Blockchangers Blog

Weekly Wrap Up #75

Quote of the week: “Investors should not place too much confidence in the mere fact a company says it’s got a proof-of-reserves from an audit firm.” – Paul Munter, SEC’s acting chief accountant.  Source: www.Cointelegraph.com

 

Alpha Sigma Capital in the News:  This week Alpha Sigma Capital welcomed Patrick Martin as General Partner, Europe.  Mr. Martin’s experience spans 30 years as a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and investment banker. He has co-founded and scaled companies, raised and invested hundreds of millions in growth capital, and achieved many successful exits via M&A and IPOs. He is an experienced and successful investor in blockchain, digital assets, and Web3 companies through his family office comprising a portfolio of over 40 companies built over the last 5 years, as well as, half a dozen LP investments in leading venture funds. He is also on the board of BEQUANT a top digital asset prime broker in the UK. Read the press release here.

 

The Sam Bankman-Fried Saga Continues:  This week, Sam Bankman- Fried (“SBF”) was released on a $250 million bond package. The bail deal was secured against SBF’s parents’ property with restrictions on his movement. SBF’s next court date is set for January 3, 2023, before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams. Sources:  www.FXEmpire.com article on SBF’s extradition and www.FXEmpire.com article on SBF’s $250M Bail

Web3 Trademark Applications Filed This Year: The United States Patent and Trademark Office licensed trademark attorney Mike Kondoudis reported that over 4,999 trademark applications had been filed in the United States for cryptocurrencies and digital-related goods and services this year. Source:

www.Cointelegraph.com


OpenSea Confirms Ban on Cuban Artists:  NFT marketplace OpenSea, citing United States sanctions on Cuba, stated that it is banning digital artists from all countries sanctioned by the US. NFTcuba.ART, a project that helps Cuban artists achieve success in the NFT industry, asserted that the sanctions are being applied unfairly to Cuban artists who are living outside the island nation. Source:  www.Finance.Yahoo.com


International Regulation Featuring China: This week, China announced that it is launching its first state-backed non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace. The NFT marketplace will be controlled by three state-owned and private entities. A ceremony will be held in Beijing on Sunday to celebrate the launch. 

Source:  www.Coindesk.com

 

Gemini Sued by Crypto Investors:  In a filing, in federal court in Manhattan, investors alleged that Gemini sold interest-bearing accounts without registering them as securities. The investors are suing Gemini and its founders, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, for fraud.  Source:  www.Marketwatch.com

 
And, that’s a wrap!

Jordana Cohen,

Associate

Alpha Sigma Capital

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Daniel Siciliano

F. Daniel Siciliano is an Independent Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and Chair of the American Immigration Council. He is the former faculty director of the Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University and former Professor of the Practice and Associate Dean at Stanford Law School. His work has included expert testimony in front of both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives and for 2009, 2010, and 2011, alongside leading academics and business leaders such as Ben Bernanke, Paul Krugman, and Carl Icahn, Professor Siciliano was named to the “Directorship 100” – a list of the most influential people in corporate governance.

Siciliano was also co-founder, CEO and ultimately Executive Chairman of LawLogix Group, Inc. – a global software technology company named 9 consecutive times to the Inc. 500/5000, several times ranked as one of the Top 100 fastest-growing private software companies in the US and named to the US Hispanic Business 500 (largest) and Hispanic Business 100 (fastest growing) lists for 2010 and 2011. In 2012 he sold a majority stake of the company to PNC Riverarch Capital, continued as Executive Chairman, and led the sale of the company to Hyland Software/Thoma Bravo in 2015.

Siciliano is a co-founder and board member of the Silicon Valley Directors’ Exchange (SVDX), Chairman of the national non-partisan American Immigration Council, past-President of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Council #1057, and an active member of the Latino Corporate Directors’ Association.


Siciliano’s related areas of expertise include executive compensation, corporate compliance, the legal and social impact of autonomous (AI/robotic) systems, and corporate technology strategy and security. He has served as a governance consultant and trainer to the Board of Directors of dozens of Fortune 1000 companies (including Google, Microsoft, Fedex, Disney, Entergy and Applied Materials), is an angel investor and consultant to several firms and companies in Silicon Valley, Hong Kong, India, and Latin America, and currently serves as an independent director on the board of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. He lives in Los Altos, California.