The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which regulates both peer-to-peer lenders and equity crowdfunding platforms has announced that it plans to introduce more regulation to protect potential investors and help them understand the risks of investing via crowdfunding.
Areas likely to come under scrutiny include:
- more prescriptive requirements on the content and timing of disclosures
- better management of conflicts of interest
- improved standards of due diligence and
- enhanced client assessment rules.
These changes could lead to new eligibility requirements for companies wishing to crowdfund and greater scrutiny of their businesses plans and forecasts, making it harder for businesses to be accepted onto equity crowdfunding platforms. It is also possible that crowdfunding pitches will require greater validation in order that risks can be more accurately assessed and reported.
Read the FCA’s an assessment of new rules for crowdfunding
Is your Startup ready for investment?
Take the Startup Investment Scorecard to discover if your Startup is ready for investment. Start here