Author Archives: CFM Admin

Allocator Perspectives in Digital Assets – Panel Discussion

On November 19 Cole-Frieman & Mallon hosted an event for managers and investors in the digital asset and cryptocurrency space.  Below are notes from the panel discussion.

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Many thanks to all who made our event this week such a success, especially Moderator, Michael Arrington (Arrington XRP Capital) and Panelists, Aram Verdiyan (Accolade Partners), Brooke Pollack (Hutt Capital), Thomas Chladeck (Diginex), and Nabeel Qadri (Protocol Ventures).

Discussion was animated and at brief moments entertainingly off topic but within our hour-long panel we touched on many core issues:

  • Allocators must answer to their own investors/limited partners – currently demand (from endowments, institutions, family office, etc) for digital asset products is not high.
  • We discussed the Bitwise study on allocating crypto in an institutional portfolio.  While that study makes clear the potential positives, the panel was divided on whether exposure to digital assets should be done through FOF vehicles or simply through holding bitcoin at one of the large custodians (Coinbase Anchorage, Fidelity, etc).
  • The panel discussed a broad spectrum of digital asset investment styles – from VC type strategies to long tokens/protocols to trading strategies, acknowledging there are pros and cons with each.  Ultimately panelists were split on what the right mix might be and opinions were informed by their time-horizon preferences.
  • Opinions varied on portfolio construction.  Some believe that protocol layers are the correct play and that businesses will eventually be built on the protocol layers.  Others believe the industry is so much in its infancy that the bets need to be placed on development teams/companies who can develop and pivot as necessary.
  • The panelists agreed that manager pedigree is an important measure of due diligence and the allocators will generally look to a manager’s understanding of the space, their technical capacity and knowledge, and their historical presence in the space.  One panelist noted it is not uncommon to find managers with 5-6 year portfolios.
  • The topic of timing was big – many of the panelists did not think they had the ability to specifically time the market and that all investments in this space should really be focused on the long term prospects of the industry as a whole.
  • Everyone seemed to agree that the digital asset space is waiting for its Lotus123 moment.  As of now it appears Bitcoin is both the religion and killer app even as there are various trends which pop up from time to time (DeFi as the trend right now).

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Bart Mallon is a founding partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP. Cole-Frieman & Mallon has been instrumental in structuring the launches of some of the first digital currency-focused hedge funds. For more information on this topic, please contact Mr. Mallon directly at 415-868-5345.

Cole-Frieman & Mallon 2019 Third Quarter Update

Below is our quarterly newsletter. If you would like to be added to our distribution list, please contact us.

Clients, Friends, Associates:

We hope you had an enjoyable summer. Typically, the third quarter is quieter than the second quarter from a compliance perspective, however we continue to see meaningful enforcement actions taken by regulatory authorities and rapid developments in the digital asset space. Entering the fourth quarter, we would like to highlight some items we hope will help you stay on top of the business and regulatory landscape in the coming months.  But first, a couple of items of firm news:

  • CoinAlts Fund Symposium. In September, In September, founding sponsor CFM broke new ground to host its fourth successful Symposium in Chicago. An impressive line-up of speakers addressed pressing issues for institutions in the digital asset ecosystem, including legal and operational concerns for fund managers, recent trends and innovations in blockchain, and raising capital from institutional allocators.
    • Cole-Frieman & Mallon’s Anniversary. On September 17th CFM celebrated with family, friends, colleagues and clients 10 years of successful growth to become the largest hedge fund practice in the West Coast. We very much appreciate the continued support from our clients and friends in the industry and look forward to the next decade of success.

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Privacy Regulations

Cayman Islands Data Protection Law Effective September 30, 2019. The Cayman Islands Data Protection Law, 2017 (“DPL”) became effective on September 30, 2019 and applies to all investment advisers providing investment advice to Cayman Islands funds. Under the DPL, Cayman investment funds are considered “data controllers” whether or not they are registered with the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and investment advisers to such funds are considered “data processors.” The DPL requires data controllers to update their Cayman fund’s subscription agreements to include language specific to the DPL and otherwise provide investors with an updated DPL-compliant privacy notice. There is no specific deadline to provide investors with such privacy notice. Fund administrators must also ensure that they are DPL-compliant and updates to the fund’s administration agreement may be required.

California Consumer Privacy Act to be Effective January 1, 2020. The California Consumer Privacy Act (the “Act”) was passed into California law on June 28, 2018 and will be effective on January 1, 2020. The Act will not apply to most fund managers and will generally only impact managers that serve California residents and have at least $25 million in annual gross revenue, have personal data on at least 50,000 Californians, or receive over half their revenues from the sale of personal data of California residents. The Act does not apply to current client data and, on October 11, 2019, Governor Newsom signed seven amendments into law that generally limit the Act’s reach even further. If the Act were to apply to a fund manager, to be in compliance, such fund manager should post a privacy policy on its website disclosing its collection of personal information, maintain an organized data collection process, and provide investors information regarding the use of their information and the right to opt-out of the sale and request the deletion of such information.

New York SHIELD Act Heightens the State’s Privacy Regulations. On July 25, 2019, the Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act (the “SHIELD Act”) was signed into New York law and amends the State’s data breach notification law. The SHIELD Act, which is set to take effect in March 2020, requires certain businesses or individuals implement safeguards to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of information. The SHIELD Act broadens the definition of “private information” to include credit card or debit card numbers, usernames and passwords (or security questions and answers) used to access an individual’s online accounts, and biometric information, like fingerprints. The SHIELD Act also expands the definition of “breach”, from unauthorized acquisition of private information to include unauthorized access to private information, as well as the scope of the breach notification requirement to include any person or business that owns or licenses private information of a New York resident. This means the law is no longer limited to those conducting business in New York, but could affect managers who, for example, only store a New York investor’s private information. Because of the broad scope of the SHIELD Act, managers who own private information of a New York resident should review the updated security requirements the Act imposes on them, including the need to implement a data security program, as more specifically discussed in the SHIELD Act.

SEC Matters

SEC Publishes Risk Alert on Principal and Agency Cross Trading Compliance Issues. On September 4, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) published a Risk Alert advising readers on common compliance issues identified in investment adviser examinations, related to principal and agency cross transactions under Section 206(3) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). These transactions occur when investment advisers execute client transactions as a broker or dealer, either acting as a broker or dealer for its advisory client or doing so for both its advisory client and its brokerage client on the other end of the same transaction. The examinations the SEC conducted showed advisers either did not know they had engaged in principal trades or did not disclose or obtain the required consent before completing the transactions. With respect to agency cross transactions, the examinations also showed advisers often engaged in agency cross transactions without properly disclosing this to clients or could not show proof they had complied with the applicable consent or disclosure requirements. The Risk Alert also expressed concern that many advisers engaging in these transactions either did not have proper compliance policies and procedures or failed to follow the policies and procedures that had been established. Advisers should look closely at potential transactions to determine whether they qualify as either principal trades or agency cross transactions and if so, what actions need to be taken to comply with the respective requirements.

SEC Charged RIA for Nondisclosure of Conflicts Arising from Revenue Sharing. On August 1, 2019, the SEC  charged an SEC RIA for failure to disclose conflicts of interest relating to a revenue sharing agreement with the broker used by most of its clients. The revenue sharing agreement provided that, if the adviser invested its client assets in certain classes of mutual funds that paid the broker to be listed on its platform, the adviser would receive a portion of those payments. The adviser received over $100 million from the broker from July 2014 to December 2018 because of this arrangement. However, the adviser never disclosed to its clients that there were other mutual fund investments less expensive than the investments subject to the revenue sharing agreement. The SEC considered these to be material omissions and determined the adviser’s clients did not make these investments with full knowledge of the adviser’s incentives. Fund managers should ensure that all pertinent conflicts of interest, including those related to the receipt of compensation from third parties, are properly disclosed to their clients.

FINRA Matters

FINRA Proposes Changes to Restricted Person and Spinning Provisions.  On July 26, 2019, FINRA, along with the SEC, proposed certain amendments to FINRA Rules 5130 and 5131. One of the amendments would exempt certain additional persons and certain types of offerings from the scope of the rules. Among other changes (eight total), the proposals would (i) include the definitions of “family member” and “family client” as defined under the Advisers Act in the definition of “family investment vehicle” under Rule 5130, (ii) exempt foreign employee retirement benefit plans that meet certain conditions from Rules 5130 and 5131 and (iii) exclude unaffiliated charitable organizations from the definition of “covered non-public company” in Rule 5131. If these changes are approved and become effective, fund managers can expect further regulatory consistency and clarity to result.

Digital Asset Matters

Bakkt Announces that it’s “Cleared to Launch” Bitcoin Futures. Bakkt, a bitcoin futures exchange and digital assets platform founded by the Intercontinental Exchange (“ICE”), announced in mid-August that the CFTC gave its go-ahead for Bakkt’s futures contracts. The announcement discussed that Bakkt’s bitcoin futures would be exchange-traded on ICE Futures U.S. and cleared on ICE Clear US, both of which are regulated by the CFTC. Bakkt further announced that it acquired a New York state trust charter through the New York State Department of Financial Services, and that this approval to create Bakkt Trust Company, a qualified custodian, would allow the Bakkt Warehouse, which is part of Bakkt Trust Company, to provide bitcoin custodial services for physically delivered futures. On September 23, 2019, Bakkt launched its custody and physically-settled bitcoin futures contracts products. Many disagree whether the launch, which had a trade volume during the first seven days of $5.8 million, was successful or not, and certain researchers speculate the launch was partially why bitcoin’s price has recently decreased. Despite this, the news of the launch can potentially benefit fund managers as Bakkt aims to provide access to this market and address issues that have slowed institutional participation in this market in the past.

SEC Delays Decision on Three Bitcoin ETFs. On August 12, 2019, the SEC once again delayed a decision on three bitcoin ETF proposals.  As of yet, the SEC has not approved a bitcoin ETF. In previous decisions, the SEC expressed concerns with market manipulation, market surveillance and a possible divergence with futures trading. One of the entities proposing a bitcoin ETF published reports addressing these concerns and indicating that the actual bitcoin market is more regulated and surveilled than expected. This ETF proposal received support from a number of well-known individuals in the industry. In fact, Cole-Frieman & Mallon submitted a comment to the SEC with respect to this ETF proposal in June. Unfortunately, on October 9, 2019, this ETF proposal was rejected as the proposal reportedly did not meet the legal requirements necessary to prevent market manipulation or other fraudulent activities. As another of the entities proposing a bitcoin ETF recently withdrew its proposal from SEC review, there remains only one bitcoin ETF proposal sitting before the SEC. Fund managers interested in the digital asset space should stay apprised of future developments regarding this ETF proposal and others that may follow.

FINRA Approves Membership of Placement Agent for Privately Placed Digital Securities. On August 7, 2019, FINRA approved the membership application of a placement agent for privately placed, digital securities on a permissioned blockchain platform developed by its parent company. It took the placement agent 18 months to get approved, which is longer than what is typically seen, as it had to prove to FINRA that it met regulatory requirements. The approval allows the placement agent to issue securities, provide services as a broker for digital securities, and potentially enter the secondary trading business. This approval stands out as many applications have been waiting to hear back from FINRA for months, and sometimes more than a year. Specifically, this approval will expand investment opportunities for investors and provide fund managers with a streamlined tool to utilize in its investment processes.

SEC Freezes $8 Million in Assets Related to Fraudulent Scheme to Sell Digital Securities to Investors. On August 12, 2019, the SEC froze $8 million in assets raised by an individual and two companies he owns. Allegedly, the parties sold their own token on the internet and induced investors to invest in the token based on material misrepresentations and omissions. The complaint also alleged that the individual manipulated the token price and transferred a significant amount of investor assets to his own personal account. The SEC charged the parties with violating the registration and antifraud provisions of the Federal securities laws and further charged the individual for violating antifraud provisions by manipulating the price of tokens. While this digital asset age has certainly shown promise and innovation, fund managers should be on alert for fraudulent schemes such as this.

