Fintech & Digital Assets
Fintech & Digital Assets overview
Financial Technology (fintech) and Digital Assets are evolving at a breathtaking pace as the digital revolution changes, improves, redefines and even inverts traditional roles and functions within financial services.
With the growing global demand for both fintech and digital asset solutions, White & Case serves as trusted advisers for buy-side and sell-side clients, including complex multi-party collaborations. We support a number of industry firsts, partnering with emerging companies, unicorns, and established financial and technology institutions to create original solutions for their most complex multijurisdictional needs.
We have been at the forefront of the fintech, payments and digital assets markets for more than two decades. Our multidisciplinary team includes former senior government regulators, bankers and in-house payments, product development and digital asset executives. This gives us a unique understanding of the wide range of fintech and digital asset matters that arise in connection with new business models, technology transformation and innovative product development.
Our fintech practice covers the full spectrum of technology-driven financial services. We advise on licensing, product development, payments innovation, embedded finance, open banking, digital identity solutions, regtech, and the commercial and regulatory issues arising from the deployment of new technologies. We help established institutions and emerging companies launch, scale and refine fintech offerings while navigating complex and often evolving regulatory environments across multiple jurisdictions.
Our digital asset work spans the full ecosystem. We advise on tokenization projects, stablecoin and cryptocurrency matters, digital securities offerings, blockchain infrastructure, custody arrangements and the regulatory frameworks that apply to digital asset service providers. We also assist clients with distributed ledger technology adoption, compliance with emerging regulatory regimes, risk management, and the integration of digital assets into traditional financial products and services. Our team helps clients structure innovative products, navigate supervisory expectations, and manage cross-border issues in an area where laws and standards continue to develop rapidly.
Our extensive experience in this area spans the full gamut of products and services, including:
Products:
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven technology
- Blockchain and cryptocurrency
- Digital banking
- Digital insurance
- Digital and mobile wallets
- E-commerce platforms
- Payment gateways
- Alternative lending
Services:
- Advertising and marketing compliance
- Anti-money laundering
- Competition and disputes
- Consumer financial services
- Data privacy and cybersecurity
- IPOs, offerings and exits
- M&A, dispositions, joint ventures, outsourcing and other alliances
- Regulatory compliance and advisory, including RegTech
- Vendor risk management
Fintech & Digital Assets experience
Celsius Network
The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the chapter 11 case of Celsius Network LLC on the successful confirmation of Celsius Network's chapter 11 plan, including the successful chapter 11 exit and distribution of more than US$3 billion of cryptocurrency to creditors. The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors acted as the fiduciary for 1.7 million account holders.
Centre
Centre, the consortium founded by Circle and Coinbase to provide standards governance for USD Coin (USDC), on a variety of blockchain and stable coin issues related to corporate matters, tax issues, antitrust, regulatory and insolvency matters.
GameStop
GameStop on the recent update to its investment policy to add Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset.
Nubank
Nubank, one of the largest neobanks in the world by number of users, on various matters, including strategic partnerships to facilitate the buildout of its cryptocurrency business and its strategic partnerships with Paxos and Circle.
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank on a strategic, multiyear partnership with Google Cloud aimed at accelerating the bank's transition to cloud services and the co-innovation of new products and services.
Figure Technology
Figure Technology, a leader in transforming financial services through the power of blockchain technology, with various matters including developing financial system use cases for Provenance, the proprietary blockchain originally developed by Figure and now independently supported by the Provenance Blockchain Foundation.
FTX
The Joint Provisional Liquidators appointed by the Supreme Court of The Bahamas over FTX Digital Markets Ltd., the regulated Bahamian entity housing the international digital assets exchange, in connection with its cross-border restructuring and/or winding up in The Bahamas, including in relation to FTX Digital Markets' chapter 15 case and the chapter 11 cases of its affiliates pending in Delaware bankruptcy court.
Genesis
The Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the chapter 11 case of Genesis Global Holdco in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
J.P. Morgan
J.P. Morgan in its revolutionary use of blockchain tokens to allow intra-day repo trades, making it the first time that a US bank has tokenized an existing, significant trading product.
