Everything


A lot of people have gotten so addicted to social media and it has become their source of joy and hold. Two days ago Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger was down and a lot of people felt empty. I remember visiting Instagram just after it was restored and scrolling through peoples profile and seeing how bad they felt away from social media.

I really want to say what you must have heard before, there is life away from social media. There is a world of your own, a realistic world that has been so void for a long time. Training yourself to be able to exist and cohabit without the media is a very big discipline we as humans needs to cultivate and learn.

If you are a business owner and your only source of traffic is Instagram, I need not to remind you that Instagram is a media web page and app owned by a company and you need not to totally depend on social media for sales. Opening a website for your business is the right thing to do.

With all this being said, are you still wondering and feeling down about the recent announcement made by the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, stating that Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger will be shutdown again for 168hrs which is 7 days. In his statement he also apologized and also added that the upgrade will start on Wednesday October 6th 2021-1300hrs.

Are you wondering what your days will feel like without visiting these social networks? well here is what you have to do especially students who are yet to discover themselves in the craft world.

How Business Analytics for Strategic Decisions Can Benefit Your Company.

As big data tools become more common and inexpensive, companies are constantly reinventing how they do business. More data is being generated as a result of greater innovation. Organizations of all sizes rely on the insight offered by business analytics to use this data and make educated choices.

You may obtain the information and skills you need to achieve strategic advantage and impact your company's bottom line by enrolling in the Business Analytics for Strategic Decisions program. As you progress through the Business Analytics Playbook in the curriculum, you will learn how to:

Benefits of Business Analytics for Strategic Decisions

 As a blogger, I have learnt to be very patient and grow as organic as I can because there is a great reward in growing organically. I remember starting my blog and being really confused about what to do and how to do it. I learnt in the process and I am super proud of being able ti fix a lot and teach about blogging. Productive blogging needs time and research. Knowing your craft is important because it helps you grow, it is not just about showing beautiful dresses and reviews, if you want to make money from blogging then you need to put in some time to read about keywords, most searched words, write according to season, copywriter, let your content pass the right information, easy to read and navigate, be consistent and share your articles.

Of all, I have mentioned two can work the magic, search for most searched things on google, what problems are people trying to solve with a bit of twist in your own unique words put out a comprehensive article about that with a catchy title.

 Key factors  to consider when writing articles or posts 

Catchy headlines
A great title is the first step in writing a good article. For readers, the title of your article is the most significant initial impression of your content. A powerful title indicates that your piece contains the information readers seek while also standing out from the sea of comparable, competing for content available in print and online.



Font size and type
An attractive and engine font size would increase readability and easy viewing. By using the right fonts you elicit the appropriate emotions in the reader and establish a tone that brings the text to life. Using too small fonts puts readers away.

Long-term success does not come just from continuously attracting new clients, as smart business owners understand. It also necessitates retaining clients who return on a regular basis. Customer interaction that is effective builds brand loyalty, improves the customer experience and speeds up the sales funnel.

Video content is a great method to get people's attention and increase engagement. Video is one of the most popular media formats in the world, with 54% of consumers preferring video content from brands and enterprises to any other medium.

Moreover, you can take help from video production companies like Sensa Productions to learn, implement and improvise fine editing methods that are easily relatable. It is important that you make your videos more perceptive to capture immediate attention from viewers.

If you want to keep your business or brand successful in the future, video interaction is no longer a “nice to have.” It's a must-have.

Continue reading to learn how to harness the power of video interaction for your brand or company.

Bounce rate is all about traffic analysis. It is defined as the amount of time spent on your website, how many activities were done by the visitor. Bounce rate is calculated by counting the number of single-page visits and dividing that by the total visits.  It is then represented as a percentage of total visits.




When trying to generate traffic knowing your bounce rate is very important because it shows you how well your content is doing. If your contents are engaging, solving issues and giving out pieces of information visitor needs and are searching for. 

Your bounce rate is calculated by how much time and activity a person does spend when they visit your website. When visitors visit your website and leave without performing any action like clicking on the links, images, sharing, buying i, terms, or taking a survey.

If you are a marketer then knowing your bounce rate is very important because a high bounce rate impacts your revenue and business in general.


Generating traffic to gain money is the way to go. Read and share these helpful tips that will help you generate paid organic traffic. There are ten ways to generate paid traffic in 2021.

Before you go further, is Google Adsense or any other Ad unit running on your website? if no you need to set up Google Adsense to be able to main money.

Revamp old articles
Some articles got lots of views and then you know that people are searching for that type of article. You can revamp that article by writing a similar article and also adding the same points and more.

