The rapid rise and evolution of blockchain technology and digital assets have created a whole universe of opportunities for innovation while simultaneously introducing a range of complex legal challenges for bold entrepreneurs. As regulatory frameworks struggle to keep pace with the technology, crypto businesses face looming challenges across multiple legal and regulatory aspects.
Launching a token or decentralized exchange, drafting heavy documentation, obtaining a necessary crypto license, and maintaining compliance now all require significant effort and thus raise the demand for specialized legal counsel. Yet, finding a qualified and experienced specialist best equipped to support blockchain firms is proving difficult, given the uncertainty around the standard applicable approach and varying levels of industry expertise among law firms.
These days, numerous firms offer different ranges of legal services for crypto and blockchain businesses on the market. This article discusses some of the leading law firms offering crypto legal services today, including DLA Piper, CMS, Inteliumlaw, and a few others. These firms assist clients across the entire digital assets ecosystem in managing risk, maintaining compliance, and pursuing innovation amid a highly fragmented and evolving regulatory landscape.
Why Legal Consulting Is Important in Crypto
Bringing in crypto legal specialists at any stage of the project’s lifecycle significantly enhances its chances of long-lasting success within the chosen jurisdiction(s). Engaging them is the cornerstone, the “Holy Grail” for long-term business success, helping to avoid costly compliance failures due to:
- Regulatory uncertainty. In many jurisdictions, digital assets are regulated by ever-evolving or incomplete legal frameworks, leaving businesses exposed to sudden policy changes, enforcement, or other operational disruptions. While some regions, such as EU member states, have implemented a structured regulatory framework for digital assets, many other jurisdictions across Asia and Africa still lack unified or comprehensive crypto regulations.
- Cross-border fragmentation. As a general rule, most crypto products serve customers all over the world and operate at the intersection of multiple regulatory regimes. Each jurisdiction brings its own licensing framework, consumer protection rules, taxation, and more considerations for businesses to remain compliant with. Too often, this proves difficult without specialized legal counsel.
- Risk management and compliance obligations. Obligations related to anti-money laundering (AML), know your customer (KYC), and data protection are jurisdiction-based and are impossible to comply with when no experts are involved. Failure to implement these measures properly may lead to regulatory penalties, loss of banking support, or reputational damage.
How to Choose the Best Crypto Law Firm?
The idea of one universally “right” crypto law firm is misleading since no single lawyer covers every spectrum of blockchain businesses’ legal needs. The best crypto law firm is therefore one that can advise on the most effective solution tailored to the project’s specifics, the target countries, and has a proven track record with end-to-end support beyond the launch phase.
Choosing the best crypto law firm typically involves evaluating the following factors:
- Hands-on experience advising exchanges, token issuers, DeFi platforms, and other Web3 businesses across the range of jurisdictions and operational hurdles.
- A wide range of services they provide, spanning corporate structuring, licensing, contract drafting, and other compliance matters, allowing for the receipt of tailored guidance without relying on multiple advisors simultaneously.
- Long-term projects support amid changing regulatory environments, where ongoing oversight is far more valuable than one-off consulting. Firms prioritizing long-term partnerships with their clients are best positioned to help companies remain compliant and competitive.
Top 5 Crypto Law Firms Today
1. DLA Piper
DLA Piper is a global law firm founded in 2005, advising businesses across the major developed countries, such as the US, Singapore, Japan, Sweden, and more. Over more than 20 years, the firm has built expertise in supporting blockchain businesses at every stage of their growth. Committed to making business better, the firm brings together legal professionals from multiple jurisdictions under one roof, enabling the exchange of best practices from different crypto regulations. Its advisory for crypto firms spans multiple legal matters, starting from transaction structuring, mergers and acquisitions (M&As), dispute resolutions, and helping them navigate complex and evolving legal frameworks.
Key Areas of Expertise:
- Project and cross-border digital asset transaction structuring
- Token modeling
- Securities and commodities frameworks
- Regulatory, enforcement defense, litigation, and investigations
- Global regulatory coordination
Why They Stand Out:
- Global crypto practice with a coordinated cross-border network of crypto lawyers
- More than 20 years advising both innovative startups and large institutions
- Experience with multiple types of businesses, including Layer 1 and 2 protocols, DeFi applications, stablecoin issuers, tokenized RWAs, financial institutions, non-banks, custodians, exchanges, investment funds, governments, and global brands.
2. CMS
CMS is one of the leading international law firms, serving 50+ countries and having a strong presence across Europe, the UK, Switzerland, and other key financial and regulatory hubs. The firm advises a broad range of clients in digital assets and blockchain on diverse legal and regulatory challenges. Holding numerous industry accolades, the CMS is well-regarded for its ability to translate complex ideas into reality, helping clients operate confidently in an evolving crypto environment.
