This dedicated practice assists clients to navigate complex legal issues surrounding digital assets including blockchain, crypto and Web3. We offer integrated support for digital assets businesses across all our practice areas and across multiple jurisdictions, driving innovative solutions to help clients achieve their goals.
With a global network of experienced lawyers and senior industry professionals strategically located in the Americas, the Caribbean, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East, we ensure that clients gain immediate access to expert advice and bespoke support within time zones that are convenient to client needs.
We advise clients on the corporate structure and governance requirements necessary to successfully operate in the digital assets space, including entity formation, board management and compliance with best practices and regulatory guidance.
Our team helps clients navigate the regulatory and administrative process of issuing tokens, including security tokens, utility tokens and tokenised forms of other traditional financial assets. We advise both issuers and investors on Simple Agreements for Future Tokens (SAFTs), token purchase agreements and other related investments from startup to exit. We also consider licensing requirements which may be applicable to issuers in different
We help clients successfully navigate contentious circumstances by handling their disputes at every stage: from pre-action advice and steps, to appearing in Court or arbitral proceedings, through to facilitating judgment and award enforcement. The Maples Group has assisted clients with Decentralised Autonomous Organisations disputes, smart-contract complaints, crypto/NFT trading-loss claims, investment mandate claims, contentious creditor claims, winding-up proceedings, misappropriation disputes, tracing claims, digital forensics and evidence gathering, ownership disputes and acting both for and against liquidators with significant digital-asset liquidations. We are also able to give tailored advice on minimising dispute and liability risk.
We provide support and structuring expertise for a wide range of transactions related to digital assets, including token sales, venture capital investments, mergers and acquisitions and other strategic partnerships and related financing arrangements.
We advise clients on regulatory matters surrounding digital assets, including anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism and know-your-customer requirements, as well as compliance with virtual assets and securities regulations and the requirements and guidance issued by regulatory authorities in the jurisdictions in which we operate (e.g. the VASP regimes in the BVI and Cayman Islands and the EU’s MiCA regime).
We assist in licensing and registration applications to local regulators for regulated digital assets businesses, such as virtual asset token issuers, cryptocurrency exchanges, trading platforms and custody providers.
We advise clients establishing tokenised funds including drafting offering and constitutional documents; advising on and implementing governance arrangements; embedding legal and regulatory requirements across the fund lifecycle to align with applicable rules in relevant jurisdictions and structuring, onboarding and secondary transfer mechanics.
