Financial Technology

Our lawyers understand the regulatory challenges that China fintech companies face as they disrupt the financial services and banking industries, changing the way people spend, invest, and borrow money.

We bridge the gap between emerging technologies and slowly adapting fintech regulations, helping companies leverage new technology and find market opportunities in an increasingly competitive environment.

Our areas of specialization include:

Blockchain and Digital Assets

Our fintech lawyers are at the forefront of sophisticated transactions involving cryptocurrency and digital assets, helping increase the efficiency, accuracy and value of those transactions. We know blockchain – you can find our analyses in the Blockchain and Digital Assets Resources Center – and are well-equipped to address the regulatory issues faced by fintech firms disrupting the financial services and banking industries. Our efforts include helping clients leverage the benefits of distributed ledger technology (DLT) to innovate and re-envision how financial instruments and investment products can be constructed.

Alternative Loans and Finance

Borrowers and lenders have new ways of connecting in the marketplace, creating opportunities for private investors, small and medium-sized enterprises and institutional investors. Our fintech lawyers know the legal framework and familiar structures employed (144A, Reg D, S1), as well as the key differences as digital and tokenized securities bring new asset types to the markets. With extensive experience in marketplace lending and capital market structures, we guide established and emerging fintech clients as they execute sophisticated structured finance and securitization transactions — helping them comply with regulatory responses and challenges to fintech in the process.

Digital Investment and Financial Services

Our lawyers advise investment advisers, asset managers and fund sponsors on a wide range of fintech matters, including the use of digital, artificial intelligence and other information technologies in providing investment and financial services. We have deep expertise in the strategic, legal, regulatory, and transactional issues that arise from the use of information technologies, data analytics and machine learning in the investment process, interactions with institutional and retail investors, operations and compliance. Team members add exceptional value to client matters, often drawing on previous experience in senior regulatory posts and in-house positions and tapping into the knowledge base of one of the legal industry’s largest and highest-ranked financial services practices.

Electronic Trading Activities

Dechert’s fintech lawyers advise clients on legal and regulatory issues, including compliance with securities laws and regulations, and intellectual property protection. We also assist with privacy and data protection related to offering direct market access and directed brokerage, developing proprietary trading algorithms, and operating alternative trading systems and securities exchanges. In addition, we regularly represent clients seeking to invest in electronic trading firms and their technology.