RE: Writing this one off25 Feb 2021 08:41
I wouldn't be writing this off as yet. AZ must sort out the issues and make FCA happy. FCA cannot keep the approval to resubmit unreasonable long without formally investing the company. My gut feel is that AZ underestimate the importance of compliance in UK and did not understand fully the process. Once on the FCA radar and talking about monetisation, first thing that will spring to the regulator mind is:
1. Is that legal from HMRC perspective?
2. Does it have to follow FCA regulations and if so, does it?
3. Money laundering concerns?
Unfortunately, AZ pitched this business as a financial product despite it being literally a technical platform to convey B2B business. And noise from likes of TW didn't help.
As a result he probably open a can of worms with FCA. As a result, he will have to jump lots of hoops and loops until FCA is happy enough to relist it.
Is that a bad thing? Actually I think this is the best thing that could happen to AZ and this business. Once FCA completes their work, both shareholders and the business will have a confidence that it is compliant with law.
Lesson learned for AZ to do not underestimate UK love for compliance and procedures.
It also should give him time to sort out full audited accounts for 2020, which hopefully would show everyone the health financial of the company.
For that I can wait happily. What else I can do anyway.