Blog

What is the document? The Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology (“Staff”) of the Securities and Exchanges Commission (“SEC”) recently released a Framework for ‘Investment Contract’ Analysis of Digital Assets (“Framework” or “Document”)[1]. These are essentially guidelines to assess whether an investment into a digital asset (which, per the document includes any asset whichRead more

What was promised? In November 2018, The US Securities and Exchanges Commission (“SEC”) promised to come out with a ‘plain English’ guidance for developers who wished to undertake their own token offerings[1] (‘token’ is used to indicate a cryptocurrency, crypto-asset or a digital asset; these terms are used interchangeably here, strictly for the purposes ofRead more

Comments To The Sebi’s Discussion Paper On Framework For Regulatory Sandbox   The Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) released its discussion paper on the framework for a regulatory sandbox (“RS”) (“Discussion Paper”) on 28 May 2019. The SEBI’s perceptiveness to the significance of an RS as a regulatory tool is commendable. Its decisionRead more

News has it that Facebook is foraying into online remittances and will introduce a tethered  digital asset named “Libra” to fuel this system. Libra will be linked with the INR (i.e. the Indian National Rupee) and each Libra will always convert to 1 INR. How will this play with the April 2018 RBI circular that imposed a deRead more

 1. Preliminary On 20 February 2019, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (“MeitY”)[1] published a report titled ‘India’s Trillion-Dollar Digital Opportunity’ (“Report”)[2] in collaboration with McKinsey & Company. This report was prepared in consultation with the Government of India (“Government”), various state governments and private stakeholders. The report was conceived with three primary objectives. 1.1Read more

There has been recent public uproar regarding levying of an extra charge in the name of ‘internet handling fee’ and caught in the midst of it are online digital merchants/service providers like Paytm, Bookmyshow and others. Generally a merchant has to pay a cost (which is linked to the value of sale) to the bankRead more

Introduction With the increasing fanfare around Blockchain technology and the potential it holds for the future, commercial enterprises – Blockchain based and otherwise – are experimenting with paying salaries in cryptocurrency. This initiative broadens the cryptocurrency ecosystem[1] and also helps retain the best tech talent.[2] This post outlines the current cryptocurrency payment ecosystem, industry experienceRead more

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) released a Consultation Paper on Crowdfunding in India on 17th June, 2014 (Consultation Paper). SEBI invited comments and suggestions from the interested stakeholders regarding different possible structures for crowdfunding within the existing legal framework, and related issues. The Consultation Paper proposed a framework for the regulation ofRead more