Reading Time: 5 minutesWith the recent judgment by the Singapore International Commercial Court on the wrongful reversal of Bitcoin and Ethereum trades by a centralised exchange operator[1], we are beginning to see blockchain technology slowly creeping into traditional dispute resolution. That dispute, however, was only capable of being adjudicated through traditional legal means because the relevant transactions occurred […]
Reading Time: 8 minutesThe views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author alone and do not represent the opinions of any entity whatsoever with which the author has been, is now, or will be affiliated. Smart contracts: a boon or bane for the legal profession? The unprecedented growth of blockchain technology has made smart […]
Reading Time: 9 minutesIn Part 2 of this series, we looked at the various regulations governing Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). To give a quick recap, on one end of the spectrum there is China, which has completely banned ICOs. On the other end, we have Gibraltar which has drafted specific legislation for ICOs. The majority of the other […]
Reading Time: 6 minutesIn the first of my 3-part series on Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), I touched on the characteristics, types, risks, benefits and examples of ICOs. In this second part, I will be covering the current regulation of ICOs in various jurisdictions. By and large, most financial regulatory authorities around the world have stated that initial coin […]
Reading Time: 16 minutesWe live in an age of disruption – and the legal industry is not immune. “Smart contracts” has been receiving particular attention, with its potential to bring about both efficiencies in legal work… and also new kinds of legal challenges. What are smart contracts and what can they achieve? We take a closer look at […]
Reading Time: 9 minutesThis is a three part series on Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). In this series, lawyer Wanhsi Yeong will cover: An introduction to Initial Coin Offerings Overview of the current regulation of Initial Coin Offerings in various jurisdictions Framework of Initial Coin Offerings In the first part of this series, WanHsi explains the characteristics, types, risks, […]
Reading Time: 6 minutesThis article is part of Asia Law Network’s partnership with Tech in Asia where we publish articles written by lawyers on their advice for startup founders. Previously, we shared with you some legal advice that startups in e-commerce, sharing economy, and virtual reality need to know. In this article, two professionals share some legal insights (based on Singapore’s legal system) […]
Reading Time: 16 minutesIntroduction So you are a tech startup who want to raise funds. You figure that instead of incurring debt, issuing equity, entering into convertible loan agreements (CLA), you will conduct an initial coin offering (ICO) or digital token sale. Not least because the amounts of money which have been raised by recent ICOs are huge. […]
Reading Time: 9 minutesA burgeoning popularity of cryptocurrency Widespread usage of the Internet has resulted in the emergence of various new technologies which have altered the way society functions, affecting both human relationships and commerce. In our previous article, we had discussed financial technology – also known as fintech. Recently, there has been a lot of news regarding […]
Reading Time: 14 minutes#1 InsurTech – What is it? The word ‘InsurTech’ is a portmanteau of the words ‘Insurance’ and ‘Technology’. Essentially, it is the use of technology to innovate and facilitate efficiency and cost-savings in all areas of the insurance industry. InsurTech is seeking to disrupt the insurance industry Just as we are witnessing a radical […]
Reading Time: 6 minutesStartups need to adjust how they work with lawyers as they grow, scale and expand. How can lawyers help startups meet their changing legal needs? Lawyers Ronald JJ Wong (Associate Director, Covenant Chambers LLC) and Patrick Dahm (Consultant, Samuel Seow Law Corporation) educated startups and shared crucial tips on how startups can work with lawyers […]
Reading Time: 7 minutesStartups generally worry that acquiring a patent is prohibitively expensive As discussed in the first patent article, the cost of patenting is high and generally several order of magnitudes higher than the cost of acquiring other IP rights such as trade mark and industrial design rights. A cohesive patent strategy can yield significant competitive advantage […]