Key Areas of Expertise:
- Crypto asset regulation and license acquisition
- DAO structuring
- Intellectual property rights protection
- Tax advisory
- Representation in disputes and litigation involving crypto-assets
Why They Stand Out:
- Commitment to provide future-facing legal advice to help businesses thrive long term
- Experience advising traditional finance and Web3 clients on different matters, spanning fundraising, tokenization, mergers and acquisitions, and beyond this
- Having assisted notable clients, such as Coinbase, Moonpay, Blockchain.com, and a wide range of digital asset firms, investment banks, DAOs, and venture capital investors
3. Inteliumlaw
Inteliumlaw is a specialized blockchain law firm dedicated to providing legal services for international businesses in the cryptocurrency, blockchain, and digital asset fields as one of the key areas of their expertise. Bringing years of experience from Big 4 consulting firms, Inteliumlaw advises crypto-native and related businesses on building compliant and scalable frameworks. The firm does not compromise on delivering the best possible legal solution, even if its implementation involves more complexity than the “one-size-fits-all” method applied elsewhere.
Key Areas of Expertise:
- Crypto license acquisition in key European, Asian, and offshore jurisdictions
- MiCA-compliant crypto-asset white paper production
- Comprehensive United Arab Emirates (UAE) crypto projects support, starting from corporate structuring and license acquisition to obtaining a necessary visa and other day-to-day legal needs
- End-to-end consultancy for ICO projects, trading algorithms, asset tokenization, trading terminals, payment and processing solutions, and other innovative projects
- DAO legal wrappers
- Preparing investment contracts, such as SAFT and SAFE
- Regulatory advisory and compliance
Why They Stand Out:
- Hands-on experience as lawyers for large groups of companies, bringing the necessary know-how to support established enterprises and help small businesses to mature and scale with confidence
- Personalized approach and partner-like treatment
- Deep understanding of each case and highly tailored legal solutions offered
- Serving a wide range of traditional finance, investment, and crypto firms
- Building a long-term partnership with each client to best serve their ongoing legal needs, and being genuinely invested in their success
4. Baker McKenzie
Baker McKenzie is one of the largest and most mature law firms on the list, with offices in more than 30 major developed jurisdictions globally. This firm has been active in blockchain law since the early stages of technology’s development, positioning itself as a pioneer and building deep expertise in the field. Baker McKenzie’s crypto focus arose primarily from their fintech practice and is now known for their ability to manage regulatory complexity at scale, helping clients innovate in full compliance in some of the world’s most tightly regulated markets.
Key Areas of Expertise:
- Complex business and transaction structuring
- Regulatory and compliance across major economies
- Real-world asset (RWA) tokenization
- Token sales
- Metaverse projects consulting
Why They Stand Out:
- Unmatched global footprint
- Strong experience advising large-scale, multinational crypto projects
- Largest blockchain team (150 professionals) in 33 countries
- Strategically advising regulatory bodies at both a global and local level
5. Keystone Law
Keystone Law is known as a UK-based law firm for modern crypto businesses, with strong experience in advising companies in financial services. Consulting entrepreneurs and investors on various digital asset matters, the firm appears particularly effective at supporting growing crypto companies that require unparalleled legal expertise without the complexity of other large international firms.
Key Areas of Expertise:
- Crypto asset regulation in the UK, the Middle East, Africa, India, and other digital asset hubs
- NFT and other dispute resolution
- Intellectual property (IP) rights protection
- Crypto gambling
- Stablecoins and other token issuance
Why They Stand Out:
- Full spectrum of digital assets legal services at a one-stop shop
- Personalized service, tailored to deliver an “outstanding” match to each client’s needs
- Unique business model
- Award-winning lawyers, recognized globally
Top Crypto Law Firm: Is There a Single Best?
Selecting the right legal partner can mean the difference between success and costly mistakes in the fast-moving and highly regulated crypto ecosystem. The firms highlighted in this list bring different strengths and competencies but are all well-equipped to deliver specialized support and meet the complex needs of digital asset companies in current realities.
DLA Piper, CMS, Baker McKenzie, Keystone Law, and Inteliumlaw all have different areas of legal excellence, allowing crypto businesses to find legal counsel best aligned with their goals, jurisdictional reach, and other specifics.
Whether navigating complex regulations, launching a token, or maintaining compliance, partnering with an experienced crypto law firm can make all the difference between long-term success and costly mistakes.