SEC Charges Group Operating Unregistered Digital Asset Exchange. On August 29, 2019, the SEC settled charges with a company and its founders who created and sold unregistered tokens to more than 13,000 investors. The founders allegedly falsely claimed each token provided an interest in the company’s cryptocurrency mining facility using below-market rate electricity. In reality, the mining facility did not exist. The company and its founders also allegedly illegally operated an unregistered national security exchange to trade the single token. As new and exciting opportunities in the digital asset space continue to emerge, investors should proceed with caution and should conduct ample due diligence prior to moving forward with such opportunities.

IRS Targets Cryptocurrency Investors with Educational Letter about Back Taxes. In July, the IRS began sending educational letters to taxpayers who have purchased or sold cryptocurrencies but either did not report the income entirely or did not report the income correctly. There are three variations of this letter that more than 10,000 taxpayers will receive, depending on how or if the transactions were reported: Letter 6173, 6174 and 6174-A. In mid-August, the IRS began sending a second round of letters to relevant taxpayers. This notice, which the IRS calls CP2000, is aimed at taxpayers that the IRS has actual records of, showing that there is a discrepancy between the trading profits or losses reported by the taxpayer and what third parties (like exchanges) report to the IRS. The notice includes an amount that each recipient taxpayer is expected to pay in 30 days, with interest. Taxpayers trading cryptocurrency can expect the IRS to ramp up these types of letters and notices and should properly report their transactions to the IRS when filing tax returns to avoid penalties.

SEC Approves First-Ever Reg A+ Token Offering. On July 12, 2019, Blockstack became the first company in history to receive SEC approval for a public securities offering where investors would receive tokens, in this case, called “Stacks”. Blockstack raised a total of $23 million from more than 4,500 investors. $15.5 million was raised through a Reg A+ sale in the United States and the other $7.6 million was raised through a Reg S offering in Asia. Blockstack is working with international exchanges to list Stacks tokens potentially as soon as October 2019. While the full effects of this approval are not yet determined, the SEC’s approval has potential to create a new regulatory roadmap for public token offerings.

FINRA and SEC Issue Joint Statement on Custody of Digital Assets by Broker-Dealers. On July 8, 2019, FINRA and the SEC issued a statement expressing the challenges facing broker-dealer’s custody of digital assets. The statement discussed that a broker-dealer seeking to custody such assets must, like all broker-dealers, comply with the SEC’s Customer Protection Rule. This rule protects customer securities and funds held by broker-dealers by requiring broker-dealers to keep customer assets separate from their firm’s assets, making it more likely that customers’ securities and assets can be returned to them in the case of a broker-dealer’s failure. Many unregistered entities and registered broker-dealers that want to engage in activities involving digital asset securities have been submitting applications to FINRA in the hope that FINRA will allow them to engage in such activities. How these entities could custody digital asset securities while complying with the Customer Protection Rule is still under discussion, but as a start, broker-dealers would need to put in place significant technological enhancements unique to digital asset securities.

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Compliance Calendar.

Please note the following important dates as you plan your regulatory compliance timeline for the coming months:

Deadline Filing
October 10, 2019 Form 13H amendment due if there were changes during Q3
October 15, 2019 Quarterly Form PF due for Large Liquidity Fund Advisers
October 15, 2019 Extended deadline to file Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
October 30, 2019 Registered investment advisers must collect access persons’ personal securities transactions
November 1, 2019 Registered investment advisers that seek to withdraw registration with the SEC may begin to submit Form ADV-W‘s, which must be dated 12/31/19
November 11, 2019 Firm may view, print and pay preliminary notice filings (RIA) with all appropriate states
November 14, 2019 Form 13F is due for certain institutional investment managers
November 14, 2019 Form PR filings for registered CTAs that msut file for Q3 within 45 days of the end of Q3 2019
November 29, 2019 Form PF filings for Large Hedge Fund Advisers with December 31 fiscal year-ends filing
November 29, 2019 Large registered CPOs must submit a pool quarterly report (CPO-PQR)
December 16, 2019 Deadline for paying annual IARD charges and state renewal fees
December 31, 2019 Small and mid-sized registered CPOs must submit a pool quarterly report (CPO-PQR)
December 31, 2019 Cayman funds regulated by CIMA that intend to de-register (i.e. wind down or continue as an exempted fund) should do so before this date in order to avoid 2020 CIMA fees
January 1, 2020 California Consumer Privacy Act goes into effect
Periodic Fund managers should perform “Bad Actor” certifications annually
Periodic Amendment due on or before anniversary date of prior Form D and blue sky filing(s), as applicable, or for material changes
Periodic CPO/CTA Annual Questionnaires must be submitted annually, and promptly upon material information changes

 

Bart Mallon is a founding partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP.  Mr. Mallon can be reached directly at 415-868-5345.

Cole-Frieman & Mallon 2019 Second Quarter Update

Below is our quarterly newsletter. If you would like to be added to our distribution list, please contact us.

Clients, Friends, Associates:

We hope you are enjoying the start of summer.  Typically the second quarter is quieter than the first quarter from a compliance perspective, however we continue to see meaningful enforcement actions taken by regulatory authorities and rapid developments in the digital asset space.  Entering the third quarter, we would like to highlight some items we hope will help you stay on top of the business and regulatory landscape in the coming months.

First, though, we’d like to announce a few exciting updates regarding Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP. Scott E. Kitchens has joined the firm as a partner and will be leading the firm’s new Denver office.  Our firm is once again a founding sponsor of the quickly approaching CoinAlts Fund Symposium. The event will be held in Chicago on September 26th and the founding sponsors will be hosting a pre-conference cocktail hour in Chicago on July 18th.  We look forward to seeing many of you there.

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SEC Matters

SEC Adopts New Regulation Best Interest.  On June 5, 2019, the SEC adopted a package of rules and interpretations to bring a new level of transparency between retail investors, investment advisers and broker-dealers, including the new Regulation Best Interest rule and the Form CRS Relationship Summary.  The new Regulation Best Interest requires broker-dealers to act in the “best interest of retail customers when making a recommendation,” whereas previously broker-dealers were only required to recommend “suitable” investments. Broker-dealers are also required to establish and enforce policies designed to comply with this rule.  The Form CRS Relationship Summary, which will become the new Form ADV Part 3, will require RIAs to provide retail investors with “easy-to-understand information about the nature of their relationship with their financial professional,” including information on services, fees, conflicts, their legal standard of conduct, and prior disciplinary history.  The Form CRS, will be a standardized question-and-answer format and must be presented to retail investors at the beginning of their relationship.  The rules are effective 60 days after their publication in the Federal Register, however broker-dealers and investment advisers are given until June 30, 2020 to ensure compliance.

Individual Liable Under Rule 10b-5 for Knowingly Disseminating False or Misleading Statements Made by Another Person.  On March 27, 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that an individual violated Rule 10b-5 by disseminating statements he knew to be false to potential investors, even though he didn’t “make” the statements himself.  The individual sent an email to potential investors stating the assets of a company seeking investment was $10 million at the direction of his boss, who supplied the content and approved the email, while the individual knew the total assets were worth less than $400,000.  The case may result in an expansion of personal liability for those who transmit false or misleading statements that were made by another.  Managers should ensure that their supervised persons are not repeating false statements even if those statements were made by a superior.

SEC’s Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (“OCIE”) Issues Risk Alert.  On May 23, 2019, the OCIE issued a risk alert regarding the safeguarding of customer records and information network storage.  The OCIE observed that many firms did not always use their storage solution’s security features to prevent unauthorized access, including failing to use encryption or password protection.  The OCIE identified the following concerns that may give rise to compliance issues: (i) misconfigured network storage solutions; (ii) inadequate oversight of vendor-provided network storage solutions; and (iii) insufficient data classification policies and procedures. The OCIE encourages registered broker-dealers and investment advisers to evaluate their storage of customer information and consider whether security improvements are necessary.

RIA Settles with SEC for $5 Million for Failing to Implement Compliance Policies Reasonably Designed to Prevent Inaccurate Valuations.  On June 4, 2019, the SEC settled charges and instituted cease-and-desist proceedings against an RIA for failing to adopt compliance policies reasonably designed to prevent the risk that its traders were undervaluing securities by failing to maximize relevant observable inputs, such as trade prices. The RIA’s traders were accused of intentionally marking their bond prices below market value to maximize yield and allow them to sell for a profit when needed, in violation of GAAP.  While the RIA did not admit fault, the SEC alleged that the firm’s policies failed to address how their valuations would be conformed with GAAP, and further, that the adviser failed to implement its existing policy.  The SEC stressed the importance of valuation of client assets in the administrative proceeding, calling it “critically important.”

SEC Imposes Cease-And-Desist Order and Remedial Sanctions Against an RIA for “Cherry-Picking” Trades and Misusing Soft-Dollars.  On May 16, 2019, the SEC imposed a cease-and-desist order and remedial sanctions against an RIA for “cherry-picking” trades and misusing soft-dollars.  The RIA disproportionally allocated profitable trades to hedge funds of which the RIA’s portfolio manager was personally invested, while allocating less profitable trades to other clients, including a charitable foundation.  Further, the RIA allegedly used soft-dollar credits in a manner not disclosed to clients, including use in a principal’s divorce settlement, rent paid to a principal owned company, and maintenance fees on a principal’s personal timeshare.  In addition to disgorgement for both the RIA and portfolio manager, the portfolio manager has been banned from the industry.  This case is a reminder for investment advisers to only use soft-dollar credit to pay for disclosed expenses.

SEC Charges RIA Firm and COO for Cross Trades that Defrauded Client.  On March 15, 2019, the SEC charged a fund manager (an RIA) and its chief operating officer with breaching its fiduciary duties, including the obligation to seek the maximum price for an asset to be sold.  The RIA solicited two unwilling buyers to participate in a real estate auction under the promise that they would not win in order to artificially depress the price and allow a second private fund managed by the RIA to purchase it at a discount.  The RIA later resold the asset from the second private fund for a significant profit and received associated performance fees.  With the SEC’s continued focus on cross trades, fund managers should ensure their cross trade policies effectively identify and manage conflicts of interest.

SEC Proposals to Address Cross-Border Application of Security-Based Swap Requirements.  On May 10, 2019, the SEC proposed a series of rule amendments and guidance with the intention of improving the regulatory framework governing cross-border security-based swaps.  The proposals address the application of security-based swap transaction requirements to non-U.S. entities with U.S. personnel involved in “arranging, negotiating or executing the swaps,” and is intended to align the SEC’s regulatory regime with that of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.  The SEC sought public comment on the proposed amendments and guidance, with comments due July 2, 2019.

CFTC Matters 

CFTC Approves Final Rule to Provide Exception to Annual Privacy Notice Requirement.  On April 25, 2019, the CFTC approved a final rule to remove the requirement that commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisers, among others, provide annual privacy policy notices to customers when certain conditions are met.  The new rule provides an exception to such annual notice when a financial institution (i) does not share nonpublic personal information except in accordance with certain exceptions adopted by the CFTC and (ii) has not changed its policies and practices with regard to disclosing nonpublic personal information from those policies and practices that the institution most recently disclosed.

CFTC Publishes Public Enforcement Manual.  On May 8, 2019, the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement published its Enforcement Manual for the first time, providing clarity on the CFTC’s investigations and pursuit of violations processes.  In addition to increasing predictability of CFTC enforcement actions, the guide underscores the CFTC’s intention to incentivize self-reporting and cooperation, noting that the value of cooperation with the CFTC will be considered in deciding what charges and sanctions to impose and whether an individual or entity is eligible for a non-prosecution agreement or deferred prosecution agreement. The manual also provides a summary of prohibited conduct subject to investigation, which in addition to traditional enforcement action such as fraud, includes misappropriation of material non-public information and disruptive trading practices. The Enforcement Manual promises to provide meaningful information to advisers who suspect they may have committed a violation.

FINRA Matters 

FINRA Begins Effort to Simplify Firms’ Digital Experience.  On May 14, 2019, FINRA announced the launching of its Digital Experience Transformation, with the goal of simplifying digital interactions between firms and FINRA to create more efficient and effective compliance programs. The transformation is set to be implemented in stages through 2022, focusing on six solution areas identified as priorities by FINRA member firms, including enhanced interaction with FINRA staff and a simplified experience for users.

