The Hard Way – SEC announces first penalties and compliance roadmap for unregistered ICOs

On November 16, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced consent orders settling actions in respect of two unregistered initial coin offerings (ICOs), including the first fines levied against non-compliant ICO issuers made by the SEC to date. The consent orders demonstrate the SEC’s willingness to follow through with enforcement proceedings against issuers of … Continue reading

Regulatory and civil consequences of Initial Coin Offerings in Ontario

By Linda Fuerst and Andrew McCoomb on October 5, 2017 Posted in Other developments, Securities regulatory decisions

A great deal has been written recently about the possible regulatory uncertainty surrounding Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) in Canada. In an ICO, a newly issued cryptocurrency is sold to purchasers, who acquire a right of ownership symbolized by a “coin” or token, which may appreciate in value. Depending upon the characteristics of the ownership interest … Continue reading

SEC ruling on The DAO signals increased acceptance of blockchain-based securities

By Andrew McCoomb on August 11, 2017 Posted in Securities regulatory decisions

On July 25, 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a statement on the regulatory significance of offers and sales of digital assets carried out using distributed ledger or blockchain technology. That statement followed the SEC’s Report of Investigation into The DAO, an unincorporated organization designed to issue tokens administered on a distributed ledger … Continue reading