John Bigatton promoted the country's fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
He previously pleaded guilty to the charges brought by ASIC.
Two months after pleading guilty, BitConnect’s national promoter in Australia, John Bigatton, was convicted by the court for providing unlicensed financial advice. He was subsequently released on a recognisance of good behaviour for three years.
The Australian court’s decision on Friday came after Bigatton pleaded guilty in May for his role in promoting the cryptocurrency scam to retail investors in the country. He promoted the fraudulent scheme on social media, hosted seminars across the country, and had face-to-face meetings with victims, persuading them to invest in the scheme.
Licensing Is a Must
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which indicted Bigatton, reiterated that many crypto assets are financial products, and even seminars and promotions around them would require a licence.
“Providing unlicensed financial advice denies Australian investors access to key protections and undermines trust and confidence in Australia’s financial services industry,” said ASIC’s Deputy Chair, Sarah Court. “ASIC is committed to taking action against the unlawful promotion of high-risk digital assets to protect Australian investors.”
“This matter sends a clear message to Australians: that ASIC has and will act when unlicensed operators try to take advantage of Australian investors.”
A $2.4 Billion Scam
Although the case has been legally framed around unlicensed financial activities, BitConnect was a massive scam. The scheme lured victims with absurdly high fixed interest rates.
BitConnect promoted its scheme heavily worldwide in 2016 and 2017. It incentivized invites and referrals to expand its network of investors—or rather, victims. The crypto scheme suddenly evaporated in 2018, and its websites and social media handles disappeared. This led to investigations by agencies in several countries.
The scam is estimated to have duped its investors out of approximately AU$2.4 billion globally.
According to ASIC, Bigatton promoted BitConnect locally in Australia, including its lending platform and tokens. He conducted four seminars nationwide and promoted it with two social media posts.
He claimed that BitConnect Coins would increase in value to at least US$1,000 and the scheme was “better than any term deposit.”
“[The] offending involved a breach of trust in that the recipients of the financial product advice were entitled to have an expectation that they were receiving advice from a sufficiently licensed and regulated individual,” the Aussie Judge stated.
Two months after pleading guilty, BitConnect’s national promoter in Australia, John Bigatton, was convicted by the court for providing unlicensed financial advice. He was subsequently released on a recognisance of good behaviour for three years.
The Australian court’s decision on Friday came after Bigatton pleaded guilty in May for his role in promoting the cryptocurrency scam to retail investors in the country. He promoted the fraudulent scheme on social media, hosted seminars across the country, and had face-to-face meetings with victims, persuading them to invest in the scheme.
Licensing Is a Must
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which indicted Bigatton, reiterated that many crypto assets are financial products, and even seminars and promotions around them would require a licence.
“Providing unlicensed financial advice denies Australian investors access to key protections and undermines trust and confidence in Australia’s financial services industry,” said ASIC’s Deputy Chair, Sarah Court. “ASIC is committed to taking action against the unlawful promotion of high-risk digital assets to protect Australian investors.”
“This matter sends a clear message to Australians: that ASIC has and will act when unlicensed operators try to take advantage of Australian investors.”
A $2.4 Billion Scam
Although the case has been legally framed around unlicensed financial activities, BitConnect was a massive scam. The scheme lured victims with absurdly high fixed interest rates.
BitConnect promoted its scheme heavily worldwide in 2016 and 2017. It incentivized invites and referrals to expand its network of investors—or rather, victims. The crypto scheme suddenly evaporated in 2018, and its websites and social media handles disappeared. This led to investigations by agencies in several countries.
The scam is estimated to have duped its investors out of approximately AU$2.4 billion globally.
According to ASIC, Bigatton promoted BitConnect locally in Australia, including its lending platform and tokens. He conducted four seminars nationwide and promoted it with two social media posts.
He claimed that BitConnect Coins would increase in value to at least US$1,000 and the scheme was “better than any term deposit.”
“[The] offending involved a breach of trust in that the recipients of the financial product advice were entitled to have an expectation that they were receiving advice from a sufficiently licensed and regulated individual,” the Aussie Judge stated.
Arnab is an electronics engineer-turned-financial editor. He entered the industry covering the cryptocurrency market for Finance Magnates and later expanded his reach to forex as well. He is passionate about the changing regulatory landscape on financial markets and keenly follows the disruptions in the industry with new-age technologies.
Bitcoin Miners Go BRRR, While Profit Margins Go Brrrr-oke
Transformation in the APAC Trading Landscape and Beyond | FMPS:24
Transformation in the APAC Trading Landscape and Beyond | FMPS:24
As the financial services industry experiences rapid and transformative changes, leading fintech experts and policymakers come together to discuss the present and future of retail trading and the evolving regulatory landscape. Join this insightful session for a forward-looking perspective on the trends, innovations, and trader needs that are shaping the future of offerings on a global scale.
Speakers:
Eric Blewitt, CEO, Investment Trends
Rhys Bollen, Senior Executive Leader, Digital Assets, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
Michael Bogoevski, Head of Institutional Sales, CMC Connect
Karin Setchell, General Manager, Product & Investing Solutions, CommSec
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As the financial services industry experiences rapid and transformative changes, leading fintech experts and policymakers come together to discuss the present and future of retail trading and the evolving regulatory landscape. Join this insightful session for a forward-looking perspective on the trends, innovations, and trader needs that are shaping the future of offerings on a global scale.
