What is a Cottage Industry? A cottage industry business is a small manufacturing business typically operated from the home or a small workshop, usually by family members or a close-knit community. The term “cottage industry” refers to when skilled craftsmen and artisans crafted goods within their cottages, utilizing their own equipment and resources. Cottage industries…
What is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)? A Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder is considered a highly distinguished professional in the world of finance and possesses a deep understanding of investment management and financial analysis. The CFA charter is considered a gold standard in many industries, the most prevalent being the asset management industry, as…
Understanding Form ADV Any investment management or advisory firm that wishes to do business as a registered investment adviser (RIA) must register with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or its state regulatory authorities, depending on the value of assets under management. Filing a Form ADV is an integral part of the registration process….
The financial services landscape is always in flux, constantly introducing new things to learn, evolve with, and stay ahead of. Savvy organizations have realized this shifted their service offerings to meet the fluidity of the industry. But they struggle to find a dynamic training strategy to complement their commitment to staying ahead—making hiring and retaining…
What is the MakerDAO and DAI? The MakerDAO is a cryptocurrency protocol – a set of rules and actions that determines how a specific type of cryptocurrency works. The MakerDAO (which stands for “Decentralized Autonomous Organization”) started in 2014 and runs off the Ethereum blockchain. It issues a governance token, called MKR, which allows the…
What is Decentralized Finance? Decentralized finance, also known as DeFi, is a collective term for companies and technologies that conduct financial exchanges and transactions using the same technology that underpins cryptocurrency networks. Decentralized finance provides financial services with no centralized source of authority, but instead, rely on peer-to-peer digital transactions and exchanges. The central tenet…
What is ERC-20? ERC-20 stands for Ethereum Request for Comment Number 20. ERC-20 refers to a specific type of fungible digital token built on the Ethereum blockchain. The top five varieties of ERC-20 tokens are LINK, AAVE, BNB, USDT, and UNI tokens. ERC-20 tokens comply with specific rules and guidelines, making them compatible with a…
What are Decentralized Applications? Decentralized applications, known as dApps, are software applications built on blockchain technology. Unlike traditional applications that are controlled by a central authority, dApps operate on a decentralized network, where data and transactions are distributed across multiple nodes. dApps leverage the security, transparency, and immutability of blockchain to provide organizations with increased…
Canada’s Regulatory Landscape In Canada, existing federal and provincial laws cover a broad range of ESG related topics. For example, there are various “hard” (mandatory) laws regarding the environment, occupational health, and employee safety. These laws are clearly ESG in nature as they set requirements for reporting corporate performance on key environmental and social issues. …