FINRA Introduces Peer-2-Peer Compliance Library.  FINRA launched its Peer-2-Peer Compliance Library providing a resource for member firms in locating templates, checklists and other materials to supplement FINRA provided materials. The library includes documents provided by FINRA registered firms on six compliance topics: (i) Customer Information, (ii) Cybersecurity, (iii) New Product Review, (iv) Outside Business Activities, (v) Outsourcing & Vendor Management, and (vi) Supervision.  The Library promises to be a useful resource for FINRA registered firms.

Digital Asset Matters

SEC Delays Decision on Two Bitcoin ETFs.  On May 14 and May 20, 2019, the SEC again delayed a decision on two bitcoin ETFs.  The SEC has yet to approve a bitcoin ETF, and is again seeking public comment on the ETF proposals.  The SEC will ultimately need to make a final decision by mid-October.  Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP submitted a comment in support of approval, arguing it is in the best interest of the bitcoin market that the ETF be approved as it will allow the continued expansion of the digital asset industry and the related ecosystems.

SEC Publishes First Framework in Determining if an ICO Constitutes a Security.  On April 3, 2019, the SEC published its first framework for analyzing whether U.S. securities laws apply to an initial coin offering.  The SEC has confirmed their view that the Howey test should be used to determine if an “investment contract” exists with respect to the sale of a digital asset, thus requiring the sale to either be registered or qualify for an exemption from registration.  The framework gives insight on each of the prongs of the Howey test, which states that an “investment contract exists when there is an investment of money in a common enterprise with a reasonable expectation of profits to be derived from the efforts of others.”  The framework gives examples of several characteristics that are indicative of an investment contract, which promises to provide helpful guidance for those seeking to raise funds through an initial coin offering.

SEC Publishes First No-Action Letter for Cryptocurrency Token Sale. On April 3, 2019, the SEC published the first no-action letter for the offer and sale of tokens by a jet leasing business.  The SEC stated that their no-action position was based on (i) the tokens being fully operational at the time of sale, (ii) the business selling the tokens for $1 each and redeeming each token for $1 of air charter services per token with the business only repurchasing tokens at a discount to face value, and (iii) the restriction on transfer of the tokens to external wallets.  Taken together, the SEC appears to have been satisfied that any purchase of the token would not be for investment purposes.

SEC Sues Online Messaging Application for Conducting $100 Million Unregistered Securities Offering of Digital Tokens.  On June 4, 2019, the SEC sued a Canadian company running a messaging app with conducting an illegal securities offering for raising over $100 million through an initial coin offering without registering the offer and sale as required under securities law.  The complaint alleges that the company advertised the tokens as an investment opportunity and promised to work to promote demand of the token through company efforts, including incorporating the tokens on their messaging app. This case underscores the importance of complying with securities laws when attempting to raise money through coin offerings, as the SEC will seek to enforce such laws if they deem the ICO a securities offering.

IRS Commissioner Announces Cryptocurrency Tax Guidance to be Released Soon.  On May 30, 2019, IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig stated in a letter to congressman Tom Emmer that cryptocurrency tax guidance is a priority of the IRS and should be released “soon.” The Commissioner stated that the IRS is considering several issues, including: (i) acceptable methods for calculating cost basis; (ii) acceptable methods of cost basis assignment; and (iii) tax treatment of forks.  Guidance promises to be welcome by crypto investors as the IRS last issued guidance in 2014, which left several key questions unanswered.  The cryptocurrency market has also seen itself become increasingly complicated since that time with the emergence of forks, airdrops and staking.

SEC Hosts Public Forum to Discuss Distributed Ledger Technology and Digital Assets.  The SEC held a public forum to discuss digital assets on May 31, 2019.  As the second forum on digital assets held by the SEC, it aimed to facilitate greater communication on digital assets between industry, academia, and regulators.  SEC staff moderated panels with fintech insiders covering capital formations, trading and markets, investment management, and distributed ledger technology industry trends.  The SEC also announced at the forum a new program for visiting scholars, seeking qualified professors or PhDs with expertise in blockchain to assists the SEC for one year with their oversight and regulatory processes.  The forum is available to view online.

FinCEN Takes First Enforcement Action Against a Virtual Currency Exchanger.  On April 18, 2019, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) assessed a $35,350 penalty against a peer-to-peer exchanger of bitcoin for the willful violation of the Bank Secrecy Act’s registration and reporting requirements.  FinCEN found the exchanger was not merely a “user” of virtual currency, but a “money transmitter,” and thus was required to register as a money services business and comply with regulatory requirements applicable to them, including having an effective written AML program, filing SARs on transactions they “know, suspect, or have reason to suspect” are suspicious, and filing currency transaction reports on transactions over $10,000.  Exchangers of virtual currency must be aware they are considered money transmitters and must comply with the Bank Secrecy Act’s regulations or risk monetary penalties and a ban from the industry by FinCEN.  FinCEN has indicated that they will continue to seek enforcement action against exchangers who fail to register as money services businesses.

CFM Summarizes Blockstack Regulation A+ Offering.  We have provided a summary of Blockstack’s Regulation A+ “Tier 2” offering to the SEC.  While Regulation A+ has previously been discussed as a potential avenue for blockchain groups to raise capital, it had been untested until now.  The post summarizes many of the legal and regulatory aspects of Blockstack’s offering, and also highlights interesting business aspects that were revealed.  As Blockstack’s offering was just “qualified” by the SEC, their offering circular promises to work as a guide for future blockchain token projects seeking to raise capital through Regulation A+.

Offshore Matters 

Cayman Islands Announce No Penalties for Delayed Filings.  On April 9, 2019, Cayman Islands announced that while the deadline for Cayman Financial Institutions’ to satisfy their CRS/FATCA reporting obligations was May 31, 2019.  Financial Institutions that report by July 31, 2019 will not be subject to enforcement measures or penalties.

Bermuda Proposes Legislation Exempting Non-Tax Residents from Economic Substance Requirements.  On June 28, 2019, Bermuda’s Economic Substance Amendment Act 2019 became law.  The Amendment creates an exemption from Economic Substance requirements for ‘non-resident entities,’ which is an entity which is a resident for tax purposes in a jurisdiction outside Bermuda, not including those countries in Annex 1 to the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdiction (the so called “black list”).  The change brings Bermuda’s regulations in line with the regulations of the British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands, both of which exclude non-resident entities from their substance requirements.

Other Matters 

IRS Issues Qualified Opportunity Fund Guidance.  On April 17, 2019, the IRS issued additional guidance for the deferral of capital gains through investment in qualified opportunity funds.  Crucially, the IRS clarified the “substantially all” requirement for the holding period and use of tangible business property.  Under the regulations, property can qualify as “qualified opportunity zone business property” if substantially all of the use of the property is in a qualified opportunity zone for substantially all of the qualified opportunity fund’s holding period of such property.  The IRS has clarified that the threshold for “substantially all” is (i) 70% with respect to the use of the property; and (ii) 90% with respect to the qualified opportunity fund’s holding period of such property.

IRS Issues Proposed Regulations for Determining Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income.  On  June 14, 2019, the IRS published proposed regulations that provide taxpayers with guidance for determining the amount of global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) to include in gross income.  Importantly for fund managers, the proposed regulations change how the GILTI regime applies to domestic partnerships, adopting an aggregate approach where GILTI is computed at the partner level rather than the entity level.  As the regulations are retroactive to 2018, fund managers who paid GILTI should discuss with their tax advisers if filing an amended tax return is advisable.

Legislature Presented with Two Bills Reforming Cannabis Banking.  Two bills are being considered by Congress that attempt to provide cannabis-related businesses and service providers with access to the banking and financial markets. On March 28, 2019, the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee approved the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act (“SAFE Act”), which would prohibit federal banking and financial regulators and law enforcement from taking action against institutions solely because they provide financial services to cannabis-related businesses and also excludes legitimate cannabis related business from being deemed proceeds from unlawful activity under anti-money laundering laws. On April 4, 2019, the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act (“STATES Act”) was re-introduced in both the House and the Senate.  The STATES Act would remove state-legal marijuana-related activity from the Controlled Substances Act, significantly restricting federal enforcement abilities of cannabis.  Both bills would significantly alter the cannabis industry, allowing them to access and interact with the economy in ways previously denied to them.

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Compliance Calendar.

 

Please note the following important dates as you plan your regulatory compliance timeline for the coming months:

Deadline Filing
June 29, 2019 Delivery of audited financial statements to investors (private fund managers to fund of funds, including SEC, State, and CFTC registrants)
June 30, 2019 Deadline for Cayman Island registered funds with a fiscal year end of December 31 to file the Fund Annual Return and audited financial statements with Cayman Islands Monetary Authority
June 30, 2019 Deadline for making available AIFMD annual report for funds in or advertising in the EU (Alternative Investment Funds with a financial year ending on December 31)
June 30, 2019 Review holdings to determine Form PF filing requirements
July 10, 2019 Review transactions and assess whether Form 13H needs to be amended
July 15, 2019 Quarterly Form PF due for large liquidity fund advisers
July 30, 2019 Quarterly account statements due (Commodity Pool Operators (“CPOs”) claiming the 4.7 exemption)
July 31, 2019 Cayman Islands CRS and US FATCA reporting deadline without adverse consequences (for those who missed the initial May 31, 2018 deadline)
August 14, 2019 Form 13F filing (advisers managing $100 million in 13F Securities)
August 14, 2019 CTA-PR filing with NFA
August 29, 2019 Quarterly Form PF due for large hedge fund advisers
August 29, 2019 CPO-PQR filing with NFA
September 30, 2019 Review transactions and assess whether Form 13H needs to be amended
September 30, 2019 Deadline to designate a MLRO, DMLRO, and AMLCO for Cayman Islands AML compliance
October 15, 2019 Quarterly Form PF due for large liquidity fund advisers
October 15, 2019 Annual Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Report deadline (for those who missed the April 17 deadline

Bart Mallon is a founding partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP.  Mr. Mallon can be reached directly at 415-868-5345.

Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP Announces New Partner Scott E. Kitchens

Firm Adds New Denver Office to Expand Practice

Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP, a leading boutique investment management law firm, is pleased to announce Scott Kitchens has joined the firm as a partner. He will be opening the firm’s new Denver office and will focus his practice on advising private funds and investment advisers in relation to structure, formation and ongoing operational needs. Mr. Kitchens previously worked in the investment management practice group of a large international law firm. He has deep ties to the Colorado investment management community and is committed to growing the firm’s local practice.

“I am excited to welcome Scott to the firm and build out the Denver office together” said Karl Cole-Frieman, co-founder of the firm. “We also know that Scott’s reputation in the Denver community is exceptional, and we believe Scott will propel our firm to be the leading investment fund practice in Denver.” Matthew Stover, CEO of Denver based fund administration firm MG Stover & Co. noted that “the alternative fund industry in Colorado is growing and we believe that Cole-Frieman & Mallon will be a strong addition to the community. We also know that Scott will bring great experience to the new office.”

Mr. Kitchens’ background includes notable experience with venture capital, private equity, and similar closed-end fund structures. “I am very excited to join Cole-Frieman & Mallon and launch its Denver office,” said Mr. Kitchens. “I have known the attorneys at the firm for many years and am confident that we will continue our strong expansion in the investment management space.”

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About Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP

Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP is a premier boutique investment management law firm, providing top-tier, responsive and cost-effective legal solutions for financial services matters. Headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Atlanta and Denver, Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP has an international practice that services both start-up investment managers, as well as multi-billion dollar firms. The firm provides a full complement of legal services to the investment management community, including: hedge fund, private equity fund and venture capital fund formation, adviser registration, counterparty documentation, SEC, CFTC, NFA and FINRA matters, seed deals, hedge fund due diligence, employment and compensation matters, and routine business matters. Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP is also a recognized leader in the burgeoning cryptocurrency fund formation space. The firm publishes the prominent Hedge Fund Law Blog which focuses on legal issues that impact the hedge fund community. For more information please visit us at: colefrieman.com.

