On October 30, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted “Regulation Crowdfunding,” which consists of final rules that will enable eligible companies to raise up to $1 million in capital in any 12-month period by offering securities through SEC registered intermediaries in crowdfunding transactions on the Internet. The long-awaited crowdfunding rules implement the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act) provided by Section 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act, which was adopted pursuant to the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act. The exemption will be available to US issuers, other than reporting companies under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act), certain investment companies, blank check companies or companies that have indicated that their business plan is to engage in a merger or acquisition with an unidentified company, companies that have failed to comply with annual reporting requirements under Regulation Crowdfunding within two years prior to a proposed offering, and issuers that are disqualified under “bad actor” provisions.