Linking articles to articles
Always add the link to your previous article to give more clarity to readers and for easy useability. When you add a link to an article the user clicks thereby gaining more traffic,  recording more user time and less bounce rate.
In the stock market trading can be profitable or unprofitable. Professional traders can make hundreds of dollars a year, depending on the trader's competence and the trading system used. You can also be one of the lucky traders. All you need to do is know how. 

1. How to trade stocks

*Get a broker; The best way to trade your stock is by paying someone to trade it. There are a lot of brokers out there so finding one would not be difficult. You should be able to find someone with experience that can trade and give you good and reliable trading advice.

 *Find a stock-breaking website; For those who are willing and ready to trade by themselves, several websites deal with online trading. Acting as your broker will give you a greater amount of control, and you will be able to save yourself a little money. These are services offered by some of these companies (Fidelity and TD Ameritrade)Some offer extra advice, tutorials, debit cards, mortgage loans, and other benefits. Weigh the benefits of each service and decide what is best for you. 




*Make use of the market order; You can buy and sell stocks with a market order when you trade stocks. Which means it will be traded at a very good price at that moment. Always remember, it takes a while for sails to go through, and if the market changes fast you may get a very different price than the one you originally saw. 

* Stop-loss orders This is similar to a market order-loss order, this is similar a market order except that the stock will be sold when it reaches a particular price. This is often used to avoid a loss in a falling market. 

*Use trailing stops; Trailing stops can be used to set a higher or smaller limit at which a stock could be bought or sold. Rather than a set of prices. it is a price that is determined as a percentage of the actual price. This is a very useful tool which can protect you from huge market swings. 

*Limit orders; Placing limit orders is another option for you. Limit orders create a particular price window out of which your stock will be bought or sold. This can help you get good prices. A special commission is often giving on this type of order. .Stop limit orders are orders which executes when a specified stopping price is reached. This provides even more control but, as with limit orders, you take the chance that your stock may not sell. 

*Your money should be stored between trades; Brokerage firms offer accounts that can help store your money between trades and pay you a small amount of interest in the meantime. This is very useful and should be factored into your plans if you are using an online service. 


IMPORTANT READS: WHERE TO SET UP A CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGE PART 4: START AN EXCHANGE IN AMERICA.


2.Trading stocks effectively

 *Keep enough money in your account; Save a particular amount of money required to start and maintain an account. For example, E*trade requires just $500 to open an account. Federal regulations require that you have at least half of the cost of the stock you’re purchasing in your account and that your equity percentage is no less than a quarter of your total investments. 

*Be sure you are looking at a current quote; Remember that the market changes quickly, and the quote you’re looking at may not be up-to-the-minute. Find a service that allows you to look at real-time prices so that you can get the best deal possible. 

*Read stock tables and quotes; Stock tables are a great way to evaluate stocks, but they can be difficult to read. You will have to learn how to interpret them and which numbers are the most important, so you can set your priorities and make great decisions. 

*Know when to buy and sell; The best thing for you is to buy when stocks are at a low price and sell them at a high price later. This is great in theory, but it's difficult to put into practice. Because you cannot determine the future. So instead, look for stocks with great momentum. The idea, of course, is to try to buy at the beginning of an upswing and sell before a big decline. 

*Acquire a good ask price, and make a good bid price; if you have unreasonable expectations, you will have a very hard time buying and selling your stocks. Ask only what is reasonable to ask and do not seek anything well above or below market value.

* Do not put all focus on a stock price; think about the entire company. View the profits and performance. A stock might be expensive, but if the company continues to make bigger and bigger profits, the stock might be cheap. 
Business management

Management and administration are both important functions that support the success of any business or organization. ​

Management​

Management is actually a subsection of administration, which has to do with the mechanical and ordinary surfaces of an organization’s operation. It is different from managerial or tactical work. 

Management is used by business enterprises. The administration is above the scope of the management and exercises control over the finance and permitting of an organization. 

Management makes the conclusions within the limitations of the framework.

Management consists of a group of managerial persons, who influence their dedicated skills to fulfill the objectives of an organization. 

