The Ontario Securities Commission released OSC Staff Notice 33-749 Annual Summary Report for Dealers, Advisers and Investment Fund Managers on August 23, 2018 (Staff Notice).

The Staff Notice included, at Part 1.3, a review of the recent activities of the OSC LaunchPad.  The LaunchPad is actively engaged with novel fintech businesses providing support in navigating regulatory requirements.  The Staff Notice highlighted the following key accomplishments of the OSC LaunchPad in fiscal 2017-2018:

  • 242 Meetings with fintech businesses and stakeholders
  • 156 requests for support received and direct support provided to fintech businesses
  • 55 events hosted by the OSC LaunchPad or in which it participated
  • 25 collaborative reviews with the Canadian Securities Adminstrators’ Regulatory Sandbox regarding novel business models that want to operate across Canada.

Although the industry was initially focussed on online advisors, online lenders and crowdfunding portals, OSC Staff advised in the Staff Notice that industry focus has largely shifted to cryptoasset-related businesses, including initial coin and token offerings, cryptoasset investment funds, traditional financial service businesses utilizing blockchain technology and crypto asset trading platforms.  In addition, the OSC Launchpad is seeing businesses focussed on RegTech services, technology-based compliance solutions and data analytics services.Continue Reading OSC LaunchPad – Annual Summary Report

The British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC) published BC Notice 2018/01 – Consulting on the Securities Law Framework for Fintech Regulation on February 14, 2018.  The Notice follows from a series of consultations (both in person and by survey) conducted by the BCSC on various elements of the financial technology (fintech) industry.  The Notice sets out the results of the consultations, the general approach to date of the BCSC on certain of the matters and poses specific questions for comment on potential regulatory action to clarify or modernize securities laws in the space. Written submissions are due on April 3, 2018.

The Notice discussed the following topics, among others:

  • crowdfunding and online lending business models
  • online adviser business model
  • cryptocurrency funds
  • initial coin offerings (ICOs) and cryptocurrencies.

Continue Reading BCSC Seeks Feedback on Fintech Regulation

By a press release issued March 8, 2017, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) warned businesses that use distributed ledger technologies (DLT), such as blockchain, as part of their financial products or service offerings that they may be subject to Ontario securities law requirements.

The OSC noted that businesses are using DLT in a variety

On March 6, 2017, the Ontario Securities Commission issued a white paper titled “Insights from Canada’s first regulatory hackathon”.  The paper provides an overview of the RegHackTO hackathon hosted by the OSC on November 25-27, 2016.   At the event, more than 120 members of the fintech community competed to find solutions to regulatory problems in

On February 23, 2017, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), the umbrella organization of Canada’s provincial and territorial securities regulators, launched a regulatory sandbox initiative to support businesses seeking to offer innovative products, services and applications including:

  • online platforms, including crowdfunding portals, online lenders, angel investor networks or other technological innovations for securities trading and advising;

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) announced today its new initiative, OSC LaunchPad, described as the first dedicated team by a securities regulator in Canada to help fintech businesses navigate securities law requirements and accelerate time-to-market.

OSC LaunchPad will provide direct support to eligible new and early-stage fintech businesses through meetings with the OSC LaunchPad