Vahan P. Roth

  Investment “dark pools” have been at the center of a lengthy controversy, attracting much criticism and numerous calls for regulatory clampdowns. These private trading venues where large institutional investors execute orders outside public exchanges, more often than not with minimal oversight and without public attention, have frequently been described as opaque, destabilizing and unfair. […]

  In recent months, various developments, surprise announcements and newly revived initiatives have sparked controversy and debate globally concerning the implications of digital identification systems. Most recently, the United Kingdom made headlines when Prime Minister Keir Starmer in late September announced a mandatory digital identification (ID) scheme. He stated that the move was aimed at […]

  Over the past several years, much has been said and written about the state of the financial markets and the ongoing bull run, particularly in United States equities, which seems even more striking when compared to data from the real economy. The decoupling between stock markets and the broader economy, which has been underway […]

  In July, JPMorgan Chase announced its decision to start imposing fees on fintech companies for access to customers’ bank account data. The largest lender in the United States sent out pricing sheets to data aggregators (intermediaries linking banks with fintech platforms), detailing new fees that vary by use case. Payment-focused startups will likely incur higher charges, […]

  Over the last decade, the crypto industry has undergone a dramatic transformation. It evolved from a mere hobby for coders and a pet project for individuals who were skeptical of governments and fiat money, and matured into a nearly mainstream asset class. What once operated almost unnoticed in the shadows and on the margins […]