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Bart Mallon is a founding partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP and the founder/editor of the Hedge Fund Law Blog.  Mr. Mallon directly at 415-868-5345.

Cole-Frieman & Mallon 2019 First Quarter Update

Below is our quarterly newsletter. If you would like to be added to our distribution list, please contact us.

Clients, Friends, Associates:

The first quarter of each year is typically a busy time for both investment managers and services providers.  The first quarter of 2019 was no exception.  Now that many of the filing deadlines have passed, and audit work should be completed (or nearly so), we enter the second quarter of 2019 with regulatory changes and developments on the horizon.  Below is a brief overview of some items that we hope will help you stay on top of the business and regulatory landscape in the coming months.

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SEC Matters

SEC Publishes Examination Priorities for 2019.  On December 20, 2018, the SEC announced its Examination Priorities for this year.  In 2019, the SEC intends to place emphasis on matters concerning digital assets, cybersecurity, and matters of importance to retail investors, including fees, expenses, and conflicts of interest.  Specifically, the SEC will focus on (i) compliance and risks in critical market infrastructure; (ii) retail investors, including seniors and those saving for retirement; (iii) FINRA and MSRB; (iv) cybersecurity; and (v) anti-money laundering programs.  We recommend speaking with your compliance firm to ensure your books and records as well as operations are in compliance with the securities rules.

SEC Adopts Final Rules Allowing Exchange Act Reporting Companies to Use Regulation A.  Regulation A provides an exemption from registration under the Securities Act for offerings of securities up to $50 million within a 12-month period.  On December 19, 2018, the SEC amended Regulation A to enable companies that are subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange to use Regulation A.  The amendments also permit such reporting companies to meet their Regulation A ongoing reporting obligations through their Securities Exchange Act reports.

SEC Proposes Rule Changes for Fund of Fund Arrangements.  On December 19, 2018, the SEC voted to propose a new rule and related amendments designed to streamline and enhance the regulatory framework for fund of fund arrangements.  The SEC’s proposal would allow a fund to acquire the shares of another fund in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment Company Act without obtaining an individual exemptive order from the SEC.  To rely on the rule, funds must comply with conditions designed to enhance investor protection, including conditions restricting the ability of funds to improperly influence other funds, charge excessive fees, or create overly complex fund of fund structures.

SEC Takes Action Against Robo-Advisers.  On December 21, 2018, the SEC settled proceedings against two robo-advisers for making false statements about investment products and publishing misleading advertising.  The proceedings were the SEC’s first enforcement actions against robo-advisers, which provide automated, software-based portfolio management services.

SEC Opens Registration in Compliance Outreach Seminar. The SEC will be sponsoring a seminar on May 16, 2019 as part of its compliance outreach program. The program seeks to aid chief compliance officers and other investment adviser or investment company personnel in the development of their compliance programs. The seminar will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the topics include 2019 exam and enforcement priorities, common deficiencies, cybersecurity, and what to expect in an examination. Those interested in attending the seminar may register here.

CFTC Matters 

CFTC Releases a Primer about Smart Contracts. On December 11, 2018, LabCFTC, the CFTC’s hub for engagements with the FinTech innovation community, released a primer to help explain smart contract technology and related risks and challenges. The primer looks to provide a definition for smart contracts by looking at smart contract history, characteristics, and potential application in daily life.

NFA Adopts Proficiency Requirements for Swap-Related Associated Persons. On March 25, 2019, the NFA adopted an interpretive notice regarding its amendments to NFA Bylaw 301 and NFA Compliance Rule 2-24 which will implement changes to the NFA’s Swaps Proficiency Requirements. These new rules will go into effect on January 1, 2020 and will require all Associated Persons who engage in, or supervise activities involving, swaps at futures commission merchants, introducing brokers, commodity pool operators, commodity trading advisers, swap dealers, and major swap participants to take and pass a proficiency exam. The exam tests both market knowledge and knowledge of regulatory requirements, and there is no grandfathering provision within the new requirements. The new rules provide for two tracks of testing: the Long Track for swap dealers and the Short Track for all others. The NFA’s Swaps Proficiency Requirements must be completed by January 31, 2021.

NFA Amends its Interpretive Notice on Information Systems Security Programs. In March 2016, the NFA issued an interpretive notice requiring each member to adopt a written information systems security program (ISSP) to combat and effectively respond to unauthorized access of their information technology systems. On January 7, 2019, the NFA announced that it amended the notice to provide more clarification on ISSP approval and the corresponding training requirements for members. Additionally, the amended notice now requires NFA members (other than FCMs) to notify the NFA when certain cybersecurity incidents occur. The amendments to the March 2016 notice became effective April 1, 2019.

NFA Adopts Interpretive Notice Regarding CPO Internal Controls Systems. On April 1, 2019 the NFA adopted an interpretive notice applicable to CPO NFA members that have the ability to control customer funds. The notice specifically requires these CPO NFA members to implement an internal controls framework meant to protect customer funds and provide reasonable assurance that the CPO is in compliance with all CFTC and NFA rules, especially rules regarding maintenance of books and records for each commodity pool.

CFTC Announces 2019 Examination Priorities. On February 12, 2019, the CFTC announced its 2019 examination priorities–the first time the CFTC has done so in its history. In the announcement, the Division of Market Oversight (DMO), the Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight, and the Division of Clearing and Risk each summarized their respective priorities. Of note, one of the DMO’s 2019 priorities include cryptocurrency surveillance practices.

Digital Asset Matters

SEC Commissioner Discusses Regulatory Considerations Concerning Digital Assets.  On February 8, 2019, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce provided remarks concerning regulation and innovation.  Commissioner Peirce stated that digital asset tokens sold for use in a functioning network, rather than as investment contracts, fall outside the definition of securities.  Commissioner Peirce also acknowledged the uncertainty of the regulatory environment concerning digital assets as well as the novel challenges presented by digital asset trading platforms.  Additionally, Commissioner Peirce suggested that there will be further development of the digital asset regulatory environment in 2019.

SEC Issues a Public Statement on Digital Assets as Investment Contracts. On April 3, 2019, the SEC released a public statement discussing whether digital assets are considered securities by virtue of being offered and sold as investment contracts. The public statement references both a published framework of analysis by FinHub and a response to a no-action request by the Division of Corporation Finance. FinHub’s published framework identifies the relevant factors in determining whether a digital asset is offered or sold as an investment contract. Further, the no-action letter demonstrates the type of digital asset that the Division of Corporation Finance would not consider an investment contact or, accordingly, a security.

District Court Reconsiders Previous Ruling, Grants SEC Preliminary Injunction.  Last November, in what was seen as a victory for ICO issuers, a District Court denied the SEC’s attempt to obtain a preliminary injunction against a digital asset company, holding that the SEC failed to prove the company’s token was a security.  On February 14, 2019, the District Court reversed its position and granted a preliminary injunction to the SEC, holding that the contents of the company’s website, whitepaper, and social media posts concerning the company’s ICO constituted an offer of securities.

CFTC is Seeking Comments on Digital Asset Mechanics and Markets.  On December 11, 2018, the CFTC announced it is seeking public comment and feedback to better inform the CFTC’s understanding of the underlying technology, opportunities, risks, mechanics, use cases, and markets for virtual currencies beyond Bitcoin, namely Ether and its use on the Ethereum Network.  The CFTC is seeking to understand the similarities and distinctions between Ether and Bitcoin, as well as Ether-specific opportunities, challenges, and risks.

ICO Issuer Settles Unregistered ICO Charges After Self-Reporting to the SEC. On February 20, 2019, the SEC announced a settlement regarding an unregistered ICO by a company that raised over $12 million in digital assets in late 2017 to finance its operations. In the summer of 2018, the company self-reported to the SEC and cooperated with the SEC’s investigation. The SEC stated that it did not impose a penalty on the company because the company self-reported, agreed to compensate investors, and will register the tokens in compliance with securities laws.

Although the company conducted an ICO after the SEC released the DAO Report on July 25, 2017, the SEC’s decision to forgo fining the company suggests the SEC’s approach to the digital asset space is to focus on fraudulent conduct rather than stifling innovation in the space.

Nasdaq Offers Bitcoin and Ethereum Liquid Indices.  As of February 25, 2019, Nasdaq is offering spot Bitcoin and Ethereum indices, quoted in USD, based on real-time prices.  This move by Nasdaq, which lists over 3,300 companies and carries out approximately 1.8 billion trades per day, could serve as a step towards mainstream adoption of digital assets.

Florida Court Rules Direct Sales of Bitcoin Constituted Money Transmission.  On January 30, 2019, the Third District Court of Appeals in Florida held that an individual’s sale of Bitcoin for cash constituted money transmission and the sale of a payment instrument.  The Court held that since the seller was not licensed to act as a money services business, he could be charged with engaging in unlawful money transmitter services in connection with sales of Bitcoin for cash.

JPMorgan Creates Digital Asset Payment Coin.  On February 14, 2019, JPMorgan announced that it is the first U.S. bank to create and successfully test a digital coin representing a fiat currency, JPM Coin.  JPMorgan claims the JPM Coin will be used to make instantaneous payments using blockchain technology.  While JPMorgan claims that the JPM Coin is designed for institutional use and not for public investment, the company hopes to further develop JPM Coin’s utility in the future.

Other Matters 

FINRA Issues Panel Decision Regarding Transaction-Based Compensation. On January 29, 2019, FINRA’s Department of Enforcement released its decision in an enforcement hearing involving transaction-based compensation. In the decision, FINRA found that the respondent violated such  rules by paying compensation to (i) an unregistered finder’s non-member, unregistered entity and (ii) non-member, unregistered entities owned by its brokers. Additionally, FINRA held that the respondent failed to reasonably supervise its business and had inadequate written supervisory procedures that neither prevented nor detected deficiencies.

Atlanta Panel.  On April 24, 2019, Cole-Frieman & Mallon will be co-hosting a panel with Harneys and Trident Fund Services at Atlanta Tech Village.  The panel will cover developing topics in the investment management space including developments in the digital asset space, the rise of cannabis, and qualified opportunity zone funds.

Qualified Opportunity Zones.  This continues to be a hot topic:

Qualified Opportunity Fund Panel.  In February, Cole-Frieman & Mallon and Anderson Tax hosted a panel regarding qualified opportunity zone funds.  The panel addressed the tax and legal considerations that investment managers and investors should be aware of when creating or investing in a qualified opportunity zone fund.

IRS Holds a Public Hearing on Qualified Opportunity Funds.  On February 14, 2019, the IRS held a public hearing seeking input related to the first round of proposed rulemaking it issued in October 2018.  In the next round of proposed rules, the IRS is expected to provide (i) clarity on the definition of qualified opportunity zone business; (ii) data reporting requirements; (iii) clarity on interactions with other tax incentives; and (iv) guidance on interim gain reinvestment.  Further rule clarifications are expected in Spring 2019.

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Compliance Calendar.

 

Please note the following important dates as you plan your regulatory compliance timeline for the coming months:

Deadline Filing
March 31, 2019 Deadline to update and file Form ADV Parts 1 & 2
April 10, 2019 Amendment to Form 13H due if necessary
April 15, 2019 1st Quarter 2019 Form PF filing for quarterly filers (Large Liquidity Fund Advisers)
April 30, 2019 Collect quarterly reports from access persons for their personal securities transactions
April 30, 2019 Distribute code of ethics and compliance manuals to employees.  Require acknowledgement form to be executed in connection with such delivery
April 30, 2019 Annual Privacy Notice sent to all clients or fund investors (for Advisers with Fiscal Year ending December 31)
April 30, 2019 Distribute audited financial statements to private fund investors that have not invested in fund of funds
April 30, 2019 Distribute Form ADV Part 2 to clients
April 30, 2019 Quarterly NAV Report (registered commodity pool operators claiming the 4.7 exemption)
April 30, 2019 Annual Form PF due date for annual filers (Large Private Equity Fund Advisers and Smaller Private Fund Advisers)
May 15, 2019 Quarterly Commodity Trading Advisor Form PR filing
May 15, 2019 File Form 13F for first quarter 2019
May 31, 2019 First deadline for Cayman Islands Financial Institutions to submit their CRS returns to the Cayman Islands Tax Authority
May 31, 2019 Third reporting deadline (full reporting) for Cayman Islands Financial Institutions with reporting obligations under the Cayman FATCA regulatory framework to report their U.S. Reportable Accounts to the Cayman Islands Tax Authority
June 29, 2019 Distribute audited financial statements to private fund investors that have invested in fund of funds
Variable Distribute copies of K-1 to fund investors
Periodic Filings Form D and Blue Sky filings should be current

Bart Mallon is a founding partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP.  Mr. Mallon can be reached directly at 415-868-5345.

