It became fashionable to talk about the rise of the digital economy in Colombia. From startups to unicorns that exceed one billion dollars adorn the novelties of the technological ecosystem.

Throughout this world there are mobile platforms, fintech, entrepreneurship accelerators, coworking, mentors and even new financing lines for these types of projects. As if this were not enough, from the public it is spoken of the Orange Economy as the generation of wealth from the creative industries and, in part, the greater use of technology.

As expected, this wave of growth brought with it some regulatory challenges that are not yet resolved and that are increasingly pressing the main players in the technology industry. In order not to go so far, mobile applications from the transport sector such as Uber, Cabify and Picap are still waiting for both the Ministry of TIC and the Ministry of Transport to advance at a good time in the regulation of clear rules for its operation; They are basically asking for formality because taxes are already paying them.

The same happens now with platforms such as AirBnb or Booking that connect spaces available for lodging with potential tourists and that are not necessarily hotels. The Cotelco guild has already ruled on several occasions in the face of the urgency that the Government regulate the operation of this type of platform to promote healthy competition in the tourism industry, protect users and ensure legal stability.

Applications such as Rappi, Uber Eats or Merqueo that make homes in different cities and that have inspired new courier technology companies cannot remain in the pipeline.

There, the central debate on regulatory matters revolves around the working conditions of the domiciliary or messengers, with aspects such as social security or its location during the waiting times of the service. Nothing more necessary than putting them on the waist based on clear rules that suit all parties.

And there are also the so-called fintech or financial services companies that take advantage of digital channels for their implementation. The latter do demand a transparent regulation that establishes the rules of the game in terms of raising money, data protection, prevention of money laundering, usury rates, successful identification systems and even guarantees in the service.

Although some proposals, in this regard, have launched the Financial Information and Analysis Unit (Uiaf) and the Financial Superintendence, much remains to be done in the regulatory agenda for the coming months.

Such is the need to advance in regulatory matters that even in the Congress of the Republic, a bill is passed to adopt payment rules in just installments that help entrepreneurs, not only in the technological world, with their cash flows. Remember that in Colombia there are companies that pay 90 days.

With all this panorama so challenging and if it weren't because Colombia already regulated Internet betting platforms (there are 18 running with authorization from Coljuegos), one could say that the country takes zero in regulation of the digital economy.