Management decisions are shaped by the values, sentiments, and sentiments while of the managers. In management, technical aptitudes and human relation management attitudes are crucial.​ 

Management is focused on managing resources, in particular people, and how they are utilized by an organization in order to achieve a common goal or outcome.​ 

Management consists of actions and plans whereby administration entails setting objectives and policies.​ 

Management aims at managing not only people but also their work. Whereas Administration focuses on how best the resources of an organization can be utilized.​ The management style of an organization can also change with the removal or installation of a new Manager/Leader. Administrative policies or procedures however are slower to change and may remain in place for many generations of management.​

Management is a technique that incorporates the processes of sorting out, staffing, arranging, driving or coordinating, and controlling an association to perform the objective or target. Resourcing incorporates the sending and control of HR, budgetary assets, mechanical assets, and characteristic assets.​

Table of contents

  • Definition

  • History

  • Theories of technological forecasting

  • Methods of technological forecasting

  • Commonly adopted methods of technology forecasting

  • Time Frame for Technology Forecasts

  • Benefits of Technological forecasting

  • References




Technology Foresight is a combination of creative thinking, expert views, and alternative scenarios to make a contribution to strategic planning. Technological Forecasting (TF) is concerned with the investigation of new trends, radically new technologies, and new forces that could arise from the interplay of factors such as new public concerns, national policies, and scientific discoveries. Many of these forces are beyond the control, influence, and knowledge of individual companies. 


The development of a technology forecast can be divided into three separate actions:

  • Framing the problem and defining the desired outcome of the forecast,

  • Gathering and analyzing the data using a variety of methodologies, and

  • Interpreting the results and assembling the forecast from the available information.



Technology forecasting has existed in one form or another for more than a century, but it was not until after World War II (WWII) that it began to evolve as a structured discipline. The motivation for this evolution was the U.S. government’s desire to identify technology areas that would have significant military importance.


Theories of technological forecasting

Neoclassical theories Technological change takes place in the form of shifts of the production function towards the origin.


Marxist theory

Karl marl perceived technology as not self-generating, but as a process directed by willful. Conscious, active people and moulded by useful forces. He held that technology changes the development of the productive forces which was the prime mover of history.


Schumpeter’s theory

Schumpeter's theory of development assigns a paramount role to the entrepreneur and innovations introduced by him in the process of economic development. According to Schumpeter, the process of production is marked by a combination of material and immaterial productive forces. The Schumpeterian production function can, therefore, be written as –

Q = Æ’ [k, r, I, u, ν) …(1)

Where Q stands for the output, k for the Schumpeterian concept of “produced means of production”, r for natural resources, l for the employed labor force.



Evolutionary theory

This suggests a biological analogy to explain technological change. The Darwinian two-state process of mutation (invention) and selection (innovation) has been employed to understand the evolution of technology.


Market pull theory

Market Pull', refers to the need/requirement for a new product or a solution to a problem, which comes from the market place. The need is identified by potential customers or market research. A product or a range of products are developed, to solve the original need.


Technology push theory

Technology is defined as an autonomous or quasi-autonomous factor. It assumes a one-way casual determination approach ie from science to the economy.


Methods of technological forecasting

 


Commonly adopted methods of technology forecasting include the 

  • Delphi method

The Delphi technique is used where a consensus of expert opinion is required on the timing, probability, and identification of future technological goals or consumer needs and the factors likely to affect their achievement. It is best used in making long-term forecasts and revealing how new technologies and other factors could trigger discontinuities in technological trajectories. The choice of experts and the identification of their level and area of expertise are important; the structuring of the questions is even more important. Experts in non-technological fields can be included to ensure that trends in economic, social, and environmental fields are not overlooked.


  • Exploratory technique: The formal forecasting techniques are standard components that are described in many textbooks on forecasting techniques (see specific techniques). Specific techniques for forecasting fall into two main categories, exploratory and normative. Information about each technique is available in various references.

Exploratory techniques are primarily concerned with the analysis of historical data. Selected attributes such as functional performance, technical parameters, economic performance, etc. are plotted against time. Since it is usually assumed that progress is evolutionary and that technological progress is not random, it is possible to generate characteristic curves or patterns from the data, and from these patterns, forecasts can be made with varying degrees of certainty. However, changes do occur and the influence and impact of new or surprising factors must not be disregarded. Examples of relevant exploratory techniques are:

                          S-curves

                              cycles

                            trend extrapolation

                            technology substitution

— all of which rely on a large amount of statistical data, which may or may not be available freely.



 What is the essence of the overall model of training and staff development?

Knowledge and skills are crucial to every company. Firms are evaluated based on their physical structure and intellectual capital. The easiest way to develop and improve a firm’s intellectual capital is to conduct regular training and development programs

Employee training and development refers to the continued efforts of a company to boost the performance of its employees. Companies aim to train and develop employees by using an array of educational methods and programs. The purpose of training and development in organizations is: Improve knowledge and skills to perform their roles effectively. Increasing employee productivity and efficiency. Support employee development and growth. If employees are working toward a goal, they are more likely to work harder and more efficiently.