Cole-Frieman & Mallon 2018 End of Year Update

Below is our quarterly newsletter. If you would like to be added to our distribution list, please contact us.

Clients, Friends, Associates:

As we prepare for a new year, we also reflect on an eventful 2018 that included developments impacting both traditional hedge fund managers as well as those in the digital asset space. Regardless of these developments, year-end administrative upkeep and 2019 planning are always particularly important, especially for general counsels, Chief Compliance Officers (“CCOs”), and key operations personnel. As we head into 2019, we have put together this checklist and update to help managers stay on top of the business and regulatory landscape for the coming year.

This update includes the following:

  • Annual Compliance & Other Items
  • Annual Fund Matters
  • Annual Management Company Matters
  • Regulatory & Other Items from 2018 Compliance Calendar

We are also delighted to announce that effective December 22, 2018 our growing San Francisco team will complete their move to expanded premises at 255 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94111.

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Annual Compliance & Other Items

Annual Privacy Policy Notice. On an annual basis, registered investment advisers (“RIAs”) are required to provide natural person clients with a copy of the firm’s privacy policy if (i) the RIA has disclosed nonpublic personal information other than in the connection with servicing consumer accounts or administering financial products; or (ii) the firm’s privacy policy has changed. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) has provided a model form and accompanying instructions for firm privacy policies.

Annual Compliance Review. On an annual basis, the CCO of an RIA must conduct a review of the adviser’s compliance policies and procedures. This review should be in writing and presented to senior management. We recommend that firms discuss the annual review with their outside counsel or compliance firm, who can provide guidance about the review process as well as a template for the assessment and documentation. Conversations regarding the annual review may raise sensitive matters, and advisers should ensure that these discussions are protected by attorney-client privilege. CCOs may also want to consider additions to the compliance program. Advisers that are not registered may still wish to review their procedures and/or implement a compliance program as a best practice.

Form ADV Annual Amendment. RIAs or managers filing as exempt reporting advisers (“ERAs”) with the SEC or a state securities authority must file an annual amendment to Form ADV within 90 days of the end of their fiscal year. For most managers, the Form ADV amendment will be due on March 31, 2019. This year, because March 31st falls on a Sunday, we recommend filing annual amendments to the Form ADV on Friday, March 29, 2019, and no later than the first business day following the 90-day deadline (Monday, April 1, 2019). RIAs must provide a copy of the updated Form ADV Part 2A brochure and Part 2B brochure supplement (or a summary of changes with an offer to provide the complete brochure) to each “client”. For SEC RIAs to private investment vehicles, a “client” for these purposes means the vehicle(s) managed by the adviser and not the underlying investors. State-registered advisers need to examine their state’s rules to determine who constitutes a “client”.

Switching to/from SEC Regulation.

SEC RIAs. Managers who no longer qualify for SEC registration as of the time of filing the annual Form ADV amendment must withdraw from SEC registration within 180 days after the end of their fiscal year (June 29, 2019 for most managers) by filing a Form ADV-W. Such managers should consult with legal counsel to determine whether they are required to register or file an exemption from registration in the states in which they conduct business.

ERAs. Managers who no longer meet the definition of an ERA will need to apply for registration with the SEC or the relevant state securities authority, if necessary. Managers who are required to register with the SEC as of the date of their annual amendment must register with the SEC within 90 days of filing the annual amendment (June 29, 2019 for most managers, assuming the annual amendment is filed on March 31, 2019).

Custody Rule and Annual Audits.

SEC RIAs. SEC RIAs must comply with certain custody procedures, including (i) maintaining client funds and securities with a qualified custodian; (ii) having a reasonable basis to believe that the qualified custodian sends an account statement to each advisory client at least quarterly; and (iii) undergoing an annual surprise examination conducted by an independent public accountant. SEC RIAs to pooled investment vehicles may avoid both the quarterly statement and surprise examination requirements by having audited financial statements prepared for each pooled investment vehicle in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles by an independent public accountant registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“Auditor”). Statements must be sent to investors in the fund within 120 days after the fund’s fiscal year end. Managers should review their custody procedures to ensure compliance with these rules.

California RIAs. California RIAs (“CA RIAs”) that manage pooled investment vehicles and are deemed to have custody of client assets are also subject to independent party and surprise examinations. However, similarly to SEC RIAs, CA RIAs can avoid these additional requirements by engaging an Auditor to prepare and distribute audited financial statements to all investors of the fund, and to the Commissioner of the California Department of Business Oversight (“DBO”). Those CA RIAs that do not engage an auditor must, among other things, (i) provide notice of such custody on the Form ADV; (ii) maintain client assets with a qualified custodian; (iii) engage an independent party to act in the best interest of investors to review fees, expenses, and withdrawals; and (iv) retain an independent certified public accountant to conduct surprise examinations of client assets.

Other State RIAs. Advisers registered in other states should consult with legal counsel about those states’ custody requirements.

ERAs. Each state has its own requirements for ERAs. CA ERAs must undergo an annual audit and provide the audit to their investors within 120 days after the end of their fiscal year (April 30, 2019 for most managers).

California Minimum Net Worth Requirement and Financial Reports.

RIAs with Custody. Every CA RIA that has custody of client funds or securities must maintain at all times a minimum net worth of $35,000, however, the minimum net worth is $10,000 for a CA RIA (i) deemed to have custody solely because it acts as general partner of a limited partnership, or a comparable position for another type of pooled investment vehicle; and (ii) that otherwise complies with the California custody rule described above (such advisers, “GP RIAs”).

RIAs with Discretion. Every CA RIA that has discretionary authority over client funds or securities, whether or not they have custody, must maintain at all times a net worth of at least $10,000, and preferably $12,000 to avoid certain reporting requirements.

Financial Reports. Every CA RIA that either has custody of, or discretionary authority over, client funds or securities must file an annual financial report with the DBO within 90 days after the adviser’s fiscal year end. The annual financial report must contain a balance sheet, income statement, supporting schedule, and verification form. These financial statements must be audited by an independent certified public accountant or independent public accountant if the adviser has custody of client assets.

Annual Re-Certification of CFTC Exemptions. Commodity pool operators (“CPOs”) and commodity trading advisers (“CTAs”) currently relying on certain exemptions from registration with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) are required to re-certify their eligibility within 60 days of the calendar year end. Such CPOs and CTAs will need to evaluate whether they remain eligible to rely on such exemptions.

CPO and CTA Annual Updates. Registered CPOs and CTAs must prepare and file Annual Questionnaires and Annual Registration Updates with the National Futures Association (“NFA”), as well as submit payment for annual maintenance fees and NFA membership dues. Registered CPOs must also prepare and file their fourth quarter report for each commodity pool on Form CPO-PQR, while CTAs must file their fourth quarter report on Form CTA-PR. For more information on Form CPO-PQR, please see our earlier  post. Unless eligible to claim relief under Regulation 4.7, registered CPOs and CTAs must update their disclosure documents periodically, as they may not use any document dated more than 12 months prior to the date of its intended use. Disclosure documents that are materially inaccurate or incomplete must be corrected promptly, and the corrected version must be distributed promptly to pool participants. Any amended disclosure documents must also be approved by the NFA.

Trade Errors. Managers should make sure that all trade errors are properly addressed pursuant to the manager’s trade errors policies by the end of the year. Documentation of trade errors should be finalized, and if the manager is required to reimburse any of its funds or other clients, it should do so by year end.

Soft Dollars. Managers that participate in soft dollar programs should address any commission balances from the previous year.

Schedule 13G/D and Section 16 Filings. Managers who exercise investment discretion over accounts (including funds and separately managed accounts (“SMAs”)) that are beneficial owners of 5% or more of a registered voting equity security must report these positions on Schedule 13D or 13G. Passive investors are generally eligible to file the short form Schedule 13G, which is updated annually within 45 days of the end of the year. Schedule 13D is required when a manager is ineligible to file Schedule 13G and is due 10 days after acquisition of more than 5% beneficial ownership of a registered voting equity security.

For managers who are also making Section 16 filings, this is an opportune time to review your filings to confirm compliance and anticipate needs for the first quarter. Section 16 filings are required for “corporate insiders” (including beneficial owners of 10% or more of a registered voting equity security). An initial Form 3 is due within 10 days after becoming an “insider”; Form 4 reports ownership changes and is due by the end of the second business day after an ownership change; and Form 5 reports any transactions that should have been reported earlier on a Form 4 or were eligible for deferred reporting and is due within 45 days after the end of each fiscal year.

Form 13F. A manager must file a Form 13F if it exercises investment discretion with respect to $100 million or more in certain “Section 13F securities” within 45 days after the end of the year in which the manager reaches the $100 million filing threshold. The SEC lists the securities subject to 13F reporting on its website.

Form 13H. Managers who meet the SEC’s large trader thresholds (in general, managers whose transactions in exchange-listed securities equal or exceed two million shares or $20 million during any calendar day, or 20 million shares or $200 million during any calendar month) are required to file an initial Form 13H with the SEC within 10 days of crossing the threshold. Large traders also need to amend Form 13H annually within 45 days of the end of the year. In addition, changes to the information on Form 13H will require interim amendments following the calendar quarter in which the change occurred.

Form PF. Managers to private funds that are either registered with the SEC or required to be registered with the SEC and who have at least $150 million in regulatory assets under management (“RAUM”) must file Form PF. Smaller private advisers (fund managers with less than $1.5 billion in RAUM) must file Form PF annually within 120 days of their fiscal year-end. Larger private advisers (fund managers with $1.5 billion or more in RAUM) must file Form PF within 60 days of the end of each fiscal quarter.

Form MA. Investment advisers that provide advice on municipal financial products are considered “municipal advisers” by the SEC, and must file a Form MA annually, within 90 days of their fiscal year end.

SEC Form D. Form D filings for most funds need to be amended on at least an annual basis, on or before the anniversary of the most recently filed Form D. Copies of Form D are publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR website.

Blue Sky Filings. On an annual basis, fund managers should review their blue sky filings for each state to make sure it has met any initial and renewal filing requirements. Several states impose late fees or reject late filings altogether. Accordingly, it is critical to stay on top of filing deadlines for both new investors and renewals. We also recommend that managers review blue sky filing submission requirements. Many states now permit blue sky filings to be filed electronically through the  Electronic Filing Depository (“EFD”) system, and certain states will now only accept filings through EFD.

IARD Annual Fees. Preliminary annual renewal fees for state-registered advisers, SEC RIAs, and ERAs (that are required to file a Form ADV) are due on December 17, 2018. If you have not already done so, you should submit full payment into your Renewal Account by E-Bill, check, or wire as soon as possible.

Pay-to-Play and Lobbyist Rules. SEC rules disqualify investment advisers, their key personnel, and placement agents acting on their behalf, from seeking to be engaged by a governmental client if they have made certain political contributions. State and local governments have similar rules, including California, which requires internal sales professionals who meet the definition of “placement agents” (people who act for compensation as finders, solicitors, marketers, consultants, brokers, or other intermediaries in connection with offering or selling investment advisory services to a state public retirement system in California) to register with the state as lobbyists and comply with California lobbyist reporting and regulatory requirements. Note that managers offering or selling investment advisory services to local government entities must register as lobbyists in the applicable cities and counties. State laws on lobbyist registration differ widely, so managers should carefully review reporting requirements in the states in which they operate to make sure they are in compliance with the relevant rules.

