Fintech + Web3

G+T’s Fintech + Web3 practice supports businesses that are participating in, innovating or disrupting the way in which payments, digital marketplaces and platforms, crypto assets, digital products and infrastructure are delivered, accessed and consumed. Our clients include both new and incumbent organisations focused on services that are more efficient and responsive to consumer needs and regulatory requirements.

    Our Approach

    Our team has advised some of the most successful and ground-breaking payments, platform and crypto businesses operating in Australia and globally. Our experience is across the sector and includes digital wallets, stored value and payments providers, payment schemes and infrastructure operators, centralised and decentralised platforms and projects (including DeFi and DAO projects), traditional and emerging product distributors, digital currencies and exchanges, neobanks, fractionalised and tokenised assets, marketplace lending and BNPL.

    From traditional financial service providers, fund and asset managers to new product providers and exchanges, our depth of expertise and technical knowledge means we can advise clients on each step along the journey. Our experience traverses the lifespan of business - from workshopping very early stage concepts to build scalable and marketable solutions, to advising founder-held and start-up businesses through the process of obtaining VC or PE money, to working with established businesses looking to pivot or deliver product enhancements and new service offerings.

    Our services

    Digital wallet, stored value and payment providers: advising clients offering digital wallet solutions that are incidental to the primary purpose of clients’ business as well as digital wallet solutions that are a turnkey service for merchants and consumers. We support clients offering methods of creating digital representations of value for transactional purposes and gateways that bridge the gap between traditional payments systems and digital currencies.

    Digital currency exchanges and trading platforms: advising on the establishment and launch of digital currency exchange and trading platforms and advising both new and incumbent organisations on the establishment and offering of digital networks and ecosystems across a range of sectors and industries from privacy and data to agriculture. We have assisted our clients in creating ‘first of its kind’ financial product issues on blockchain based protocols as alternate payment and investment mechanisms.

    DAOs, digital assets, funds and custody: advising on establishment, structuring, scaling and decentralisation of platforms and vehicles offering customers rights to participate (eg, in governance, development, asset or content creation) and digitised interests with exposure to synthetic and real world assets. We support clients in understanding capital formation, financial services and fund regulation in the context of digital assets and the specific challenges involved with ownership, custody and storage of digital assets.

    Digital markets, platforms and infrastructure: advising on decentralised, peer-to-peer and disintermediated marketplaces and platforms that offer customers alternative and convenient ways to interact with others and access products and services. We work with clients dealing with the challenges that come with providing traditional and innovative regulated products and services to a unique customer base, in a responsible and compliant way. This includes advising clients that use technology to change the financial services infrastructure itself. Our role as law experts is to work with these clients to develop solutions that balance opportunities and risks.

    Our experience includes advising:

    Fintech, digital assets + payments

    • Centre Consortium LLC, Coinbase Global Inc, Visa, Tyro, Velo, Celsius Network Limited, SwyftX, WLTH, Bakkt Holdings, LLC and WooliesX.
    • Synthetix on the establishment of a blockchain-based trading platform that enabling users to acquire synthetic exposure to real world and digital assets.
    • Holon Global, Coinbase and Galaxy Digital in relation to digital asset funds.
    • Woolworths Group, Freelancer, Ubisoft and Canvas in relation to marketplace platforms (including NFTs).
    • Geora, Telegram, Firmus Grid, Blockchain Music, Flex Apps, GlobalBlock, Blockchain Access UK and Loda Finance in relation to digital asset strategies.
    • PayPal, Tesla, Prosegur, Employment Hero, Etsy, Intuit, MYOB, BPAY (including in relation to NPP and Osko), Tencent, Afterpay, Blueshyft, Daimler, Moneytech, Synthetix, Westpac, CBA, and Relaypay in relation to payment platforms and solutions.
    • CBA in relation to the BEEM payments app and Westpac in relation to Assembly.
    • The establishment of the BRICKX and Bricklet fractionalised real property platforms.
    • Cashrewards in relation to its rewards program.
    • Money Place Limited in relation to the establishment of its marketplace lending platform.
    • Xinja in relation to its establishment of one of the first neo-banks to operate in Australia.
    • Sponsorship of the Antler programme and advising numerous programme participants.

    Markets + platforms

    • Ebang International Holdings Inc, Caleb & Brown and Star Beta in relation to digital currency exchange and brokerage platforms.
    • IOOF in relation to the HUB24 platform arrangements.
    • Jefferies Group in connection with the establishment of its Australian equities business and expansion of its investment banking business (Jefferies Australia). This included admission as a trading participant of both ASX and Chi-X.
    • Graincorp in relation to the Cropconnect marketplace.
    • On Market Bookbuilds in relation to the SPP Harvester strategy.
    • Tokenized on the establishment of a platform for issuing, managing and trading security and utility tokens on the Bitcoin SV network.
    • Velocity Frequent Flyer in connection with its Virgin Frequent Flyer program.

    Gilbert + Tobin are ranked Band 1 for Fintech.

    Chambers Fintech 2022

    Gilbert+Tobin are ranked Band 2 for Financial Services Regulation

    CHAMBERS FINANCIAL SERVICES REGULATION

    "They're always highly professional, have extensive capabilities and expertise, and deliver in a timely manner."

    Chambers 2021

    "They're very good across a range of different FinTech activities."

    Chambers 2021

    "They are innovative and have a great team. They have a great ability to get to the heart of the matter and to come up with practical solutions."

    Chambers Fintech 2019

    The Fintech team won a Highly Commended award in the Finance category at the 2016 Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Law Awards for their work on the BrickX platform.

    Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Law Awards 2016