Securities Law Commons^™

Fintech And The Innovation Trilemma, Yesha Yadav, Chris Brummer

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Whether in response to roboadvising, artificial intelligence, or crypto-currencies like Bitcoin, regulators around the world have made it a top policy priority to supervise the exponential growth of financial technology (or "fintech") in the post-Crisis era. However, applying traditional regulatory strategies to new technological ecosystems has proven conceptually difficult. Part of the challenge lies in the tradeoffs involved in regulating innovations that could conceivably both help and hurt consumers and market participants alike. Problems also arise from the common assumption that today's fintech is a mere continuation of the story of innovation that has shaped finance for centuries.

This Article …

Power To The People: How The Sec Can Empower The Crowd, R. Kevin Saunders, Ii

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Crowdfunding emerged as a heralded capital-formation mechanism at a time when capital markets desperately need it, but is it actually viable? Following passage of the JOBS Act and issuance of proposed rules by the SEC, equity crowdfunding will soon become reality. When signing the JOBS Act, President Obama touted it as a means "to increase American job creation and economic growth," but that will only hold true for Title III, Crowdfunding, if the SEC creates an attractive market for high-quality projects. The SEC's proposed rules impose a heavy disclosure burden relative to a low maximum offering amount, offering a poor …

The Social Network And The Crowdfund Act: Zuckerberg, Saverin, And Venture Capitalists' Dilution Of The Crowd, John S. (Jack) Wroldsen

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

By virtue of Title III of the JOBS Act, signed into law on April 5, 2012, crowdfunding could become a powerful, even revolutionary, force to finance start-up companies. It democratizes entrepreneurs' access to seed capital and converts the masses of Internet users into potential retail venture capitalists. Many have cautioned, though, that crowdfunding poses serious investment risks of start-up companies failing, committing fraud, and being mismanaged. Accordingly, the JOBS Act includes numerous disclosure obligations designed to mitigate such downside risks.

But what has been overlooked, and what this Article analyzes from a venture capitalist perspective, is that even if a …