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Annual Fund Matters

New Issue Status. On an annual basis, managers need to confirm or reconfirm the eligibility of investors that participate in initial public offerings or new issues, pursuant to Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) Rules 5130 and 5131. Most managers reconfirm investor eligibility via negative confirmation (i.e. investors are informed of their status on file with the manager and are asked to inform the manager of any changes), whereby an investor’s failure to respond operates as consent affirmation of the current status.

ERISA Status. Given the significant problems that can occur from not properly tracking ERISA investors in private funds, we recommend that managers confirm or reconfirm on an annual basis the ERISA status of their investors. This is particularly important for managers that track the underlying percentage of ERISA funds for each investor, with respect to each class of interests in a pooled investment vehicle.

Wash Sales. Managers should carefully manage wash sales for year end. Failure to do so could result in book/tax differences for investors. Certain dealers can provide managers with swap strategies to manage wash sales, including basket total return swaps and split strike forward conversions. These strategies should be considered carefully to make sure they are consistent with the investment objectives of the fund.

Redemption Management. Managers with significant redemptions at the end of the year should carefully manage unwinding positions so as to minimize transaction costs in the current year (that could impact performance) and prevent transaction costs from impacting remaining investors in the next year. When closing funds or managed accounts, managers should pay careful attention to the liquidation procedures in the fund constituent documents and the managed account agreement.

NAV Triggers and Waivers. Managers should promptly seek waivers of any applicable termination events set forth in a fund’s ISDA or other counterparty agreement that may be triggered by redemptions, performance, or a combination of both at the end of the year (NAV declines are common counterparty agreement termination events).

Fund Expenses. Managers should wrap up all fund expenses for 2018 if they have not already done so. In particular, managers should contact their outside legal counsel to obtain accurate and up-to-date information about legal expenses for inclusion in the NAV for year-end performance.

Electronic Schedule K-1s. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) authorizes partnerships and limited liability companies taxed as partnerships to issue Schedule K-1s to investors solely by electronic means, provided the partnership or company has received the investor’s affirmative consent. States may have different rules regarding electronic K-1s and partnerships and companies should check with their counsel whether they may still be required to send state K-1s on paper. Partnerships and companies must also provide each investor with specific disclosures that include a description of the hardware and software necessary to access the electronic K-1s, the length of time that the consent is effective, and the procedures for withdrawing the consent. If you would like to send K-1s to your investors electronically, you should discuss your options with your service providers.

“Bad Actor” Recertification Requirement. A security offering cannot rely on the Rule 506 safe harbor from SEC registration if the issuer or its “covered persons” are “bad actors”. Fund managers, and their applicable officers and directors, must determine whether they are subject to the bad actor disqualification any time they are offering or selling securities in reliance on Rule 506. The SEC has advised that an issuer may reasonably rely on a covered person’s agreement to provide notice of a potential or actual bad actor triggering event pursuant to contractual covenants, bylaw requirements, or undertakings in a questionnaire or certification. If an offering is continuous, delayed, or long-lived, however, issuers must update their factual inquiry periodically through bring-down of representations, questionnaires, and certifications, negative consent letters, periodic re-checking of public databases, and other steps, depending on the circumstances. Fund managers should consult with counsel to determine how frequently such an update is required. As a matter of practice, most fund managers should perform such update at least annually.

U.S. FATCA. Funds should monitor their compliance with the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”). FATCA reports are due to the IRS on March 31, 2019 or September 30, 2019, depending on where the fund is domiciled. Reports may be required by an earlier date for jurisdictions that are parties to intergovernmental agreements (“IGAs”) with the U.S. Additionally, the U.S. may require that reports be submitted through the appropriate local tax authority in the applicable IGA jurisdiction, rather than the IRS. Given the varying FATCA requirements applicable to different jurisdictions, managers should review and confirm the specific reporting requirements that may apply. As a reminder, we strongly encourage managers to file the required reports and notifications, even if they already missed previous deadlines. Applicable jurisdictions may be increasing enforcement and monitoring of FATCA reporting and imposing penalties for each day late.

CRS. Funds should also monitor their compliance with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Common Reporting Standard (“CRS”). All “Financial Institutions” in the Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands are required to register with the respective jurisdiction’s Tax Information Authority and submit returns to the applicable CRS reporting system by May 31, 2019. Managers to funds domiciled in other jurisdictions should also confirm whether any CRS reporting will be required in such jurisdictions. CRS reporting must be completed with the CRS XML v1.0 or a manual entry form on the Automatic Exchange of Information portal. We recommend managers contact their tax advisors to stay informed of FATCA and CRS requirements and avoid potential penalties.

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Annual Management Company Matters

Management Company Expenses. Managers who distribute profits on an annual basis should attempt to address management company expenses in the year they are incurred. If ownership or profit percentages are adjusted at the end of the year, a failure to manage expenses could significantly impact the economics of the partnership or the management company.

Employee Reviews. An effective annual review process is important to reduce the risk of employment-related litigation and protect the management company in the event of such litigation. Moreover, it is an opportunity to provide context for bonuses, compensation adjustments, employee goals, and other employee-related matters at the firm. It is not too late to put an annual review process in place.

Compensation Planning. In the fund industry, and the financial services industry in general, the end of the year is the appropriate time to make adjustments to compensation programs. Since much of a manager’s revenue is tied to annual income from incentive fees, any changes to the management company structure, affiliated partnerships, or any shadow equity programs should be effective on the first of the year. Make sure that partnership agreements and operating agreements are appropriately updated to reflect such changes.

Insurance. If a manager carries Directors & Officers or other liability insurance, the policy should be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that the manager has provided notice to the carrier of all actual and potential claims. Newly launched funds should also be added to the policy as appropriate.

Other Tax Considerations. Fund managers should assess their overall tax position and consider several steps to optimize tax liability. Managers should also be aware of self-employment taxes, which can potentially be minimized by structuring the investment manager as a limited partnership. Managers can take several steps to optimize their tax liability, including: (i) changing the incentive fee to an incentive allocation; (ii) use of stock-settled stock appreciation rights; (iii) if appropriate, terminating swaps and realizing net losses; (iv) making a Section 481(a) election under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); (v) making a Section 475 election under the Code; and (vi) making charitable contributions. Managers should consult legal and tax professionals to evaluate these options.

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Regulatory & Other Items from 2018

SEC Updates.

SEC Annual Enforcement Report. On November 2, 2018, the SEC Division of Enforcement published its Annual Report, which highlighted enforcement efforts protecting “main street investors” through initiatives such as the newly-created SEC Retail Strategy Task Force, disclosures of 12b-1 marketing and distribution fees by mutual funds, required cybersecurity disclosures by public companies, and enforcement efforts regarding Initial Coin Offerings (“ICOs”) and digital assets. In 2018, the SEC brought a total of 821 enforcement actions and obtained monetary judgements totaling $3.95 billion, both of which were increases from 2017 figures.

CFTC and NFA Updates.

NFA Develops New Swaps Proficiency Program and Exam. On June 5, 2018, the NFA  announced  the creation of a new online proficiency and exam program for swaps. The online program and exam are expected to launch in early 2020, and any associated persons engaging in swaps activities will be required to pass the program and exam. Previously, training and examinations had only been required for associated persons engaging in futures or forex activities.

Digital Asset Updates.

SEC Settles Charges Against Digital Asset Hedge Fund Management Company. On December 7, 2018, the SEC settled charges against the management company of a digital asset hedge fund for alleged violations of the general solicitation rules. In the settlement agreement, the SEC alleged that the management company violated the general solicitation rules because they did not have substantive and pre-existing relationships with all investors in their fund, offered securities over a website that was accessible to the general public without a password, failed to take reasonable steps to verify accredited investor status, and engaged in general solicitation via online and in person events. In the settlement, the management company agreed to abide by a cease and desist order and to pay a $50,000 civil penalty

SEC Settles Charges Against Digital Asset Hedge Fund Manager. On September 11, 2018, the SEC announced the settlement of charges against a digital asset hedge fund and its manager. The charges included failing to register the hedge fund as an investment company, and offering and selling unregistered securities. Settlement terms included a cease and desist order against both the fund and fund manager, censure, and a $200,000 penalty. Notably, this is the first action the SEC has taken against a digital asset fund based on violations of the registration requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

SEC Emphasis on ICOs. Throughout 2018, the SEC focused much of its regulatory and enforcement efforts on ICOs. Notable developments included:

  • On February 6, 2018, SEC Chairman Jay Clayton stated at a Senate hearing, “I believe every ICO I have seen is a security”.
  • On September 11, 2018, the SEC settled charges against an ICO platform for operating as an unregistered broker-dealer.
  • On October 11, 2018 the SEC issued an Investor Alert that warned against ICOs claiming SEC approval or impersonating the SEC. Also October 11th, the SEC  obtained an emergency stop order against an ICO company for falsely claiming SEC approval. However, on November 27, 2018, a federal judge denied an SEC motion for a temporary restraining order against the ICO company, ruling that the SEC had not yet proven that the ICO was a security. Further, on October 22, the SEC obtained an order to suspended the trading of a cryptocurrency company for falsely claiming to be an SEC-qualified custodian.
  • On November 16, 2018, the SEC reached two settlements with companies for offering and selling unregistered securities through ICOs, and the companies have agreed to register the tokens from these past ICOs as securities with the SEC as part of the settlement agreements. Additionally, the SEC released a statement taking the position that the federal securities laws apply to ICOs, and that it is not too late for past ICO issuers to comply with these laws.
  • On November 29, 2018, the SEC settled two charges against celebrities for endorsing and promoting several ICOs. Both celebrities failed to disclose to investors that they had been paid to promote the ICOs. The terms of the settlements included disgorgement of profits and civil penalties of $300,000 and $100,000.

NFA Digital Asset Disclosure Rule. On July 20, 2018, the NFA released an Interpretive Notice creating new disclosure requirements for Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs), CPOs, and CTAs engaging in digital asset activities. For more information on this Interpretive Notice, please see our previous  post.

New York Attorney General Releases Report on Digital Asset Exchanges. On September 18, 2018, the Office of the Attorney General of New York (the “OAG”) released  a report summarizing a crypto exchange fact-finding initiative. Based on the digital asset exchanges examined, the OAG outlined three primary areas of concern: potential conflicts of interest, lack of anti-abuse controls, and limited customer fund protection.

SEC Settles Charges Against Founder of Digital Asset Exchange. On November 8, 2018, the SEC settled charges against the founder of a digital asset exchange. The SEC took the position that the digital asset exchange qualified as an “exchange” under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and therefore was required to register with the SEC, which it had not done. The founder agreed to settlement terms including $300,000 in disgorgement, $13,000 for pre-trial interest, and a $75,000 penalty.

Other Updates.

Second Circuit Amends Insider Trading Ruling. On June 25, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit amended its decision in United States v. Martoma, clarifying tippee liability in insider trading cases. The Second Circuit held that a “meaningfully close personal relationship” is not required for tippee liability, and once again upheld a former portfolio manager’s 2014 conviction for insider trading. For further discussion of the original 2017 decision please see our previous 2017 Third Quarter Update.

Fifth Circuit Vacates DOL Fiduciary Rule. On March 15, 2018, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a judgement vacating the Department of Labor (“DOL”) Fiduciary Rule in its entirety, finding that the DOL lacked the authority to enact the rule. The Fiduciary Rule would have expanded the definition of a “fiduciary” to include anyone making a securities or investment property “recommendation” to an employee benefit plan or retirement account. For further discussion please see our previous 2018 Second Quarter Update.

GDPR and Enhanced Data Protection Requirements Effected. On May 25, 2018, the  General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) went into effect as part of the efforts of the European Union (“EU”) to protect personal data. U.S. fund managers with EU resident investors will need to: (i) maintain records of any data processing activities; (ii) obtain EU clients’ affirmative consent to process data; and (iii) provide EU clients with access to the fund’s privacy policy. Managers that have no presence in the EU, but that also have EU resident investors, may be required to appoint an EU local representative. However, such managers may still be excluded from this requirement if they can demonstrate that their data processing is only “occasional”, does not include special categories of EU resident personal data (including criminal) on a large scale, and is unlikely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons. We believe most of our clients generally fall into this exclusion and will not need to appoint an EU representative. For more information on GDPR, including compliance items of particular note for fund managers, please see our earlier  post.