Speakers:
Eric Blewitt, CEO, Investment Trends
Rhys Bollen, Senior Executive Leader, Digital Assets, Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
Michael Bogoevski, Head of Institutional Sales, CMC Connect
Karin Setchell, General Manager, Product & Investing Solutions, CommSec
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Executive Interviews with Joe Li & Simon Naish | ATFX | FMPS:24
Executive Interviews with Joe Li & Simon Naish | ATFX | FMPS:24
In this Finance Magnates Executive Interview, Joe Li, Chairman at ATFX and Simon Naish, Country Head of Australia at ATFX Connect, discuss ATFX’s strategic growth in the APAC region, particularly focusing on their institutional arm, ATFX Connect. They highlight the importance of Australia as a strategic hub, the challenges of operating in a highly competitive and regulated market, and their plans for regional expansion across APAC. The conversation touches on the integration of advanced technology and multi-asset offerings, the significance of optimal execution tools, and the importance of tailoring solutions to meet the sophisticated demands of institutional clients. They also emphasize their strong regulatory compliance and their commitment to enhancing client experience through innovative tools and infrastructure.
#fmps #fmps24 #fmevents #ATFXConnect #APACFinance #InstitutionalTrading #FinancialTechnology #MarketExpansion
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In this Finance Magnates Executive Interview, Joe Li, Chairman at ATFX and Simon Naish, Country Head of Australia at ATFX Connect, discuss ATFX’s strategic growth in the APAC region, particularly focusing on their institutional arm, ATFX Connect. They highlight the importance of Australia as a strategic hub, the challenges of operating in a highly competitive and regulated market, and their plans for regional expansion across APAC. The conversation touches on the integration of advanced technology and multi-asset offerings, the significance of optimal execution tools, and the importance of tailoring solutions to meet the sophisticated demands of institutional clients. They also emphasize their strong regulatory compliance and their commitment to enhancing client experience through innovative tools and infrastructure.
#fmps #fmps24 #fmevents #ATFXConnect #APACFinance #InstitutionalTrading #FinancialTechnology #MarketExpansion
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Ready to Scale? Regtech in Australia, A Global View | FMPS:24
Ready to Scale? Regtech in Australia, A Global View | FMPS:24
In the effort to elevate Australian fintech on the global stage, RegTech presents a unique and compelling case. Despite the increasing demand for robust compliance solutions, Australia's RegTech sector—ranked third-largest globally—remains underfunded. Join this insightful fireside chat to explore the future of Australia’s RegTech hub and its global potential.
Key discussion points include uncovering the hidden opportunities in RegTech that VCs are overlooking, the necessary steps for increased governmental support, the readiness of the local ecosystem to collaborate across global regulatory regimes, and lessons learned from other leading fintech hubs around the world.
Speakers:
Dickie Currer, National Lead, Tech Australia Advocates
Deborah Young, CEO, The RegTech Association
#fmps #fmps24 #fmevents #RegTech #Fintech #AustralianFintech #GlobalCompliance #TechInnovation
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In the effort to elevate Australian fintech on the global stage, RegTech presents a unique and compelling case. Despite the increasing demand for robust compliance solutions, Australia's RegTech sector—ranked third-largest globally—remains underfunded. Join this insightful fireside chat to explore the future of Australia’s RegTech hub and its global potential.
Key discussion points include uncovering the hidden opportunities in RegTech that VCs are overlooking, the necessary steps for increased governmental support, the readiness of the local ecosystem to collaborate across global regulatory regimes, and lessons learned from other leading fintech hubs around the world.
Speakers:
Dickie Currer, National Lead, Tech Australia Advocates
Deborah Young, CEO, The RegTech Association
#fmps #fmps24 #fmevents #RegTech #Fintech #AustralianFintech #GlobalCompliance #TechInnovation
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Resilience in Trading: From Third Class To World Class | FMPS:24
Resilience in Trading: From Third Class To World Class | FMPS:24
Join Mario Singh, Founder and Chairman of Fullerton Markets, as he shares his life story, highlighting the traits that were required starting without financial knowledge to become a financial and trading expert recognised by world-renowned media like CNBC & Bloomberg.
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Join Mario Singh, Founder and Chairman of Fullerton Markets, as he shares his life story, highlighting the traits that were required starting without financial knowledge to become a financial and trading expert recognised by world-renowned media like CNBC & Bloomberg.
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IBs and Brokers: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly | FMPS:24
IBs and Brokers: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly | FMPS:24
For most brokers, IBs and trading educators are invaluable partners, driving highly targeted traffic from key regions. However, without proper management, these relationships can quickly turn sour. In this session, gain an insider’s perspective on the types of licenses IBs need in APAC, the crucial details in IB agreements that both parties must scrutinize, common disputes between IBs and brokers and effective resolutions, and the pros and cons of transitioning from IB to broker.
Speakers:
Melody Gao, Senior Lawyer, Sophie Grace
James Perry-Keene, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Pepperstone
Christopher Balanzategui, CEO, N3tworx
#fmps #fmps24 #fmevents #IBAgreements #BrokerPartnerships #TradingIndustry #APACFinance #FinancialRegulation
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For most brokers, IBs and trading educators are invaluable partners, driving highly targeted traffic from key regions. However, without proper management, these relationships can quickly turn sour. In this session, gain an insider’s perspective on the types of licenses IBs need in APAC, the crucial details in IB agreements that both parties must scrutinize, common disputes between IBs and brokers and effective resolutions, and the pros and cons of transitioning from IB to broker.
Speakers:
Melody Gao, Senior Lawyer, Sophie Grace
James Perry-Keene, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Pepperstone
Christopher Balanzategui, CEO, N3tworx
#fmps #fmps24 #fmevents #IBAgreements #BrokerPartnerships #TradingIndustry #APACFinance #FinancialRegulation
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