Klarna
Klarna, the highest-valued private fintech in Europe, on:
Its US$650 million equity funding round at a post-money evaluation of US$10.65 billion
Its acquisition of HERO, an online retailer that brings the concept of in-person customer service to e-commerce
Its acquisition of Moneymour, an Italian payments company
Its acquisition of the retail and e-commerce financing arm of Close Brothers, a UK merchant banking group
Meta
Meta (formerly Facebook) in a range of disciplines, such as commercial transactions, digital assets, sanctions and payments regulation.
The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of El Salvador
The Ministry of Finance of the Republic of El Salvador with respect to its incorporation of bitcoin as legal tender, as well as the establishment of a seven-year strategic partnership with Google Cloud to support the country in its journey to become a technological hub in South America.
PayPal
PayPal Holdings, Inc., one of the largest payments companies in the world, on its acquisition of Paidy, Inc. for an enterprise value for US$2.7 billion.
Paysafe Group
Paysafe Group on its acquisition of viafintech, one of the largest bank-independent alternative payments infrastructures in Europe.
Societe Generale-FORGE
Societe Generale-FORGE (SG-FORGE), a regulated subsidiary of the Société Générale group dedicated to digital assets, on the launch of EUR CoinVertible, a digital asset developed and administered to maintain a stable value (stablecoin).
Tink
Tink, a leading Nordic open banking platform provider, on various matters including its €1.7 billion sale to Visa, Europe's #1 largest open banking deal to-date.
USDF Consortium
USDF Consortium on the creation of the first bank group that will jointly issue stable coins, including advising on the creation of the consortium, the regulatory issues of the stable coins and the permissibility of these activities on behalf of the banks. We are also antitrust counsel to the consortium.
Key contacts
Related services
White & Case always take into consideration the commercial elements of a deal or negotiation and focus on realistic and viable solutions with a view to achieving the best commercial results.
Band 1:
Mexico: FinTech Legal
United Arab Emirates: FinTech Legal
Chambers Fintech Legal 2025
Band 2:
USA Nationwide: FinTech Legal: Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies
Germany: FinTech Legal
Chambers Fintech Legal 2025
Band 3:
USA Nationwide: FinTech Legal
USA Nationwide: FinTech Legal: Corporate, Securities & Financing
Chambers Fintech Legal 2025
Band 5:
UK-Wide: FinTech Legal
Chambers Fintech Legal 2025
Tier 1: Crypto
The Legal 500 US, 2023
Band 2: Mexico
Chambers Fintech Legal, 2023
Band 2: Germany
Chambers Fintech Legal, 2023
Band 2: United Arab Emirates
Chambers Fintech Legal, 2023
Band 2: Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies – United States
Chambers Fintech Legal, 2023
Band 2: Corporate, Securities and Financing – United States
Chambers Fintech Legal, 2023
Fintech Law Firm of the Year 2023
Asian Legal Business Middle East Awards
Fintech Practice Group of the Year
Law360, 2020
"White & Case always take into consideration the commercial elements of a deal or negotiation and focus on realistic and viable solutions with a view to achieving the best commercial results."
Chambers Fintech Legal, 2023
"They are always responsive with concise and well-structured answers to any issue. They think out of the box to provide not only a legal overview, but an opinion on the business we are trying to build."
Chambers Fintech Legal, 2023
White & Case has a very strong reputation for capital markets work and oversees acquisitions and partnerships in the digital assets industry. It also handles regulatory matters concerning cryptocurrency and other digital assets, including NFT platform launches. Its clients include financial institutions, technology companies and payments processors.
Chambers Fintech Legal, 2023
"The commercial and technical understanding of the new business models stands out, as well as the ability to analyze and document them – despite the often high level of complexity – in a way that is legally correct and accurate, but at the same time understandable and pragmatic."
The Legal 500 EMEA, 2023
"Excellent coordination between the team members, very nice and reliable interaction. Great value is placed on diversity, consistently very in-depth knowledge in the fintech area with a capital markets focus."
The Legal 500 EMEA, 2023
"White & Case has developed a premier Fintech practice specialising in complex global matters. Its historical corporate and capital markets expertise has led the firm to become one of the leaders in multi-jurisdictional cryptocurrency and transactional mandates. Its strong presence across the UK, Europe and Asia allows it to advise global giants."
Chambers Fintech Global, 2021
"White & Case lead the way in representing some of the most innovative players in the Fintech space in M&A transactions, and provide clients with high-quality advice on the structuring and regulatory aspects of cutting-edge digital platforms, including those based on blockchain technology."
Chambers Fintech Legal, 2021