Section 3(c)(1) of the Investment Company Act Amended. President Trump authorized the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (“Growth Act”) on May 24, 2018. A portion of the Growth Act amends Section 3(c)(1) of the Investment Company Act by increasing the number of investors allowed in a qualifying venture capital fund from 100 to 250 investors. The Growth Act defines a qualifying venture capital fund as one with less than $10 million in aggregate capital contributions and uncalled committed capital.

Qualified Opportunity Zones. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act mandated that the IRS create “Qualified Opportunity Zones” (“QOZs”), which are designated low-income areas that will provide certain tax breaks and incentives. Qualified Opportunity Funds (QOFs) that make investments in QOZs may qualify for tax incentives including a tax deferral of capital gains that are re-invested into QOFs and a tax exclusion for capital gains that are reinvested into QOFs and held for ten years. On October 19, the IRS  released proposed regulations and guidance notes that provide clarification on how QOFs can receive capital gain tax deferrals if they are located in QOZs.

Offshore Updates.

The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (“CIMA”) Provides Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) Compliance Guidance and Delays the AML Officer Deadline. CIMA released a notice on April 6, 2018 providing guidance on the 2017 revisions to its AML Regulations. The notice discusses the requirement for private funds to appoint an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer (“AMCLO”), Money Laundering Reporting Officer (“MLRO”) and Deputy Money Laundering Reporting Officer (“DMLRO”), and offer guidance on compliance obligations when these duties are outsourced or delegated. Under these new CIMA requirements, investment funds that conduct business in or from the Cayman Islands must appoint individuals to these new AML officer positions. CIMA has delayed certain deadlines for funds that launched prior to June 1, 2018:

  • CIMA-Registered Cayman Funds – registered funds must have appointed the new officers by September 30, 2018, but do not need to confirm the identity of the officers via CIMA’s Regulatory Enhanced Electronic Forms Submission (“REEFS”) portal until December 31, 2018. Managers should confirm that they have appointed individuals to the AML officer positions if they have not already done so.
  • Unregistered Cayman Fund – unregistered funds do not need to appoint the new officers until December 31, 2018, and they do not need to confirm the identity of these officers via the REEFS portal.

Funds formed on or after June 1, 2018 must have appointed the officers (and confirmed such officers through REEFS for registered funds) at launch. If you have any questions, we recommend fund managers discuss AML compliance with offshore counsel and the fund’s administrator.

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Compliance Calendar

Compliance Calendar. As you plan your regulatory compliance timeline for the coming months, please keep the following dates in mind:

Deadline Filing
December 17, 2018 IARD Preliminary Renewal Statement payments due (submit early to ensure processing by deadline)
December 27, 2018 Last day to submit filings via IARD prior to year end
December 31, 2018 Review RAUM to determine 2019 investment adviser registration and Form PF filing requirements
December 31, 2018 Deadline for CIMA-registered funds formed prior to June 1, 2018 to confirm the identity of new AML officers via REEFS
January 15, 2019 Quarterly Form PF due for large liquidity fund advisers (if applicable)
January 31, 2019 “Annex IV” AIFMD filing
February 14, 2019 Registered CTAs must submit a 2018 year-end report
February 14, 2019 Quarterly Form 13F updates due
February 14, 2019 Annual Form 13H updates due
February 14, 2019 Annual Schedule 13G updates due
March 1, 2019 Deadline for re-certification of CFTC exemptions
March 1, 2019 Quarterly Form PF due for larger hedge fund advisers (if applicable)
March 1, 2019 Large-sized CPOs must submit a quarterly report (CPO-PQR)
March 31, 2019 Deadline to update and file Form ADV Parts 1, 2A & 2B
March 31, 2019 Small and mid-sized registered CPOs must submit a quarterly report (CPO-PQR) for the fourth quarter of 2018
Periodic Fund managers should perform “Bad Actor” certifications annually
Periodic Amendment due on or before anniversary date of prior Form D and blue sky filing(s), as applicable, or for material changes
Periodic CPO/CTA Annual Questionnaires must be submitted annually, and promptly upon material information changes

Bart Mallon is a founding partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP.  Mr. Mallon can be reached directly at 415-868-5345.

 

Alternative Trading Systems (ATS)

ATS Registration Overview for Digital Asset Platforms

Digital asset platforms located in the U.S. that facilitate trading and exchange of digital assets (which are deemed to be securities) are generally subject to securities laws requiring such platforms to be registered as a national securities exchange (“NSE”) or fall within an exemption from NSE registration.  One exemption from registration as an NSE allows firms to conduct a platform business if such firm is registered as an alternative trading system (“ATS”).  This requirement was first highlighted by the SEC in the DAO Report released in July 2017.  We anticipate that many digital asset platforms currently facilitating trading will continue to face scrutiny as to whether they need to be registered as NSEs or an ATS and many have already begun the process to register as an ATS.

ATS Definition & Requirement to Register

The statutory definition of an ATS is:

any organization, association, person, group of persons, or system:

(1) That constitutes, maintains, or provides a market place or facilities for bringing together purchasers and sellers of securities or for otherwise performing with respect to securities the functions commonly performed by a stock exchange within the meaning of § 240.3b-16 of this chapter; and

(2) That does not:

(i) Set rules governing the conduct of subscribers other than the conduct of such subscribers’ trading on such organization, association, person, group of persons, or system; or

(ii) Discipline subscribers other than by exclusion from trading.

As many digital asset platforms or exchanges technically fall within the ATS definition, these platforms will need to appropriately register with the SEC.  To register as an ATS, the platform will need to do the following:

  1. Register as (or buy) a broker-dealer
  2. File Form ATS
  3. Comply with Regulation ATS

1. Register as a Broker-Dealer

Registering as a broker-dealer (“BD”) is a pre-requite to becoming an ATS.  A firm may only file Form ATS with the SEC after receiving the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s (“FINRA”) approval of its broker-dealer application (or after purchase of a broker-dealer).  For platforms registering as a broker-dealer, at a high level the firm must:

  • Submit Form BD;
  • Comply with all applicable state requirements; and
  • Ensure all of its “associates persons” (BD representatives) have satisfied applicable qualification requirements.

The process to register as a new BD is well worn and relatively straight forward.  Firms applying to register as a BD will need to submit online through Form BD online and then submit a New Membership Application (“NMA”) to FINRA.  The NMA requires the firm to describe their business and compliance policies and controls in detail.  A firm will also be subject to an in-person new membership interview and will have to demonstrate how the ATS technology operates to FINRA staff.  As part of the BD process, the firm will need to become a member of at least one self-regulatory organization (“SRO”), which is likely to be FINRA, and become a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”).

If a firm is already a broker-dealer (or has a broker dealer affiliate) but is not an ATS, the firm will need to submit a Continuing Membership Application (“Form CMA”) to FINRA.  For groups registering as a de novo BD, the firm should describe those parts of its business that will include the ATS function.  As with a de novo BD, an existing BD must demonstrate to FINRA staff how the ATS technology operates.

 2. File Form ATS

After a firm has registered as a BD and has discussed the ATS platform with FINRA (to FINRA’s satisfaction), the firm will need to notify the SEC that it is operating as an ATS.  Form ATS is the official SEC notification and must be submitted at least 20 days before the firm begins to operate its platform.

Form ATS is general in scope and requires information such as:

  • Certain identification information (i.e. full name, business name, address, CRD number, etc.)
  • Firm incorporation documents as attachments
  • Description of the types of users on the platform (i.e., broker-dealer, institution, or retail) and any differences in access to services between such users
  • List of the types of securities (digital assets/tokens which are deemed to be securities) that will be traded on the platform
  • Description of how the ATS will operate
  • Description of certain ATS operational procedures (i.e., entry of orders, transaction executions, reporting transactions, compliance, etc.)

It is important to note that Form ATS is a notice filing where the SEC provides no confirmation to the ATS regarding the filing status unless the form is deficient.  When a Form ATS has been filed with the SEC, it will be listed on the SEC website which will display the platform’s full name, the name(s) under which business is conducted, and the city and state of the ATS.  The reports on Form ATS are generally not published and are considered confidential.  Such reports will only be available to the SEC staff, state securities authorities, and any SRO for examination.

3. Ongoing Compliance

An ATS will be subject to numerous compliance obligations outside.  Some of the specific ATS obligations include:

  • File Form ATS-R (which summarizes the ATS’s transactions, on a quarterly basis) within 30 calendar days after the end of each quarter.
  • Amend Form ATS at least 20 calendar days before implementing a material change to the operation of the ATS.
  • Update Form ATS within 30 calendar days after the end of each quarter to correct any inaccurate or unreported information.
  • Permit the examination and inspection of its premises, systems, and records and cooperate with the examination, inspection, or investigation of subscribers by the SEC or SRO of which such subscriber is a member.

Additional BD, FINRA, and other guidelines, regulations, and obligations include:

  • Participating in the lost and stolen securities program.
  • Complying with the fingerprinting requirement.
  • Maintaining and reporting information regarding affiliates.
  • Following certain guidelines when using electronic media to deliver information.
  • Maintaining an anti-money laundering program.
  • Complying with the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) programs.
  • Filing quarterly and annual financial statements to the SEC.

If an ATS is not in compliance with the above requirements it may be subject to steep penalties.  In addition, it is important to note that securities on a registered ATS platform may be subject to a wide range of holding periods which must be enforced for an ATS to remain in compliance.

Registration Timing

It is unclear exactly how long a particular ATS application will take to be approved – it will largely depend on the exact scope of activities the platform will be involved with.  In general a platform designed for trading of private placements (in a kind of closed system for accredited investors) would likely take anywhere from 6-12 months to become fully licensed after submitting the Form NMA.  Technically, FINRA is required to review and process a substantially complete NMA within 180 calendar days after receiving it.

Issues to Consider

There are a number of issues to consider with respect to an ATS application.

  1. Underlying Instruments – the securities on most current digital asset exchanges are unregistered securities which were originally offered outside of any sort of registration exemption. Essentially these are restricted securities and any person selling or reselling such securities are arguably violating US securities laws (for more background, please see our post on restricted securities and distribution structures).  In such a case, we are not sure how FINRA will view a platform which facilitates the trading of restricted instruments.  We have seen many token issuers over the last 6-12 months who have decided to offer their tokens/securities according to registration exemptions, including through SAFTs.  To the extent a digital asset platform only transacts with such tokens (or tokens which go through the S-1 IPO process, which we think will happen within the next 12 months), we believe it is likely that such a platform would be able to be registered with FINRA.
  2. Discussion with FINRA Regarding Trading System – we have not talked directly with FINRA about their review of ATS platforms.  Most ATS platforms were created to allow for “dark pool” trading in the traditional institutional securities space.  It is unclear if FINRA has the experience or technical understanding (currently) to deal with digital assets and applicable trading platforms.
  3. IRS Reporting Requirements – the IRS released a notice in 2014 regarding the tax treatment of virtual currency. Since then, the IRS has subjected exchanges to certain user reporting requirements.  It is unclear whether the IRS will extend these types of user reporting requirements to ATS platforms as well.
  4. FinCEN’s Money Services Businesses Requirements – the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) released guidance in March of 2013 regarding individuals who handle virtual currencies. FinCEN determined that a person engaged as a business in the exchange of virtual currency for real currency, funds, or other virtual currency (an “exchanger”) is subject to money services business (“MSB”) registration.  Although it is unclear if an ATS qualifies as a MSB, FinCEN has taken action against virtual currency exchanges that did not register with the bureau.
  5. Anti-Money Laundering and Know Your Customer Requirements – MSBs are required by the Bank Secrecy Act to have Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) and Know Your Customer (“KYC”) procedures. AML procedures are required to detect and report suspicious actives that may indicate money laundering and terrorist financing.  KYC procedures are identification verification actions taken to ensure that the user is truly who they claim to be in order to prevent fraud.
  6. State Regulations – many states have imposed their own laws regarding digital assets. In addition, each state has its own rules and regulations regarding ATS platforms that operate within the state.  Before beginning to operate an ATS, you will want to research what rules and regulations your state has imposed.

