & CEO of Fundingportal who will discuss Open Data vs. Proprietary ...
Read More
Read More
Bloomberg | By Doug Alexande and Matt Robinson | March 19, 2019 His crimes: identity theft related to a bank-and-credit card scam. His sentence: 18 months in U.S. federal prison and, later, deportation to Canada. Once there, Omar Dhanani underwent a remarkable transformation -- into a new identity and the wild world of cryptocurrencies. Dhanani, now known as Michael Patryn, has emerged as an enigmatic figure in the strange case of Quadriga Fintech Solutions Corp., the digital exchange owner that hasn’t been able to find C$260 million ($195 million) of clients’ cash and cryptocurrencies. Patryn co-founded Quadriga five years ago with the late Gerry Cotten, whose sudden death in December at age 30 left the Vancouver-based firm in shambles. Patryn denied he was Dhanani in a Feb. 8 report in Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper and disputed a subsequent report linking him to a criminal past. But Canadian records obtained by Bloomberg News confirm he legally changed his name -- twice: in 2003 and in 2008. The revelation adds a new layer to the mystery surrounding Quadriga, whose closure in January left 115,000 clients wondering if they’ll ever get their money back. Cotten ran the operation mostly from his laptop, so ...
Read More
Read More
Ryan Aceman, special to BNN Bloomberg | March 15, 2019 #FFCON19 is set to showcase the importance of being fearless to succeed in Fintech 12 cutting-edge companies will compete in a ground-breaking pitch competition Key emerging trends from tech and investment realms will be highlighted Where finance and technology meet, lies one of the most fascinating sectors of the modern world. From its inception, the financial technology (Fintech) space has been built on inventive thinking and unconventional concepts. This crucial intersection has the power to transform global banking, investing, and many other sectors that people and businesses interact with on a daily basis. "The Canadian Fintech industry is leading the way in revolutionizing financial services and events such as FFCON19 to help create a strong ecosystem that cultivates innovation and growth. Excited to be a part of it!" — Dr. Dan Rosen, CEO of d1g1t.com From April 3rd–4th in Toronto, Ontario, FFCON2019: Fearless will aim to embody this innovative essence, hosting a variety of influential thought leaders, industry experts, and 750 attendees. The event will function as a comprehensive and daring expo showcasing innovators and disrupters that are having significant impacts within Fintech. Attendees will learn vital content delivered from ...
Read More
Read More
Chainbits | Nathan Rodriguez | March 14, 2019 After the ongoing saga of Canada’s largest cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX’s downfall, another Canadian cryptocurrency company is now coming under scrutiny. Canada Bitcoin Exchange Inc. is now being investigated as a possible scam. Warning Against Canada Bitcoin Exchange The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC), a Canadian financial regulator, has issued a warning against Canada Bitcoin Exchange. The watchdog stated that the company was offering overly attractive BTC (Bitcoin) investment plans to its customers. Canada Bitcoin Exchange was offering 4 different BTC investment plans on its website. Each of the programs asked users to invest a certain amount of capital for a period of 24 to 48 hours. In return, the company offered returns that started at 3.586% and went as high as 7.985%. The website stated that Canada Bitcoin Exchange would reinvest customers’ BTC in other stocks as well as cryptocurrencies. The company claimed to have a team of professional market analysts in place who knew how to find hot stocks. The company also stated that this project was run by the Canada Bitcoin Exchange Group. Signs of a Scam Upon investigating the company, the BCSC found that Canada Bitcoin Exchange was an ...
Read More
Read More
Dr Dan Rosen is a FinTech Entrepreneur and Quant. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer of d1g1t Inc., a new digital wealth management platform, powered by analytics, that offers advanced transparent portfolio management services to advisors and their individual investors. He is an Adjunct Professor of Mathematical Finance at the University of Toronto and was the first Director of the Centre for Financial Industries at the Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences. Dr Rosen was the co-founder and CEO R2 Financial Technologies, acquired by S&P Capital IQ in 2012, and where he was Managing Director for Risk and Analytics until 2015. Prior to starting R2 in 2006, Dr Rosen had a successful career over a decade at Algorithmics Inc., where he led financial engineering and research, strategy, products and marketing. In addition to working with numerous financial institutions around the world, he lectures extensively on financial engineering, portfolio management, enterprise risk and capital management, credit and market risk, valuation of derivatives and structured finance. He has authored numerous risk management and financial engineering publications, including two books, and several patents, and serves in the editorial board of various industrial and academic journals. Dr Rosen was inducted in 2010 ...