Office Workers Photos
Photo by fauxels from Pexels

There are benefits involved in the allover model of training and staff development. 
There are sets backs that this might but the benefits outweigh the setbacks. The benefits include:

Improved employee performance the employee who receives the necessary training is more able to perform in their job. The training will give the employee a greater understanding of their responsibilities within their role, and in turn, build their confidence. This confidence will enhance their overall performance and this can only benefit the company. Employees who are competent and on top of changing industry standards help your company hold a position as a leader and strong competitor within the industry.


Reduced employee turnover

 Reduced employee turnover

Staff is more likely to feel valued if they are invested in and therefore, less likely to change employers. Training and development are seen as additional company benefits. Recruitment costs, therefore, go down due to staff retention.

Addressing weaknesses

Productivity usually increases when a company implements training courses. Increased efficiency in processes will ensure project success which in turn will improve the company turnover and potential market share. A training program presents an opportunity to instill the needed skills in the employees. A development program helps to expand the knowledge base of all employees. In doing so, companies are able to bridge any gaps and weak links within their organizations. In such a way, every employee will be in a position to fill in for his colleague and handle any task with efficiency. Increased productivity and adherence to quality standards. 

Boosts company profile and reputation

Employee training is not just good for the employees but also for the firm. Conducting frequent training and development programs is one way of developing the organization’s employer brand, thus making it a prime consideration for the top employees working for competitor firms, as well as graduates. A company that trains its employees will be more attractive to potential new employees, particularly those looking to advance their skills.


Innovation

Innovation

When employees receive consistent training and upskilling, it fosters their creativity. The training programs help employees to be more independent and creative when they encounter challenges in their work.

Highly Effective Ways to Motivate Employees.

Employee motivation is key to an organization's success. It's the level of commitment, drive, and energy that a company's workers bring to the role everyday. Without it, companies experience reduced productivity, lower levels of output and it's likely that the company will fall short of reaching important goals too. 

HERE ARE 10 WAYS TO MOTIVATE YOUR EMPLOYEES IF THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE THEIR WAGES.

1. Recognition/Attention.
When your employees accomplish something they have achieved something. Your recognition is an appreciation for that achievement. Most managers don't give enough recognition. Recognitions stimulates work interest and employee loyalty. 

2. Applause.
This is a form of recognition but a very specific form. Physically applaud your employees by giving them a round of applause for specific achievements. Where? When? The answer is wherever and whenever. At meetings or company-sponsored social gatherings, a luncheon, or in the office. At the end of a shift, before a shift, and whenever possible in the middle of a shift.
Using plaques or trophies is another effective way of applauding your people. Although "wooden applause" is often successfully used in the form of Employee of the Month plaques, more creative ideas are sorely underutilized. Take the time to be creative, matching special accomplishments with unique awards.

How to motivate your employees

3. One-on-One Coaching.
Coaching is employee development. Your only cost is time. Time means you care. Remember your employees don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Whenever you recognize and encourage people in "public," it acts as a natural stimulant for others who are close enough to see or hear what's taking place.

4. Training.
Training can help employees understand how their work fits into their company's structure, mission, goals, and achievements. As a result, employees can become more motivated and excited about their work as they understand how what they do matters to the success of the organization.

5. Career Path.
Your employees need to know what is potentially ahead for them, what opportunities there are for growth. This issue is a sometimes forgotten ingredient as to the importance it plays in the overall motivation of people. Set career paths within your organization. If you do this you are sending a very positive message to everyone that there are indeed further career opportunities within your organization.


6. Job Titles.
When you talk about job titles you are tapping the self-esteem of people. How someone feels about the way they are perceived in the workforce is a critical component to overall attitude and morale. Picture a social gathering that includes some of your staff. The subject of work inevitably comes up. Will your people be proud, or embarrassed, to share their title and workplace? The importance of feeling proud of who you are and what you do is monumental. Be creative as you think of possibilities for titles. Have your staff come up with ideas giving them input into the titles. The bottom line, you are dealing with pride...and pride enhances a positive attitude...and a positive attitude is a foundation for continuing success.

7. Good Work Environment.
A recent industry study shows just how inaccurate your results can be. Employers were asked to rank what they thought motivated their people and then employees were asked to rank what really did motivate them. Employers felt "working conditions" was a nine (or next to last) in terms of importance. What did the employees say? Number two! Working conditions are very important to the way employees feel about where they work.

8. Leadership Roles.
Give your people leadership roles to reward their performance and also to help you identify future promotable people. Most people are stimulated by leadership roles even in spot appearances. For example, when visitors come to your workplace use this opportunity to allow an employee to take the role of visitors guide. A great place to hand out leadership roles is to allow your people to lead brief meetings. Utilize your employees' strengths and skills by setting up "tune-up" training sessions and let one of your employees lead the training. The best time to do this is when new people start.

