Popular, Crowdfunding

Investigations update: Hong Kong authorities ramp up enforcement in virtual assets and other sectors

A&O Shearman on 1/11/2024

Hong Kong has seen cryptocurrencies grow in popularity, highlighting the need for appropriate licensing regimes (implemented in the form of virtual asset service providers (VASPs)), bolstered by active enforcement actions. ...more

Agencies Issue Joint Proposal to Strengthen and Modernize CRA Regulations

Goodwin on 5/16/2022

Regulatory Developments - Agencies Issue Joint Proposal to Strengthen and Modernize CRA Regs - On May 5, the FDIC, the FRB and the OCC issued a joint Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) to “strengthen and modernize” the...more

28 AGs Call on GoFundMe for Changes in Terms of Service

Cozen O'Connor on 4/22/2022

New Mexico AG Hector Balderas, Mississippi AG Lynn Fitch, and Louisiana AG Jeff Landry led a coalition of 28 AGs that sent a letter calling on the online crowdfunding platform GoFundMe to make improvements in the clarity and...more

Following the Money: Emergencies Act Invoked to Expand Anti-Money Laundering Rules

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP on 2/18/2022

The Canadian federal government announced this week that it was invoking the never-before-used Emergencies Act1 in response to ongoing blockades and occupations arising out of the self-titled “Freedom Convoy” protests. As...more

NFTs—The Next Crowdfunding?

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck on 1/21/2022

NFTs are one of the hottest new technology trends of this year. An NFT—or Non-Fungible Token—is a digital certificate, typically encrypted and verifiable on the blockchain. Few have escaped the NFT headlines over the last few...more

Pros and Cons of Equity Crowdfunding for Real Estate Investments

Whitman Legal Solutions, LLC on 9/1/2021

Popular crowdfunding platforms, like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo operate backer-based platforms similar to noisenights. In backer-based crowdfunding, backers who contribute a minimum amount usually receive the product or...more

A Critical Look at Equity Crowdfunding

Foley & Lardner LLP on 5/24/2021

Traditionally, the world of startup investing was not for “main street”, and was the private preserve of venture capitalists, venture debt lenders, private equity and angel investors (accredited investors), high net worth...more

Securities Safety Check for New TV Series “Unicorn Hunters”

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on 5/10/2021

A new reality streaming television series called Unicorn Hunters debuted last week in which startups will pitch to a panel that includes Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and the panelists after some grilling of the...more

SEC Offers Limited Rule Relief to Spur Small Business Crowdfunding During Pandemic

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 5/18/2020

On May 4, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued a temporary final rule easing some restrictions on small businesses seeking to raise capital pursuant to Regulation Crowdfunding (“Reg CF”). The SEC made...more

EU Banking Authority reports on FinTech banking and payments licensing regimes across Europe

White & Case LLP on 7/25/2019

On 18 July 2019 the European Banking Authority (EBA) published a report on the EU regulatory perimeter, national regulatory status and EU national regulators' (NCAs') authorisation approaches for FinTech firms conducting...more

ESMA reports on FinTech firm licensing regimes across Europe

White & Case LLP on 7/17/2019

On 12 July 2019 the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) reported on the status of FinTech firm licensing regimes across the EU, based on two ESMA surveys of EU national competent authorities (NCAs). ESMA's report...more

UK Regulator Publishes Policy Statement on Peer-To-Peer and Investment-Based Crowdfunding Platforms

A&O Shearman on 6/17/2019

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has published a Policy Statement containing its final changes to the rules and guidance governing loan-based crowdfunding platforms (or "peer-to-peer" platforms). The Policy Statement...more

In my Backyard: Real Estate Developers can Use Equity Crowdfunding both to Fund Projects and Convert Opposition

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on 1/28/2019

Real estate developers should seriously consider equity crowdfunding to fund development projects for two major reasons, one of which has little or nothing to do with money. ...more

New Rules on European Crowdfunding

Orrick - Finance 20/20 on 11/21/2018

European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (“ECON“) published a press release announcing that it has voted to adopt a draft report on the European Commission’s legislative proposal for a Regulation on...more

Key Regulatory Topics: Weekly Update 10 August 2018 – 16 August 2018

A&O Shearman on 8/30/2018

BREXIT - Please see the ‘Other Developments’ section for an update on the minutes of the meeting between the Governor of the BoE and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the June Financial Stability Report....more

Regulation on European Crowdfunding Service Providers Draft Published by ECON

Orrick - Finance 20/20 on 8/22/2018

On August 13, 2018, the European Parliament’s Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (“ECON“) published its draft report on the European Commission’s proposal for a Regulation on European crowdfunding service providers...more

Litigation News - June 2018

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC on 6/29/2018

Recent Supreme Court Decisions Strengthen Drivers’ Privacy Rights - The Fourth Amendment protects individuals from warrantless searches and seizures in areas where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. The United...more

Regulation Crowdfunding Surpasses $100 Million but Still Needs Reform

Farrell Fritz, P.C. on 2/20/2018

A recent report on the state of Regulation Crowdfunding published by a major crowdfunding advisory firm is cause for both celebration and renewed reform efforts. The $100 million aggregate funding milestone and the prorated...more

Investment Crowdfunding Exemptions: Understand What You Can and Cannot Do to Advertise Your Offering

Ward and Smith, P.A. on 12/21/2017

This article expands upon a recent overview of the securities law exemptions commonly used for investment crowdfunding campaigns. The six distinct exemptions or "paths" outlined below are the most commonly used by...more

Does the ICO Open a New Chapter for RE Crowdfunding?

Dechert LLP on 12/13/2017

Back in July of 2015, we blogged about “Current Marketplace Trends in Real Estate Crowdfunding”. How young and breathless we were, in hindsight, now that we’re tapped into the Next Big ICO thing. Yes, the “fintech” world...more

FAQ: What Businesses Need to Know About Investment Crowdfunding

Ward and Smith, P.A. on 11/9/2017

What is Crowdfunding? Crowdfunding is a marketing tool that businesses use to obtain capital from a large number of individuals, typically over the Internet....more

Initial Coin Offerings—A Singapore Perspective

Jones Day on 11/6/2017

As interest continues to grow in virtual currencies, blockchain technology and initial coin offerings, governments are evaluating the benefits and potential risks of these innovations, while considering numerous regulatory...more

SEC Focuses on Initial Coin Offerings: Tokens May Be Securities Under Federal Securities Laws

Dechert LLP on 9/13/2017

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently taken several actions to make clear that it is focused on and actively monitoring the rapidly growing market for so-called “token sales” or “initial coin...more

Blockchain Week in Review – August 2017 #6

Perkins Coie on 8/21/2017

Below is a summary of some of the significant legal and regulatory actions that occurred over the past week. This alert is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all such developments, but rather a selection of...more

The Guide to Social Media and the Securities Laws

Broker-Dealer Compliance + Regulation on 8/15/2017

The growing use of social media has created challenges for federal securities regulators, who must enforce antifraud rules that were written at a time when the prevailing technology was the newspaper. This Guide...more

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