Read More
Read More
NCFA | FFCON19 Team | March 14, 2019 Want some credit for being in Fintech? Things are tough out there for some parts of Fintech. If you are part of the ICO, blockchain economy for example, they tell you it’s winter. Those bear markets are tough. It’s like Rodney Dangerfield used to say: No respect. You just wish you could get some credit for your hard work and your groundbreaking innovation... I’ve got some good news for you. FFCON19: FEARLESS has partnered with a company that wants to give you the credit you deserve. Well, $10 bucks worth on your next ride with our friends at Lyft. (No taxi for you!) But only if you register and join us on April 3-4 in downtown Toronto. FFCON19 is a fintech focused conference and expo with several special guests, an amazing lineup of speakers, many well known investors and investment opportunities galore through a pitching competition. And guess what? You can still get a discounted ticket. But you only have 2, that’s right, TWO days left. This deal disappears on March 15, 2019. So if you would like Lyft to give you a little fintech credit while networking, pitching, speaking, connecting and ...
Read More
Read More
CSA | March 14, 2019 Toronto – The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) today published Joint Canadian Securities Administrators/Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada Consultation Paper 21-402 Proposed Framework for Crypto-Asset Trading Platforms. The consultation paper seeks input from the fintech community, market participants, investors and other stakeholders on how regulatory requirements may be tailored for crypto-asset trading platforms (platforms) operating in Canada. “This consultation outlines a proposed regulatory framework that provides clarity for platforms, greater market integrity and protection for investors,” said Louis Morisset, CSA Chair and President and CEO of the Autorité des marchés financiers. “Platforms have told us that a tailored regulatory framework is welcome as they seek to build consumer confidence and expand their businesses across Canada and globally.” “The emergence of digital and crypto assets continues to be a growing area of interest for regulators, investors and marketplaces – and, together, securities regulators are taking steps to deepen our understanding of this area,” added Andrew J. Kriegler, President and CEO, IIROC. “We must adapt to innovation, and provide clarity to the market about how regulatory requirements might best be tailored and applied to these unique business models, while ...
Read More
Read More
Polymath / KABN release | March 11, 2019 TORONTO & SAINT MICHAEL, Barbados & GIBRALTAR--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Polymath (www.polymath.network), the global leader in software solutions that enable assets to be digitized, distributed, fractionally owned, and ultimately liquidated, has formed a consortium in close collaboration with KABN (www.kabn.network), a global financial services platform that has developed, among its suite of products, a patent pending, blockchain based, GDPR compliant, Always On, global identification and accreditation as a support service for investors and other types of contributors. Polymath is leading the effort to make it easier for organizations to create digital securities from traditional assets through partnerships and a community that supports a transparent and compliant process for issuers and investors. Through its extensive service provider network with firms like KABN, Polymath provides security token issuers with access to top quality service providers. “Our solution supports the creation of digital securities from a wide range of traditional and non-traditional assets,” said Kevin North, CEO of Polymath. “The intention of this partnership is to create a best practice model for customers who need help with the full lifecycle of an STO (Security Token Offering). In this model, the issuer would work with an integrated network of ...
Read More
Read More
NCFA Canada | Burden Reduction Committee | March 1, 2019 Executive Summary In response to the Ontario Securities Commission’s (OSC’s) January 14, 2019 request for comments, this submission responds to the eight questions set out in the OSC’s Staff Notice 11-784. This submission draws heavily on, and also updates, the Association’s earlier submission to the OSC dated August 24, 2017 (see Appendix), which primarily focused on the crowdfunding requirements in Ontario. The National Crowdfunding and Fintech Association of Canada (the Association) represents over 2,000 fintech SMEs and individual members that support financial and capital market innovation, small businesses and technology. We are pleased that the Ontario government is undertaking this important regulatory burden reduction initiative to the benefit of all Ontarians. The Association has consulted a number of diverse crowdfunding and fintech stakeholders – including exempt market dealers, industry experts, securities lawyers, regulators and government agencies and is proposing several recommendations to reduce unjustifiable burdens placed on Ontario’s businesses. The Association recommends that the province undertake the following: The OSC conduct a review and publish a report evaluating the effectiveness of Ontario’s crowdfunding regulations (45-108) compared to other jurisdictions in Canada and international competitors such as the UK, US and ...
Read More
Read More
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