9. Time Off.
Implement contests that earn time off. People will compete for 15 minutes or 1/2 hour off just as hard as they will for a cash award. Put goals in place (padded of course) and when these goals are reached by individuals, teams, or the entire staff, reward them with time off. Allow early dismissals, late arrivals, and extended lunch periods or additional breaks.

10. Theme Contests.
Overall the most successful contests seem to be those affiliated with different themes. Holidays, anniversaries, sports, and culture are examples of ideas to base contests on. Sports, without a doubt, provide the largest opportunity for a wide variety of contests.
What is risk 
Risk is a measure of uncertainty. It is an uncertain event that could have a positive or negative effect on your business. A risk is a potential problem that might happen or not. The more uncertain you are about an asset value the riskier it is.​

Risk Categories
Information ​
a) Unknown risk is a risk that can be uncovered after careful evaluation of the project business, and technical environment.​

b) Predictable risks are risks that are extrapolated from past project experience. ​
c) Unpredictable risks are risks that can and do occur but are extremely difficult to identify in advance. 
View presentation below-->


Management and administration are both important functions that support the success of any business or organization.


Management
Management is a managerial function.

Management is actually a subsection of administration, which has to do with the mechanical and ordinary surfaces of an organization’s operation. It is different from managerial or tactical work. Management is used by business enterprises. Management transactions with the employees. The administration is above the scope of the management and exercises control over the finance and permitting of an organization. Management makes the conclusions within the limitations of the framework.​








Management consists of a group of managerial persons, who influence their dedicated skills to fulfill the objectives of an organization. Management decisions are shaped by the values, sentiments, and sentiments while of the managers. In management, technical aptitudes and human relation management attitudes are crucial.​

Management is focused on managing resources, in particular people, and how they are utilized by an organization in order to achieve a common goal or outcome.​ Management consists of actions and plans whereby administration entails setting objectives and policies.​ Management aims at managing not only people but also their work. Whereas Administration focuses on how best the resources of an organization can be utilized.​

The management style of an organization can also change with the removal or installation of a new Manager/Leader. Administrative policies or procedures however are slower to change and may remain in place for many generations of management.​


Management is a technique that incorporates the processes of sorting out, staffing, arranging, driving or coordinating, and controlling an association to perform the objective or target. Resourcing incorporates the sending and control of HR, budgetary assets, mechanical assets, and characteristic assets.​



Administration
The administration is a determinative function.​
The administration makes the important conclusions of an initiative in its entirety. If one were to determination the status, or position of the administration, one would find that it entails owners who invest the capital and receive revenues from an organization. Administrators are usually originated in government, military, spiritual and educational organizations. ​

Administrators are usually originated in government, military, spiritual and educational organizations. The decisions of an administration are shaped by public opinion, social and government policies, and religious factors. ​

Administration typically has a role in all management decisions, whereas not all administrative decisions require the input of management.​

The administration is focused on setting and creating policies and procedures. Management however is more likely to deal with the broader functions of an organization and how tasks are executed.​

Administrative functions typically are more defined, whereas how managers act and operate in an organization can differ from person to person.​

The administrative functions of a business can often be guided or influenced by legislation or law. Whereas how a manager chooses to guide or lead their team is often a function of their experience and the company culture.​




What better way to start the new year by evaluating your projects and get them running on the right track. Growing your business can be stressful and challenging but there are ways around it that can help you build an authentic audience for a positive result. 

There are six ideas to help you grow your business in 2109. Taking your blog or business website to the next level is always a good idea. I am working on some of this and I want to share with you all some helpful tips that will help you grow your business in 2019.






Redesign your website
A good and easily navigated website is key to good customer service. Redesigning your website can be a breakthrough for your business, which includes monetary and service wise.
To read more about redesigning your website. I have put together 7 reasons why your website needs a redesign

Add relevant contents to your website
Running a business is totally different from adding content to your website. There is strategic content that drives traffic to a website. Understand what type of content drives traffic to your business website and capitalize on creating those types of contents. There are a lot of content creators online with worthy services who can help in directing your business to the right audience.
This includes the way photos on your business website are edited, the colour scheme, arrangement, and patterns. Instagram and Facebook happen to be some of the most used business apps and as so interacting with your followers and asking catchy questions can help build both trusts and capture better productive attention. 

Today, there are lots of apps we use on our mobile devices, both on the Play Store and the App Store. We are happy to download them, especially if the app offers free downloads with no charge. Some apps are relevant and helpful, while others are just used to generate income. Either way, whichever way you want to go in 2019, here are some reasons why you need an app for your business.

