Blockchain Startup Enigma Settles with SEC for Security Token Sale

Chalk one more up for initial coin offering (ICO) regulation. Enigma MPC, a blockchain startup, settled with the SEC for conducting an unregistered sale of securities. The San Francisco-based startup conducted an offering of its ENG tokens in 2017 and raised $45 million from investors. As part of the settlement, Enigma will refund “harmed investors” and pay a penalty of $500,000 to the SEC. It … Continue reading Blockchain Startup Enigma Settles with SEC for Security Token Sale

Can SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce’s Proposal Revive the ICO Market?

In the annals of crypto history, initial coin offerings (ICOs) were the latest innovation until they weren’t. After briefly eclipsing traditional forms of venture financing, ICOs have largely been relegated to the sidelines of the fundraising ecosystem after an SEC crackdown. A glance at the moribund market for coin offerings during the first quarter of 2019 revealed distressing news. Coin offerings, which had raised $6.9 … Continue reading Can SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce’s Proposal Revive the ICO Market?

INX, A Crypto Exchange, Plans To Conduct An IPO

In a first, a cryptocurrency exchange is planning to raise money from the markets using an initial public offering (IPO). The INX Exchange has filed a prospectus with the SEC to raise $130 million through an IPO. The IPO is significant because it will be the first security token registered with the SEC. Cryptocurrency startups have used an alphabet soup of acronyms, including Initial Coin … Continue reading INX, A Crypto Exchange, Plans To Conduct An IPO

New Jersey Issues Stop Orders Against ICOs In the State

The New Jersey Bureau of Securities has issued issued stop orders against two ICOs based in the state. American and Canadian regulators, operating under the North American Securities Administration Association, issued the order which was executed by officials in New Jersey. The stop orders targeted the Unocall and Zoptax ICOs. The orders were issued as part of “Operation Cryptosweep” – an international crackdown on illegal … Continue reading New Jersey Issues Stop Orders Against ICOs In the State

SEC Approves Blockstack Reg. A+ Token Offering

Blockstack, a startup building a decentralized Internet, has become the first company to receive approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to conduct a public offering of tokens for its applications. The New Jersey-based company will raise $28 million under a Reg A+ offering, which allows companies to raise up to $50 million without significant public disclosures. Among the applications being built on Blockstack’s … Continue reading SEC Approves Blockstack Reg. A+ Token Offering

How Civil Aims To Transform Journalism Through Blockchain

“The kind of play between advertisers and publishers; there’s a tension there,” says Kirk Ritchey, chief technology officer at Luminary Media. “That tension can influence editorial decisions.” And, so it was that the Hudson Valley-based outfit was decided to minimize reliance on advertising as a source of revenue for its soon-to-be launched local news publication, The River. The team at Luminary Media opted to host … Continue reading How Civil Aims To Transform Journalism Through Blockchain

The Case For Ethereum As A Security Token

During a Congressional hearing last month, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton said all ICO tokens he had seen were securities. That remark, with all its attendant implications, has spooked investors and snowballed into a series of actions that might end up radically reshaping cryptocurrency markets. Since Clayton’s remark, the SEC has tightened the screws on coin offerings and exchanges. Just last week, the agency threatened to … Continue reading The Case For Ethereum As A Security Token