I love regulated investment crowdfunding and the portals that participate in the space. I’ve got gripes and complaints, but overall, I’m their biggest fan. They are fundamentally essential to the ongoing success of the industry—and its future growth.

Today, I’d like to enumerate some of my favorite things about portals operating under Regulation Crowdfunding:

9 Things I Love About Portals

1. Pre-Screening Investments: We all rely on portals to screen the offerings they host. They all use different criteria, but they are all required to exclude companies associated with “bad actors”—people who have been in trouble with the SEC in the past.

2. Regulatory Compliance: Having run a FINRA-member, SEC-registered broker-dealer, I know how hard it is to comply with the regulations. That is a big reason I don’t run a portal today! I’m grateful that they have made the effort to comply with the rules. These sometimes impose on us minor inconveniences, but the net effect is a safe and

One thing I will never get tired of working in this space is the variety of companies that have been able to effectively utilize offerings under Regulation CF and Regulation A. These exemptions are versatile, and allow for companies to raise funds whether they have no interest in being more than a neighborhood restaurant, or dream of growing into an exchange listed multinational company. The commonality is that these companies believe they will have the most success with an appeal directly to retail investors, some of whom may be friends, family, and fans.

One notable example at the higher end of using Regulation A is Newsmax. Newsmax went out to its viewers and gave them the opportunity to become investors. This fit perfectly with Regulation A, and as a result, Newsmax was able to raise $75 million ahead of listing on the New York Stock Exchange. This type of Reg A IPO has some challenges that differ from an underwritten IPO in which there are fewer holders of record to manage. Howeve...more

Calls Out Congressional Neglect of Main Street, Urges Senate to Amend Bill to Include the TRUMP Jobs Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Coalition for Crowdfunding American Jobs and Prosperity (CCAJP) issued a scathing rebuke today of the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” recently passed by the House of Representatives, condemning the legislation as a massive gift to large corporations and the ultra-wealthy - while leaving America’s small businesses out in the cold.

“The bill is nothing short of a betrayal of Main Street,” said Brian Christie, Co-Chair of the Crowdfunding Professional Association (CfPA) and acting spokesperson for CCAJP. “It fails to account for the new realities small businesses face under rapidly changing tariff conditions. The bill does nothing to help small businesses adapt, pivot, or survive - and worse, it strengthens the hand of their biggest competitors: bloated corporations with lobbyists and the scale to absorb or shift the impacts of global supply chain shocks.”

Despite...more

Registration is NOW OPEN!
Join us for the 2025 Regulated Investment Crowdfunding Summit
October 21–22, 2025
Washington, DC

This is the must-attend event for anyone in the Reg CF and Reg A ecosystem.

Connect with industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, and innovators from across the public and private sectors. Hear from top thought leaders driving the future of regulated investment crowdfunding - and gain insights you won’t find anywhere else.

From policy to practice, this summit builds on the growing momentum of a rapidly evolving industry.

✅ Register now to get the early bird rate and to secure your spot.

More details coming soon—but don’t wait!

Day 1 (10/21): Advocacy Visits - on the Hill and with Regulators

Day 2 (10/22): Conference  Summit

National Union Building

918 F St NW, Washington, DC 20004

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The daily news is dominated by gloomy headlines about global financial markets. What we don’t hear about is a small but growing movement called community investing. It is not new. In fact, it pre-dates big banks and stock exchanges. But it is still mostly below the radar of mainstream media. What exactly is community investing—and why is it so urgently needed now?

Defining Community Investing

Community investing is when everyday people—not just wealthy individual and institutional  investors—get the chance to invest in the businesses, projects, and leaders they believe in. It’s not charity. It’s not crowdfunding perks. It’s actual investment with the potential for financial returns.

And it’s legal. Yes, it is necessary to choose a compliance strategy under state and federal securities law which requires that the entity raising funds jump through some legal hoops, but legal developments in the past decade are providing more options and tools.

Unlike mainstream investing in public mark...more

On April 10, 2025, the Crowdfunding Professional Association (CfPA) had a significant opportunity to advocate for crucial regulatory improvements at the SEC’s 44th Annual Small Business Forum in Washington, D.C. Representing the CfPA on the “Out of the Blocks: Strategies and Trends in Early-Stage Capital Raising” panel, I presented key insights and policy recommendations aimed at enhancing Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) for the entire ecosystem – issuers, investors, intermediaries, and service providers alike.

The State of Reg CF and the Need for Evolution

Since its 2016 launch, Regulation Crowdfunding has undeniably opened doors, enabling over 8,700 campaigns to raise more than $2.2 billion from millions of investors. It's a testament to the power of democratizing capital formation. However, as the industry matures, it's clear the current framework requires refinement to unlock its full potential.

As the leading association representing professio...more