In 2019, creating an app for your business can help your business move to the next level, prepare your business for a massive benefit, and channel it to the right gate.

Note: Not all businesses need an app. Make sure you do clear research before creating an app for your business.

Generate additional sales.

Apps encourage repeat orders. If you have an app on your phone, it pops up reminders asking you to check out new offers, keeping you up to date on what's going on.
This also involves a download number and payment to use the app, depending on how compelling the app is.

Ads on your app.

You can benefit from the advertising revenue generated from the clicks.
Wonder why some apps have so many ads running? This is because the app is also hosting beneficial advertising campaigns.

Build a better customer relationship and stay in control.

Apps allow business owners to create a direct relationship with customers.
You are more likely to retain customers once you know who they are, where they are, and how to reach them.

Enhance the customer service experience.

Many websites do not look so great on mobile screens.
But mobile apps are purpose-designed for small screen sizes, so they are easier on the eye and simpler to use for the customer. This is more comfortable and can create a bond between customers and your app.



Hi ,After discussing the fundamental aspects when choosing the jurisdiction to establish your crypto trading platform, and taking a look at some jurisdictions in Asia-Pacific and Europe, we conclude with the "Where to set up your cryptocurrency exchange" article series with some of the most interesting jurisdictions in the American continent to start and operate a cryptocurrency exchange.

Bermuda
Bermuda is home of many Fortune 500 companies which have chosen the island to set up a tax-exempt vehicle as a holding company, and for trading, manufacturing, inter-group financing, shipping, aircraft leasing and holding of intellectual property rights, among others.

Bermuda is also an insurance leader, with 900 captive insurance companies and almost half of the world’s leading reinsurers.

Bermuda has also been a pioneer in enacting a legal framework for Initial Coin Offerings, which currently need to seek permission from the BMA (Bermuda Monetary Authority).
Hi , In the first chapter of "Where to set up a cryptocurrency exchange", we talked about some of the most important factors to consider when analyzing, comparing and finally choosing the most suitable jurisdiction in which to establish your crypto exchange. If you did not have the chance to read it you can do it here.

In today's chapter we will get to the point and discuss the key factors of some Asia-Pacific jurisdictions. The following is not an exhaustive list but for this series we have only considered those jurisdictions that offer certain regulatory certainty.

Japan
Japan has been a pioneer in the adoption of Bitcoin and, in general, cryptocurrencies and was the first country to regulate the sector.

In April 2017, the Payment Services Act was reviewed to accommodate this new business model. Japan’s regulations are perhaps, the most complete and demanding worldwide.

Exchanges are subject to registration and need to obtain a Virtual Currency Exchange License with the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

The regulations apply not only to any entity that establishes an exchange in Japan but also to any exchange that accepts customers who are Japanese residents.

The minimum capital required is JPY 10 million (approximately 93,000 USD), although in practice what the regulator cares most about is that the operating capital is adequate for the size of the exchange and the expected cash flow.

To be eligible, the exchange must have reserves of at least JPY 50 million (approximately USD 500,000).

There must be strict compliance policies and sound KYC/AML systems, the appropriate compliance staff and the appointment of an external auditor.

The security systems and protocols will be carefully analyzed by the regulator to ensure the highest cybersecurity standards.

If the company is formed by foreigners they should hire Japanese personnel, especially representatives who will be in charge of communicating with the regulators.

The preparation process for the license application usually takes from six months to 1 year and the JFSA will approve or reject it within a period of 2 months.

Japan may be the best option for those who are looking to establish an exchange in the most developed cryptocurrency market in the world, have sufficient resources and qualifications to do so and do not mind facing a high tax burden (Japan's effective corporate tax rate is up to 34.60%).

Labuan
Unknown to many, the Labuan International Business and Financial Center is a reputable free trade area located in the Federal Territory of Labuan which is off the coast of the state of Sabah in East 

Malaysia.
Labuan is one of the major financial hubs of Asia due to its pro-business policies, low taxes and compliance with international standards on due diligence and transparency.

Labuan companies may elect to pay a 3% tax or a RM 20,000 fee on their trading income. Investment profits are not subject to taxes.

In a circular sent on June 28, 2018, the Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA) expressed its interest in attracting "Innovative Financial Services" to the region including businesses involved in distributed ledger technology and cryptocurrencies.

To begin with, the exchange must have the appropriate measures to manage the risk related to money laundering and the countering of terrorism financing and it will be subject to the requirements and regulations issued by the Bank Negara Malaysia and the Labuan FSA.

