EXPERIENCE

Sam’s experience includes advising on:

Strategic Regulatory and Structuring

• An Asia-based zkEVM Layer 2 scaling project on structuring and regulatory considerations relating to its protocol and token launch
• A major PRC technology company on EU and UK payments regulatory compliance
• A leading global crypto business on the impact of the EU Markets in Cryptoassets Regulation (MiCA) across all aspects of its business and its related implementation project
• A leading crypto business on multijurisdictional legal and regulatory considerations relating to establishing a crypto “perpetuals” exchange
• Multiple CeFi and DeFi crypto businesses on regulatory considerations relating to staking structures and services
• A leading global bank on the legal and regulatory aspects of tokenizing interests in precious metals
• A major global bank on structuring considerations relating to tokenized deposits
• UK and EU authorized electronic money institutions on complex safeguarding queries
• A leading global payments company on designing and implementing a cryptocurrency e-commerce checkout product
• A leading global card network on legal and regulatory considerations relating to facilitating payments in cryptocurrencies
• A global cryptoasset business on the legal and regulatory structuring for issuing a euro-backed stablecoin
• Multiple Web3/crypto businesses on structuring and regulatory considerations relating to protocol and token launches, including airdrops and initial coin offerings (ICOs); project governance; and decentralization
• Multiple leading CeFi crypto businesses on applying the crypto “Travel Rule” to their business models
• A leading global crypto business on a skilled-person review under section 166 of the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and ongoing supervisory engagement with the FCA
• A global crypto business on the possible consequences of civil and criminal enforcements actions from a strategic and global regulatory perspective
• A global bank on the structuring and documentation for its crypto-custody offering
• A global investment bank on the feasibility of a consortium-backed joint venture for the clearing and settlement of tokenized securities in the UK and the laws of a number of EU jurisdictions and the implications of establishing a central securities depository and its interoperability with TARGET2-Securities
• A fintech company on the legal feasibility of creating a platform for issuing and trading electronic trade finance documents under English law
• Distributed ledger technology (DLT) specialist Clearmatics and a consortium of leading investment banks on the Utility Settlement Coin project to develop a DLT-based payment system*

Licensing and Registration

• A leading crypto OTC trading business and market maker on a Hong Kong licensing feasibility study
• Portofino Technologies on successfully registering as a cryptoasset business with the FCA
• Hidden Road on successfully registering as a cryptoasset business with the FCA
• Elwood Technologies on its successful authorization as a service company by the FCA

Regulatory Frameworks and Consultations

• Abu Dhabi Global Markets (ADGM), an Abu Dhabi-based regulator, on a new Foundations Regulatory Regime to facilitate the issuance of blockchain tokens
• Central Bank of Egypt on developing and drafting a bespoke legal and regulatory regime for payment systems, payments services, and FinTech to be adopted in that jurisdiction  
• A number of leading Web3 investment funds and startups on consultation responses and government/regulator engagement in relation to designing the UK regulatory regime for cryptoassets, focusing on decentralization

Transactions

• Sixth Street Growth on its investment in a €285 million funding round for SumUp, a leading global financial services company
• Goldman Sachs as a lead investor in the £77.7 million Series B funding round of Fnality, a fintech focused on building blockchain-based wholesale payment systems to support the adoption of tokenized assets and marketplaces
• Permira Growth Opportunities on its participation in GoCardless’ US$312 million Series G
• Shift4Payments on its:
  • US$575 million acquisition of Credorax (dba Finaro), an Israel-based software financial technology and merchant acquiring group
  • Acquisition of Online Payments Group (dba SecurionPay), a leading EU online payments service provider based in Switzerland
  • US$396.75 million IPO on NYSE
• Financial advisors to cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase Global on its direct listing on the Nasdaq Global Select Market
• Financial advisers on Wise’s £8 billion direct listing on the London Stock Exchange
• a16z on regulatory matters relating to its Series A investment of US$20 million of preferred stock of Improbable MV Limited, a new Improbable blockchain venture

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham