TheCorporateCounsel.net

It’s been six months since Nasdaq has been talking up its new Linq platform – and now it has delivered, both to settle trades and enable shareholders to vote using blockchain technology. This appears like it will be the wave of the future – particularly since blockchain technology is bound to get a big boost as more countries impose negative interest rates on their economies. Here’s a few things to review:

– Dodd-Frank Blog’s “Nasdaq Finds Another Use for Blockchain Technology”
– WSJ’s “A Bitcoin Technology Gets Nasdaq Test”
– Nasdaq’s “Nasdaq Linq Enables First-Ever Private Securities Issuance Documented With Blockchain Technology”
– Coindesk’s “Nasdaq to Launch Blockchain Voting Trial for Estonian Stock Market”
– PC World’s “Nasdaq to use blockchain to record shareholder votes”

As noted in this blog by Steve Quinlivan, the SEC has approved a Nasdaq rule change to permit Nasdaq to exercise discretion to grant an extension to regain compliance before delisting a company that fails to hold an annual meeting.

Transcript: “Conflict Minerals: Tackling Your Next Form SD”

We have posted the transcript for our recent webcast: “Conflict Minerals: Tackling Your Next Form SD.”

Contingency Offerings: FINRA Reminds Brokers of Obligations

Here’s news from this MoFo blog:

On February 8, 2016, FINRA released Regulatory Notice 16-08 relating to the contingency offering requirements of Rules 10b-9 and 15c2-4 under the Exchange Act. The Notice arises from FINRA’s review of various private placement offering documents in connection with FINRA Rule 5123’s filing requirement for certain offerings. FINRA observed that broker-dealers have not always complied with the regulatory requirements applicable to contingency offerings. Accordingly, the Notice is designed to remind broker-dealers of their obligations under these rules.

– Broc Romanek