A crypto exchange business must be approved by the Labuan FSA and must apply and obtain a Money Broker License.
In addition to the AML measures, the applicant must demonstrate that it has the adequate capital to carry out the business, the appropriate internal policies and controls, including the protocols and systems for cybersecurity risk management, and governance expertise.

The LFSA will conduct a fit and proper test to all the promoters of the business and management team members.

The minimum capitalization is RM 500,000 (approximately USD 120,000) and the business should have some type of commercial substance in Labuan. This can be achieved by establishing an office there.

The entire licensing process can take 4 to 6 months.
Labuan is an interesting option for those who wish to set up a regulated exchange that accepts fiat currencies in an advantageous fiscal environment. In addition, although banks are quite selective, it is possible to open bank accounts for exchanges in both Malaysia and Labuan for entities incorporated and regulated in the free zone.

Abu Dhabi
The regulator of the Abu Dhabi Global Markets Free Zone, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), published a legal framework for crypto businesses on June 25, 2018.

The framework introduces, as a regulated activity, Operating a Crypto Asset Business (OCAB), which includes cryptocurrency exchanges.
Regulated crypto exchanges must be compliant with KYC/AML & CTF and consumer protection regulations and is subject to technology governance guidelines.

Crypto Asset Exchanges are regulated in a similar manner to "Multilateral Trading Facilities" and are required to have in place the proper market surveillance protocols, settlement processes, transaction recording, transparency & public disclosure mechanisms and investment exchange-like operational systems and controls.

Exchanges must request authorization and will be granted a Financial Services Permission to carry out the regulated activity of OCAB.

An OCAB will be required to hold adequate capital resources, similar to Recognized Investment Exchanges. 

The FSRA may decide at its discretion the amount of capital required according to the size, scope and complexity of the exchange, but at least it must be equal to 6 months of operational expenses plus an additional buffer amount of up to another 6 months' operational expenses.

The application fee is USD $125,000 and there is also an annual fee of USD $60,000 and a levy on the average daily volume between 0.0006% and 0.0015%.

Exchanges that include cryptos that are considered securities will remain subject to the relevant regulatory requirements and will need to obtain another license as a Recognized Investment Exchange or Recognized Clearing House.

There is no foreign-ownership restrictions, nor corporation tax on companies established in the Abu Dhabi Global Markets Free Zone. The banks established in the Free-zone are considerably open to accept regulated businesses dealing with cryptocurrencies.

Thailand
Thailand has completed a very comprehensive regulatory framework for businesses involved in digital assets, including the publication of two royal decrees, several regulations of the SEC and announcements from the Bank of Thailand.

Under this regulatory framework, digital asset exchanges operating in Thailand must be incorporated in the jurisdiction and obtain certain licenses which involve both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Bank of Thailand (BOT).

Keep in mind that Limited companies in Thailand must be incorporated by at least three promoters and foreign-ownership is restricted to 49%. Among other restrictions, a Limited company in Thailand must maintain a ratio of 4 Thai employees for each foreign employee.

There is an exception. Companies promoted by the Board of Investment (BOI) can be exempted from the foreign-ownership/foreign employee restrictions and in certain industries, such as technology, can enjoy tax holidays for up to 8 years.

Nonetheless, obtaining the approval of the BOI can be cumbersome and the process can take more than 6 months. Technically, a company developing software such as an exchange may be eligible but there is no precedent in the crypto industry and therefore approval is not guaranteed.

In addition, after approval by the BOI, an exchange should secure the permission of the SEC and the BOT which could add another 5-6 months before you will be able to finally start operations.

Among other requirements, an exchange must capitalize the company with THB 50 million (approximately USD $1.5M) for a centralized exchange and THB 10 million (approximately USD $300,000) for a decentralized exchange.

The initial fee to obtain the license is THB 5 million (USD $150,000) and the annual fees are 0.002% of the total trading volume.

An exchange must withhold 15% of the profits of their users (capital gains tax) and each transaction attracts a 7% VAT. Besides being a considerable economic burden for the user, it is also an operational and accounting burden for the exchange itself.

A properly licensed exchange should not have any problems opening a local a bank account, both to hold customer funds and for day to day business operations.

In short, Thailand can be a valid option for those who want to exclusively target the Thai market and provide trading, deposits and withdrawals with Thai Baht. However, foreign-ownership restrictions, time and tax burdens may make it less appealing for most.

Philippines
Exchanges in the Philippines are regulated by the Monetary Board and are considered Non-Banking Financial Institutions (MORNBFI).

Exchanges must obtain a license from the Bangko Sentral as a Remittance and Transfer Company (RTC) and register as a Virtual Currency (VC) Exchange operator.