Conclusion

After the DAO report, there have been a number of recent comments from SEC officials regarding digital assets and trading platforms that show the need for the cryptocurrency industry to quickly begin the process of integrating into the traditional securities regulatory landscape.  We believe that the ATS structure will become the predominant structure for digital asset exchanges in the future.  We also believe that over the next 12-24 months, as regulators flesh out various issues, the process will become more streamlined and well worn.  A few cryptocurrency related platforms have already started the process to become an ATS, with more likely to follow.

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Bart Mallon is a founding partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP.  Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP has been instrumental in structuring the launches of some of the first digital currency-focused hedge funds and works routinely on matters affecting the digital asset industry.  Please contact Mr. Mallon directly at 415-868-5345 if you have any questions on this post.

Notes on Regulation A+

Last week members from our firm attended the inaugural Reg A Conference in New York, where various industry participants gathered to discuss Regulation A under the Securities Act of 1933 (Reg A+). The conference covered a wide range of topics on the Reg A+ landscape, including the recent shift towards utilizing Reg A+ for initial coin / security token offerings (more on this below).

As background, Reg A+ is a securities exemption created by Title IV of the JOBS Act that allows issuers to conduct securities offerings of up to (i) $20 million for Tier 1 offerings or (ii) $50 million for Tier 2 offerings on an annual basis. Reg A+ is viewed by some as a “mini-IPO” that provides small issuers with a more affordable and expedited method of publicly selling securities to retail investors throughout the United States.

Regulatory Obligations

While Reg A+ may be an attractive option for many startup and emerging companies, there are some notable eligibility restrictions. Only issuers that have a principal place of business in the United States or Canada may conduct a Reg A+ offering. Additionally, Reg A+ is not available to:

  1. Companies subject to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;
  2. Investment Companies;
  3. Business Development Companies;
  4. Blank Check Companies;
  5. Certain Bad Actors;
  6. Issuers of fractional undivided interests in oil or gas rights or a similar interest in other mineral rights; and
  7. Issuers disqualified due to filing deficiencies.

Issuers that are eligible to issue securities under Reg A+ must undergo a review process with the SEC and potentially state securities regulators. Tier 1 issuers must qualify with state securities regulators as well as the SEC. Tier 2 issuers must qualify offerings solely with the SEC, as state review is preempted for Tier 2 (although state notice filings may be required). Tier 2 issuers must also provide audited financials as part of the qualification process.

Issuers that do qualify and issue securities pursuant to Reg A+ are also required to maintain post-qualification filings. Tier 1 issuers must file a Form 1-Z after the termination of an offering, whereas Tier 2 issuers must file annual audited financials, semi-annual unaudited reports, and current reports for ongoing offerings.

Why Regulation A+?

The primary selling point of Reg A+ is that it provides an expedited path for startup and emerging companies to issue securities to retail investors. Unlike private placements under Rule 506(b) or Rule 506(c) of Regulation D, securities offered pursuant to Reg A+ are purchasable by retail investors and freely tradeable upon issuance. Furthermore, while Rule 506(b) offerings institute a prohibition on general solicitation and registered offerings enforce a quiet period, issuers offering securities pursuant to Reg A+ may freely advertise before, during, and after the qualification period (subject to certain disclosure and disclaimer requirements).

Equity offerings pursuant to Reg A+ can also be listed on a registered exchange, with many issuers opting to do so. In short, Reg A+ effectively bridges the gap between Regulation D private placements and registered securities offerings by providing issuers access to the broader retail market and exchanges without the commitment and expense of conducting a registered offering.

Application for Initial Coin Offerings

There has been much discussion of late regarding the best mechanism for digital asset issuers to conduct initial coin offerings (ICOs) that are compliant with United States securities laws. While there has been some evidence that certain digital assets—namely Bitcoin and Ethereum—are likely not securities, there is strong evidence that the SEC considers most ICOs unregistered securities offerings.

In what is seen as the SEC’s initial assertion of jurisdiction in the digital asset and cryptocurrency economy, the SEC has repeatedly stated that ICO issuers must register offers or sales of securities unless a valid exemption applies. This has led many to believe that the SEC was signaling that token offerings could be offered pursuant to existing securities rules and exemptions. This belief was further solidified when SEC Commissioner Jay Clayton plainly stated: “It is possible to conduct an ICO without triggering the SEC’s registration requirements.  For example, just as with a Regulation D exempt offering to raise capital for the manufacturing of a physical product, an initial coin offering that is a security can be structured so that it qualifies for an applicable exemption from the registration requirements.”

With these statements and policies in mind, we believe that an increasing number of token issuers will look to conduct security token offerings (STOs) pursuant to Reg A+. Currently, multiple entities are working to register with the SEC and FINRA as broker-dealers and/or alternative trading systems capable of listing STOs and brokering related transactions. If STOs gain popularity as an alternative method to raise capital and/or securitize interests in assets, Reg A+ is the natural landing spot for tokenized securities—it is the most practical exemption that allows issuers to access retail investors and list the tokenized securities on exchanges without going through a full registration.

Conclusion

Although Reg A+ has only been in existence for three years (Reg A+ became effective in June 2015), it appears to be gaining traction as a preferred method for raising capital. While it can be challenging to determine the exact amount of capital that issuers have raised due to staggered and less frequent reporting timeframes, the SEC’s Office of Small Business Policy disclosed that Reg A+ offerings raised approximately $600 million from June 2015 through September 2017. Industry professionals estimate that number is now closer to $1 billion in the three years since the establishment of Reg A+.

In March of this year, the U.S. House of Representative passed the Regulation A+ Improvement Act of 2017, which would increase the cap on Tier 2 Regulation A+ offerings to $75 million. If the legislation passes the Senate and is signed into law, the increased cap could potentially provide tailwinds for further proliferation of Reg A+ as a funding mechanism for startup and emerging companies.

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions about this post or if you believe your company could benefit from issuing equity, debt, or digital assets pursuant to Reg A+.

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Kevin Cott is a partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP.  Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP has been instrumental in structuring the launches of some of the first digital currency-focused hedge funds. For more information on this topic, please contact Mr. Cott directly at 770-674-8481.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Overview of GDPR for US Private Fund Managers

The General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) is a new set of requirements intended to strengthen the protection of citizens’ personal data as well as data movement within the European Union (“EU”).  GDPR was adopted on May 24, 2016 by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union and went into effect on May 25, 2018.  The regulation replaces Directive 95/46/EC, known as the Data Protection Directive and may apply to certain organizations (including private fund managers) in the US who work with persons in the EU.  This post is designed to give fund managers an overview of the regime and some initial items that should be considered.

What is GDPR?

GDPR sets restrictions on those who process, transfer, or monitor personal data and the procedures by which this is done.  The term “personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person.  The term generally means any information that directly or indirectly can lead to the identification number, location data, online identifier, or similar items related to the identity of a natural person (can include physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, social data, etc).   Organizations that are subject to GDPR but are not compliant can be fined the greater of €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover. GDPR requires that any personal data breach must be reported within 72 hours and justification must be given for any delays.

One of the key aspects of GDPR is that it requires organizations to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) in the following three situations: (1) if the organization is processing public data as a public authority; (2) the organization’s processing operations require regular and systematic monitoring of data subjects on a large scale; and (3) the organization has large scale processing of personal data relating to criminal convictions or special categories that reveal identity of a natural person (including physical, physiological, genetic, etc.).  Although private fund managers may not fall into any of the above categories, it is encouraged under Article 29 Data Protection Working Party (“WP29”) for organizations to appoint a DPO as part of good practice procedures and to demonstrate compliance with GDPR.

Who is regulated?

The requirements of GDPR applies to controllers (the person(s) or entity that determines the purposes and means of processing personal data) or processors (the person(s) or entity that processes personal data on the controller’s behalf) of personal data.  It also applies to the processing activities related to offering goods or services to the data subjects from the EU or monitoring behaviors that take place within the EU.

*** Practically, for private fund managers, GDPR is applicable if you have European investors in a fund or actively solicit or market to European investors.  

What are the initial steps a private fund manager should take?

Depending on the scope of activity, we believe that managers should think about implementing a full GDPR compliance program.  In the meantime, managers subject to the directive should take immediate actions:

  • Send a disclosure statement to EU investors regarding GDPR and the fund’s obligations under GDPR.
  • Attach the disclosure statement regarding GDPR to the fund subscription documents moving forward to ensure that all new investors receive it.
  • Update the fund’s offering documents with a GDPR disclosure.
  • Amend agreements with service providers who processes EU investors’ personal data on the fund’s behalf.
  • Determine whether the fund needs to establish an EU Representative.

How do you create a GDPR compliance program?

Managers with data subject to GDPR will need to take inventory of their data which is covered by the regulation and should create certain procedures and controls with respect to the data.  We believe that initial steps should include the following:

  • Create a list of all types of personal information your fund holds, the source of that information, with whom you share it, what you do with it and how long you will keep it.
  • Create a list of places where your fund keeps personal information and the ways data flows between them.
  • Create a publicly accessible privacy policy, which includes a lawful basis to explain why the fund needs to process personal information, that outlines all processes related to personal data.
  • Appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) if necessary.
  • Create awareness among decision makers about GDPR guidelines.
  • Review and/or update the fund’s security technology that is used to process personal data (i.e. firewalls, security verification tools, etc.).
  • Update e-mail security to reduce the risk of phishing and other attacks on protected information.
  • Create a compliance program that includes staff training on data protection items.
  • Create a list of third parties that process personal data for you and update your privacy policy to disclose your use of these third parties.
  • Put a contract in place with any data processors with whom you share data containing explicit instructions for the storage or processing of data by the processor.

Conclusion

Managers should begin this process of exploring the impact of GDPR on their operations immediately if they have not already done so.  Managers should also consult with offshore counsel, compliance consultants, and/or GDPR specialists for guidance on how to best comply with GDPR to meet the fund’s particular needs.  GDPR has radically changed how personal data is processed in the EU and abroad.  The sooner a manager enacts GDPR compliant policies, the sooner the manager can cater to EU citizens and the less likely it will be subject to penalties.

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Bart Mallon is a founding partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP.  Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP has is a leader in the hedge fund space and routinely works with managers on legal, regulatory and compliance issues. If there are any questions on this post, please contact Mr. Mallon directly at 415-868-5345.

CoinAlts Fund Symposium East – New York, April 19th

Cryptocurrency Fund Conference Sponsored by Cole-Frieman & Mallon

As we have recently announced in our firm’s first quarter legal update, we are one of the founding sponsors of the second CoinAlts Fund Symposium which will be held in Midtown Manhattan on April 19th.  The agenda for the day is as follows:

  • Opening Remarks by Cory Johnson of Ripple
  • Legal & Regulatory Panel featuring Bart Mallon (moderator) and Karl Cole-Frieman (panelist)
  • Industry Keynote by Mark Yusko of Morgan Creek Capital Management
  • Featured Keynote by John Burbank of Passport Capital
  • Best Practices in Tax, Accounting and Operations
  • Trading & Execution in Digital Assets
  • Allocators to Digital Asset Funds
  • Cryptocurrency Trends and Innovations featuring Laura Shin (moderator) and Marco Santori (panelist)

The event is preceeded by a networking event for women in the blockchain/digital asset space on Wednesday evening sponsored by CoinAlts and Circle.  Attendance at the main event is expected at around 400 people and will include digital asset managers, investors, students and service providers.

For more information on the event please see the CoinAlts East press release.

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For more information on this topics related to the digital asset space, please see our collection of cryptocurrency fund legal and operational posts.

Bart Mallon is a founding partner of Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP.  Cole-Frieman & Mallon LLP has been instrumental in structuring the launches of some of the first cryptocurrency focused hedge funds. If there are any questions on this post, please contact Mr. Mallon directly at 415-868-5345.