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Insights & News / Regulation
January 28, 2018
Featured in Israeli Blockchain Association Legal Survey
Our firm was featured in a legal survey conducted by the Israeli Blockchain Association on current trends in blockchain in Israel.
January 23, 2018
Seminar on Data Protection and Privacy for the Israeli Directors' Union
Our firm is hosting the Israeli Directors' Union today for a seminar on data protection and privacy. During it we will discuss the new European privacy regulations (GDPR) and directors' exposure in the age of privacy.
January 17, 2018
Barnea & ACC Seminar – Blockchain, Bitcoin, and ICOs
We hosted, together with the Association of Corporate Counsel, a seminar on blockchain and digital currencies. We discussed new regulatory challenges, with Micky Barnea addressing blockchain and smart contracts. Tal Cohen, Compass Blockchain Solutions's CEO, gave a special introductory lecture on bitcoin and digital currencies.
December 27, 2017
Everything You Need to Know about ICOs
Barnea hosted an ICOs and digital currencies event featuring a lecture on regulation opportunities and challenges. Harel Perlmutter also discussed the taxation of cryptographic coins and the Israel Tax Authority's position.
December 26, 2017
Fierce Battle over Banning Binary Options Reaches High Court of Justice
Following a bill promoted by the Israel Securities Authority, and passed by the Knesset, outlawing binary options trading by Israeli companies, Yukom Communications LTD and its controlling shareholder, Yossi Herzog, filed a petition to the High Court of Justice. Overseeing the filing of the petition were Barnea attorneys Zohar Lande, Eyal Nachshon, and Moran Bickel.
December 21, 2017
Article: Is the Israeli Regulators’ Approach to ICOs Ill-Advised?
An article in Financial Magnates discusses the Israel Securities Authority's approach to initial coin offerings (ICO) and cryptocurrencies and how this approach compares to other jurisdictions.
December 18, 2017
Telemarketing Restrictions
An interview following the Ministry of Economy and Industry's recently published draft bill placing restrictions on telemarketing.
December 13, 2017
Israel Securities Authority Blows Up the Bitcoin Bubble
Our firm gave several media interviews following the Israel Securities Authority Chairman's remarks that companies whose values are based on bitcoin will not be included in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange's (TASE) indices until a suitable regulatory framework is established. We noted that it is important to distinguish between the inclusion of companies engaged in trading and investing in virtual currencies on TASE's indices and the possibility that such companies will actually be traded on TASE.
November 28, 2017
Seminar on Data Protection and Privacy
Barnea is hosting today another round of lectures for startups and entrepreneurs on the subject of data protection and privacy. Also to be discussed is the obligation of accessibility on the Internet. In addition, the seminar will feature a guest lecture from the Israeli Digital Organization.
October 24, 2017
Israel Securities Authority Defeated in Proceeding against Portfolio Manager
The Administrative Enforcement Committee rejected an administrative claim filed by the Israel Securities Authority against portfolio manager Ran Amitai for using insider information on a deal with the biotechnology company Compugen. Ran Amitai and Cramim Capital Markets were represented by our firm in the proceedings.
September 26, 2017
Article on Regulatory Challenges of FinTech Companies Featured in TheMarker
Micky Barnea, the firm's managing partner,published an article on the regulatory challenges facing Fintech companies, in TheMarker's FinTech Magazine. Micky notes that entry barriers to this field are not only the development stage, but also the strength of the regulatory solution. Therefore, acquired knowledge can become a real intellectual property and carry enormous potential.
September 24, 2017
Israeli Binary Options CEO Arrested in US on Suspicion of Committing Electronic Fraud
The Israeli CEO of a binary options company has been arrested by federal investigators in the United States on suspicion of committing electronic fraud. Dr. Zvi Gabbay, partner and head of our firm's Capital Markets Department, is representing the company in this matter. In an interview with TheMarker on the subject, he noted this is a relatively early stage in the legal process and that an indictment has not yet been filed.
September 12, 2017
Speaking at EY Anti-Fraud Forum
We participated in the EY Anti-Fraud Forum, where we discussed how workers can take an active role in self-regulation and compliance.
August 29, 2017
TheMarker Op-Ed: Regulation of Digital Coins
An op-ed in The Marker on the regulation of digital currencies asserts that there will be no choice but to build a unique regulatory model that matches the characteristics of these new financial instruments.
August 16, 2017
TheMarker Interview: SEC Allegations against Mobileye Founders
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently filed a lawsuit in a US court against an Israeli citizen and an American citizen for the use of insider information to acquire shares and options at Mobileye. The lawsuit alleges that Mobileye's founders supplied information about the huge deal being forged between it and Intel. Our firm was interviewed by TheMarker about the lawsuit, and we noted the differences between the enforcement process in Israel and the US and the relationship between civil enforcement by the SEC and criminal enforcement by federal prosecution.
August 8, 2017
Monetary Authority of Singapore to Begin Regulating the Issuance of Virtual Currencies
Adv. Daniel Israeli was interviewed by TheMarker after the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced it would begin regulating the issuance of virtual currencies (ICO). Daniel noted that Singapore has developed into a destination of sorts for ICOs, and thus the MAS' decision will certainly change the rules of the game.
July 19, 2017
Article: Adoption of Business Judgment Rule
This article addresses the ruling handed down by the Israeli Supreme Court at the end of December 2016 in the Bezeq case, in which the Court extended to board of director decisions the protection afforded by the business judgment rule. The article examines whether this ruling succeeded in achieving one of its principal objectives—legal certainty.
June 22, 2017
Interview with Financial Radio Program on Bezeq Investigation
We were interviewed on a financial radio program on the Public Broadcasting Corporation regarding the Bezeq investigation, where we provided an explanation of the Israel Securities Authority process (from 12.06).
June 25, 2017
Board of Directors 2017 – Challenges and Risks
In cooperation with the Israeli Directors' Union, Barnea hosted a seminar on the challenges and risks in the functions of a board of directors. Micky Barnea, the firm's Managing Partner, discussed the risks in the functions of the board of directors, as well as corporate governance and enforcement programs.
June 7, 2017
Why the World of Mergers and Acquisitions is Changing in The Big Data Era
Adv. Karin Kashi from Barnea, in an article for "People and Computers" about the changes that startups need to make in relation to their privacy aspects and the expected impact on merger and acquisition deals.