With this license, an exchange can provide services with both cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies.

Exchanges must also be registered with the Anti-Money Laundering Council and are subject to cybersecurity monitoring which covers storage and transaction security requirements as well as key management practices to guarantee integrity and security of transactions.

Foreign-owned companies in the Philippines must be capitalized with at least USD $200,000 and must be incorporated by at least 5 incorporators, each of them having at least one share in the company and the majority must be Filipino residents (3 of 5). Foreigners can keep most of the shares.

Companies in the Philippines are subject to a corporate tax of 30% and a 30% withholding tax in the distribution of dividends to non-residents, in addition to other local taxes.

However, if the exchange is set up in the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA), a government-operated economic zone in the northern tip of the Philippines, it may be enjoy a more advantageous tax regime subject to a tax rate of 5% of gross income in lieu of all local and national taxes.

CEZA is known as the Fintech hub of the Philippines and is attracting a number of foreign businesses (mainly from Hong Kong). The free zone announced that it is granting a maximum of 25 licenses to virtual currency exchange operators.

The exchange must commit to invest a minimum of USD $1 million over a period of 2 years and have at least one administrative office in the Philippines.

The cost of the license can be up to USD $365,000 and each transaction made in the exchange will be taxed at 0.1% of its value.

Australia
Exchanges in Australia need to be registered with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (AUSTRAC) and are subject to the anti-money laundering and terrorist financing laws (AML/CTF).

To obtain a permission to operate, a digital currency exchange must demonstrate that it has the proper systems and controls in place to minimize risk and comply with compliance and reporting obligations.

In addition to proceeding with typical KYC procedures, regulated entities must monitor transactional activity and inform the AUSTRAC of transactions that exceed USD $10,000.

Exchanges must be incorporated and have an office in Australia and appoint an external auditor.

The AUSTRAC is considerably demanding when granting licenses. Only those with a solid team formed by the appropriate personnel, enough resources and expert compliance systems will be eligible.

If the exchange holds customer funds it must obtain a financial services license.

The required capital is USD $50,000 plus a 5% reserve according to the size of the exchange.

Several requirements apply if the exchange holds USD $100 million in assets. It is usually recommended to have at least USD $10 million of reserves before submitting an application.

Singapore
Singapore is a hot spot for the fintech sector and perhaps one of the most business friendly jurisdictions worldwide when it comes to innovation and new technologies applied to finance. 

As far as cryptocurrencies are concerned, Singapore has attracted a large number of players in the sector, especially after the crypto ban in China.

Cryptocurrency exchanges in Singapore are not regulated per se, although they are obliged to comply with AML/CTF requirements, verifying the identities of their clients and reporting suspicious transactions to the Suspicious Transactions Reporting Office.

In accordance with the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) guidelines, only exchanges that provide trading of tokens are considered regulated securities specifically by the Securities and Futures Act (SFA). In this case, they must request the approval, recognition or exemption of the MAS to operate as Regulated Market Operator (RMO).

Currently there is no exchange registered as an RMO. 
Exchanges incorporated in Singapore that want to support fiat currency and provide fiat wallets could potentially be subject to obtaining a Stored Value Facility License. However, in practice, currently, there is no Singaporean exchange supporting fiat and it might not be a viable option because the difficulty for a crypto business to open a bank account in Singapore.

However, Singapore can be an interesting option for those exchanges that do not want or do not have the resources to obtain a license and do not plan to accept or support fiat currencies. 

Exchanges in Singapore have been facing difficulties getting and keeping a bank account, at the time of publication. Most likely, the exchange will have to bank elsewhere.

The Bottom Line
If you are planning to launch an exchange, you need to surround yourself with a team with the appropriate qualification and enough experience in cybersecurity, finance, legal matters, among other areas.

You need to have the necessary capital and resources to do so. If you are looking to be regulated, licensing processes are demanding and you will need a sound project and the right plan to achieve it.

Each jurisdiction has its upsides and downsides, and the cost and requirements to be regulated can represent a barrier for many. However, there is a clear trend of increasing and more rigorous regulatory supervision, and being already regulated will not only help you to mitigate legal uncertainty, also oblige you to meet the highest standards and provide an optimal service.

If you are not ready to go through a licensing process, adhere to the best practices and prepare your business to meet requirements.

Whether you are setting up a regulated or unregulated exchange, or funding it via ICO, at Flag Theory, we can help you set up a sound corporate structure choosing the most advantageous jurisdictions and legal entities according to your requirements, priorities and goals, obtain licensing and bank accounts, as well as assisting in compliance matters. Contact us, it will be our pleasure to assist you.
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