Horizon’s biggest milestones of 2019

Launching our digital securities one-stop-shop, blockchain trading software, and more of what we were proud of in 2019

2019 was a big year for us! We launched our one-stop-shop for digital securities technology, powered the first secondary trading venue for blockchain bonds in Brazil, launched our Series A, and more. As we kick off 2020, we want to first look back at our biggest accomplishments from 2019.

January 2019- Launched CustodyWare to enable registered U.S. Transfer Agents to compliantly custody, pay dividends and manage investors’ digital securities

As a first mover, we recognized the role Transfer Agents would continue to play in the next generation of securities offerings and launched the technology which enables transfer agents to manage digital securities on behalf of their issuers. Our first CustodyWare client was VStock Transfer, a leading SEC-registered stock transfer firm. The software allows them to take custody of tokenized securities issued pursuant to Reg D, Reg A+, Reg S, or S-1 filings. Since then, it seems the methodology to incorporate the use of a Transfer Agent to issue and trade digital securities have caught on. Securitize, Harbor, and TokenSoft have all become transfer agents.

April 2019- Introduced rescission software for non-compliant security token offerings

Horizon’s blockchain software solutions were introduced to help issuers remedy a non-compliant token offering and bring it back into compliance with securities law and exchange non-compliant tokens in consideration for newly issued compliant tokens.

May 2019-Partnered with NIBA to bring our advanced anti-money laundering software to broker dealers and other financial firms

We partnered with the National Investment Banking Association (NIBA) to introduce our AML screening software, AMLCop. The Ethereum-based software integrates with a firm’s existing AML policies and streamlines the verification of user details against a proprietary database of global sanctions, Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), watchlists, and blockchain wallet forensics. Through a hosted web portal, firms can now run unlimited checks, and re-checks, against the database, manage flagged individuals, and maintain blockchain timestamped reports of all AML verifications.

June 2019- Announced the formal launch of our Know Your Customer “KYC” onboarding app

We were thrilled to formally launch our Ethereum-based onboarding app, KYCware. It offers issuers a white-label onboarding app branded and customized to a company’s specific digital securities needs and participating investor jurisdictions. Investors download the app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and are taken through advanced ID, document, and identity verification technology including anti-gaming features, a Machine Readable Zone ‘MRZ’ scanner and liveness detection. The forms auto-adjust depending on an investor’s jurisdiction and regulatory requirements to maintain a comprehensive, user-friendly investment process. Issuers then manage and review submissions through the KYCware hosted web portal.

August 2019-Signed an MOU with the Antiguan Government to launch a government-bank backed marketplace for digital securities

We signed an MOU with the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Finance & Corporate Governance (MFCG), and Julius Capital Bank Inc., to make Antigua a global center of excellence for digital securities issuance and secondary trading on the Ethereum blockchain. We combined government backing for investor protection and market integrity, our blockchain trading technology solutions, and a licensed financial institution to provide an accessible fiat banking on-ramp and off-ramp for traders that wish to transact in the Antigua and Barbuda digital securities marketplace.

September 2019- Launched our Ethereum-based Trading Software, Open Order Book, to power a global network of digital securities exchanges

Piggy-backing off our MOU with Antigua, we launched our digital securities exchange software to deliver next generation trading technology to financial institutions and other regulated entities around the world. Open Order Book powers order-driven marketplaces with best bids and offers displayed on the Ethereum public blockchain in real time. The software is paired with a white-label retail trading app where investors of all levels can buy, sell, and instantly settle digital assets directly from their smartphone. Investors alone hold their private key with all transactions cryptographically signed on Ethereum, adding increased investor protection. Our goal heading into 2020 is to continue to build out a network of interconnected digital securities exchanges.

November 2019- Hosted our first Dialogue with the Regulators Forum: Navigating Blockchain & Fintech forum alongside RSM US LLP

On November 5th, 2019, Horizon and RSM hosted Dialogue with the Regulators: Navigating Blockchain & Fintech; bringing together senior regulators from the SEC, FINRA, and CFPB, along with key industry thought leaders for an intimate and productive dialogue surrounding blockchain, fintech, and the evolution of capital markets.

December 2019- Launched $5 million Series A round to support build out of global trading venues powered by Horizon’s blockchain technology

We announced a $5,000,000 Series A funding round to further develop and scale the operations of our proprietary full-stack digital securities issuance, compliance, and secondary trading technology which we market to licensed, regulated financial institutions globally. The offering is now live and accepting investments. You can view investment materials here: https://offering.horizon-globex.com/.

December 2019- Powered first tokenized bond with secondary trading for its subscribers on Ethereum public blockchain

Our client Piemonte Holding, an A-rated Brazilian bank which develops and manages tailor-made investment products, closed its R$ 66m (US$ 16.2m) private bond issuance and successfully completed the launch of a secondary market for the Piemonte “Smart Bond” on Ethereum using Horizon’s compliance, custody, and blockchain trading solutions. While most other blockchain bond issuances have been on private blockchains or part of an internal pilot program, this is the first bond issuance on Ethereum to include a public secondary trading platform for qualified subscribers to buy and sell bonds and offer liquidity potential prior to bond maturity.

Conclusion-

Looking back, it’s great to see all of the incredible milestones we’ve accomplished in 2019. We are proud to have brought our proprietary blockchain tech stack to market and believe that this is only the beginning. We have incredible innovations lined up for 2020 and want to thank our fans for your support over this past year.

To learn more about our one-stop-shop for digital securities, please visit https://www.horizon-globex.com/.