Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
Aug 11, 2018

Heated Discussions about Crypto at the SEC

A transcript from a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) roundtable in June highlighted an example of the passionate discussions around cryptocurrencies within the agency. Eric Werner, associate director of enforcement for the SEC’s Fort Worth regional office, introduced Jay Clayton, SEC Chairman, with a story about the first time he met the chairman, who was engaged in a “heated discussion about the legitimacy and viability of cryptocurrencies” with an attorney.

“I was taken aback, honestly, about how much thought he had given to this space and the issues surrounding that,” said Werner. “What I have learned in the time working with him is that he has given every single issue that he has confronted that same dedication and thought process."

Clayton’s commitment to discussing cutting-edge topics like cryptocurrency is a positive sign to enthusiasts as lawmakers grapple with how to approach the technology. Regulation has been a key talking point since 2017’s boom prompted governments around the world to address the issue, and consensus has been hard to come by.

The SEC is one of several US regulatory bodies looking at the industry. At a February hearing, Clayton offered testimony on what can and should be regulated, as well as the logistics of doing so, and presented their thoughts on the future of blockchain and cryptocurrency markets. They focused on three main pillars of the cryptocurrency ecosystem – cryptocurrencies as “a replacement for dollars;” ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings) functioning “like a stock offering;” and distributed ledger technologies, or blockchain. Clayton struck a solemn tone at the time as he detailed his concerns about ICO fraud and protecting ‘Main Street’ investors.

ICOs have drawn the most scrutiny from the SEC – Clayton rarely hesitates to express his belief that every ICO he has seen qualifies as a security. But he has also made clear that there is a delineation between ICOs and cryptocurrencies, and that they should be treated as separate entities. “I want to go back to separating ICOs and cryptocurrencies,” said Clayton in the February hearing. “ICOs that are securities offerings, we should regulate them like we regulate securities offerings. End of story.”

It remains to be seen how future regulations shake out. The lack of a concrete framework can cause difficulties for companies plotting a course of action. Recent reports detailing the SEC’s greenlighting of prominent exchange Coinbase’s purchase of three security dealers – a precursor to offering securities tokens on the service – were revised after Coinbase clarified they had “discussed aspects of proposed operations…on an informal basis with several members of SEC staff.” A representative for the SEC also confirmed that the agency did not give Coinbase explicit approval for the deal. While it is clear that regulations will be coming, reports of cryptocurrency’s demise at the hands of regulators appear to have been greatly exaggerated.

John Jacques's Avatar
published in Blogs
May 16, 2022
A.I. Stock Market Predictions: Head & Shoulders

A.I. Stock Market Predictions: Head & Shoulders

Statistics for the Head-and-Shoulders Bottom Pattern The days where only hedge funds used algorithms to trade stocks are officially over. Now retail investors can use Artificial Intelligence (A.I.  Here’s an example of the algorithm in action: Late last year, Tickeron’s A.I.
Edward Flores's Avatar
published in Blogs
Apr 29, 2022
How to Become the Millionaire Next Door

How to Become the Millionaire Next Door

The Golden Gate Bridge is always a fixture of these walks too, one of man's most beautiful creations.  As we were walking, at one point she turned to me and said, "Man, I'll never have a million dollars."" My girlfriend is 27 years old and works as a graphic designer, making about $75,000 a year.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
May 16, 2022
When Is the Next Recession Coming?

When Is the Next Recession Coming?

However, we also know that economists predicted 22 recessions out of 11 that took place since 1945. Are there real recession signs we should watch for?Indeed, the answer is yes, and here are a few very important ones: The first one is almost obvious and known to everyone – it is the Fed.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 14, 2023
How to Start Trading Penny Stocks

How to Start Trading Penny Stocks

Penny stocks have long been marginalized within the professional investment community, oftentimes being painted with a broad brush of simply being “too risky.” Leonardo DiCaprio’s depiction of the penny stock peddling conman, Jordan Belfort, in the Wolf of Wall Street certainly didn’t help.Here are four reasons to start trading them now. Reason #1: Let’s State the Obvious -- Penny Stocks are Cheap A single share of Apple Inc. costs over $350.
Dmitry Perepelkin's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 14, 2023
5 Habits that Lead to Successful Investing

5 Habits that Lead to Successful Investing

To consistently make money in this industry, you need emotional fortitude, an analytical mind, and a willingness to self-reflect. Despite trading and investing being two different activities, these principles can be applied to both.Conversely, investors with good habits often become great traders.  Rather than full sentences for titles, we’ve labeled each of our top-five investing habits using a single word principle.
Allana's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 23, 2023
What’s the Difference Between Data Analytics and Machine Learning?

What’s the Difference Between Data Analytics and Machine Learning?

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is developing rapidly.Data mining can deliver raw numbers, but it does not necessarily provide actionable insights. Structure is necessary to taking abstract information and extracting commonalities, like averages, ratios, and percentages.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 13, 2023
4 Tips for Fast, Effective Stock Analysis

4 Tips for Fast, Effective Stock Analysis

With just a few clicks, an investor can search for individual stocks, categories of stocks, sectors, or investment themes, and then he or she can conduct a full range of technical and fundamental analysis within seconds.All powered by Artificial Intelligence.  Below, we give you 5 tips for fast, effective stock analysis using Tickeron’s Screener.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 20, 2023
5 Golden Principles in Investing

5 Golden Principles in Investing

You have enough faith in that stock, based on research, that the return will equal or exceed the investment.  Do unto others.The principles outlined here will ensure that happens.  Principle #1: Diversification Investors can’t be one-dimensional when constructing a portfolio.
John Jacques's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 24, 2023
If Hedge Funds are Using AI to Invest, Why Shouldn’t You?

If Hedge Funds are Using AI to Invest, Why Shouldn’t You?

Some of the world’s biggest financial institutions have devoted multi-million dollar budgets to developing algorithms that can find patterns in the market, identify trends, and perform automated trading designed to take advantage of even the smallest price movements. The AI revolution is so big that as it stands today, the world’s five biggest hedge funds all use systems-based approaches to trade financial markets.Indeed, quantitative trading hedge funds now manage $918 billion (according to HFR), which amounts to 30% of the $3 trillion hedge fund industry – a percentage continues to grow with each year that passes.
Sergey Savastiouk's Avatar
published in Blogs
Mar 15, 2023
The five most important Lessons Learned After 10,000 hours of Trading

The five most important Lessons Learned After 10,000 hours of Trading

Ten thousand hours of active trading, broken down into forty-hour weeks, amounts to almost five years. Having surpassed that milestone myself, I now understand why it's significant for any trader's journey. The early years taught me valuable lessons that have shaped my approach to trading. It's a misconception that great traders are born with innate talent. The truth is that it takes years of...