In Sharp v. Autorité des marchés financiers, 2023 SCC 29, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized the transnational nature of modern securities regulation in holding there was a “real and substantial connection” between alleged perpetrators of a “pump-and-dump”
Sauce for the Goose, Sauce for the Gander: Denial of Staff’s Adjournment Request in Valentine (Re), 2023 ONCMT 33
In reasons released October 5, 2023, the Capital Markets Tribunal summarily dismissed a motion by OSC Staff to adjourn a 15 day hearing on the merits approximately three weeks before it was scheduled to commence.
The adjournment was requested due…
Ontario’s Capital Markets Tribunal finds it does not have jurisdiction to “supervise” OSC investigation orders


In Binance Holdings Limited (Re), 2023 ONCMT 27, Ontario’s new Capital Markets Tribunal (the Tribunal) clarified that it does not have the jurisdiction to revoke an investigation order made by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC).
Background…
What’s the Difference? Ontario Divisional Court finds trading in Contracts for Difference amounts to trading in unregistered securities: VRK Forex & Investments Inc. v Ontario Securities Commission, 2023 ONSC 3895


Ontario’s Divisional Court has upheld a decision of the new Capital Markets Tribunal, finding an over-the-counter financial instrument to meet the definition of “investment contract” pursuant to the Securities Act.
Background
The appellants conducted business trading in Contracts for Difference…
US SEC targets Coinbase, signaling stricter enforcement against crypto exchanges

On March 22, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission or SEC) issued a Wells Notice to Coinbase, Inc., the largest US-based cryptocurrency exchange and a NASDAQ-listed company.
A Wells Notice is a communication from the SEC enforcement staff (Staff)…
Primer on Prospectus Exemptions

Mutual Fund Managers’ Liability for “Time Zone Arbitrage”: Fischer v. IG Investment, 2023 ONSC 915

At the conclusion of a liability trial before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in this class action commenced 17 years ago[1], two Canadian mutual fund managers were found negligent for having failed to prevent certain hedge funds…
Increasing Enforcement: OSC and SEC Take Aim at Cryptocurrency Platforms

On December 12, 2022, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) issued a news release further cautioning crypto trading platforms operating in Canada on the applicability of securities laws to their operations. This news release comes amidst the OSC’s increasing…
Solicitor Client Privilege Claims over Seized Documents D.L. v. Autorité des marchés financiers, 2022 QCCS 2157

In D.L. v. Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), the Superior Court of Quebec ruled on solicitor client privilege claims made by D.L. to resist disclosure of documents seized by the AMF at D.L.’s home in the context of…