The SEC files its first enforcement action for Reg CF
The SEC today decided to make a statement against companies considering using Regulation CF for fraudulent offerings, and funding portals that facilitate the fraud. A copy of the complaint can be found here, https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2021-182. On September 20, 2021, the SEC filed in federal court a complaint against sponsors of a marijuana real estate venture, and […]
Rule 145: An issue for crowdfunding company exits
Startup investors all hope for a great “exit.” Most startups, of course, will never get to that point, but for the successful ones, the principal ways that investors get repaid for their faith in a high-growth early stage company is an eventual IPO, hopefully at a price much higher than the price they paid, or […]
Lesson of the Month: The non-CFO
I was thinking of calling this series “Fraud of the Month” but didn’t want to go that far. You may reach your own conclusions as to whether that tag is warranted in any particular instance. While names and identifying details are changed, this is a true and recent story. Company raised funds in a Reg […]
No, this is not crypto!
We’ve heard from some of our clients that potential investors are getting spooked by the crypto winter and the FTX meltdown. Yes, you can invest in crypto online, just like you can invest in online exempt public offerings under Regulations A, CF and D. But that’s pretty much where the similarity ends. There are a […]
Reg CF Resale Restrictions: When & How You Can Sell Crowdfunding Securities
Understanding Reg CF Resale Restrictions General rule: if you read the SEC rules with blinders on, you are probably well on your way to getting yourself in trouble. Rule 501 of Regulation Crowdfunding states that shares issued in a Regulation Crowdfunding offering “may not be transferred by any purchaser of such securities during the one-year […]
Form C-AR filing time again!
Hi everyone; a reminder that we are just over a month away from the deadline to file Form C-AR by May 1.* We wanted to flag some issues: If you sold any securities under your Form C, even if you didn’t sell them until this year, and even if you didn’t sell them until April […]
What do you mean I need to audit financial statements for their property?
When it comes to Regulation A and Regulation CF, the SEC puts a lot of focus on the financial statements being provided to investors. And that makes sense. Financial statements can tell a lot about a company, and the financial position of that company could be one of the primary reasons for investing (even if […]
I’m crowdfunding. Do I really need a transfer agent?
We keep hearing this question. To be honest, it’s not clear why a crowdfunding issuer would want to have to deal with the recordkeeping for what could be thousands of investors (and even if the issuer uses a Reg CF SPV, that itself is an issuer whose many shareholders have to be wrangled). But are […]
We took the money, and signed the subscription agreement, so when are the shares issued?
This is a question we often get from companies as they are trying to organize their cap table, or provide information to a transfer agent. Many companies seem to be of the belief that shares are not actually issued until a certificate is prepared, or that the shares are recorded on the company’s internal ledger, […]
Considerations in doing a Reg CF offering….
Companies often wonder, does it make sense to do a Reg CF offering rather than a Reg A offering? Keep in mind that although selling securities using Reg CF may at first blush seem faster, cheaper and may have some advantages for marketing purposes, it is not always an easy calculation to make. There are […]