DEPARTMENT PROFILE

Hassans

FinTech Legal

3 ranked individualsBand 1GibraltarFinTech 2021 View ranking table

chambers review

department information

Ranked Individuals

Chambers Review

Chambers Research is conducted by 200 Research Analysts, across 200 jurisdictions and provides nearly 6,000 rankings tables. Annually we collect hundreds of thousands of responses from clients, the majority via in-depth interview. Learn more about our methodology.

What the team is known for

Hassans is a greatly respected player in the Gibraltarian FinTech community and displays significant expertise in handling mandates concerning the regulatory implications of distributed ledger technology and blockchain. The firm also has substantial capability in matters relating to cryptocurrencies and data protection. Members of the Hassans FinTech team are regular speakers at global conferences, often addressing issues surrounding the Gibraltarian blockchain and cryptocurrency sector.

Strengths

"They are good commercial lawyers. They provide a good, pragmatic and sensible level of service that gets you what you need without giving chapter and verse."

"They are well positioned in Gibraltar, making them very well placed to assist outside clients build their base in Gibraltar."

Work highlights

Advised Tap N Go on its application for a DLT licence, including assisting with procedural and policy documents, IP structure, corporate structure and outsourcing agreements.

Notable practitioners

Aaron Payas is a funds and FinTech partner at Hassans, specialising in the full spectrum of crypto and tokenised products, from funds and asset tokenisation to cryptocurrencies and other products using distributed ledger technology. Coming from a background as a chartered financial analyst, Payas is popular with clients as an expert adviser, with one source citing his "wide range of experience in the fintech market," and another calling him "an entrepreneur at heart - really passionate, enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable."

Anthony Provasoli has built a stellar reputation for his expertise in handling a variety of issues in the FinTech sector. He is regularly consulted by regulators and government officials for advice on policy design. Provasoli has especially pronounced capabilities in blockchain and cryptocurrency matters and is an active member of the Gibraltar Association of New Technology. One client hails him as a "top-notch, experienced professional" while another describes him as "a leader who goes to great lengths to ensure that client service is maintained."

Vikram Nagrani is a highly respected voice in the Gibraltarian FinTech community, and has supported the government and the Financial Services Commission in developing the framework for regulating DLT on the island. Nagrani has further experience in helping clients with STOs and ICOs. Clients laud him as being "super intelligent, very high level, and very sought after for his expertise at the government level."

Department Information

This content is provided by Hassans.

Overview

The Hassans’ FinTech team consists of 15 experienced fintech lawyers and practitioners (four of whom are partners) plus one consultant, spanning a range of complementary disciplines, co-led by Partners Anthony Provasoli and Vikram Nagrani.

In addition to regulatory advice and assistance in obtaining the DLT licence, we are able to advise on:

Company formation and management
Tax (relating to the corporate structure, beneficial owners and/or employees)
Property and employment matters
Litigation/arbitration
Private client

The Gibraltar FinTech industry continues to attract both major players and nimble new startups from around the world due to:

A corporate tax rate of just 10%, no capital gains, wealth, inheritance or withholding taxes, added tax incentives for High Net Worth Individuals.
An English-speaking country with a Mediterranean lifestyle, infrastructure built to British standards, consistently strong growth and solid economic indicators.
A business-friendly government with minimal red tape, a legal system based on English Common Law and a crypto-friendly banking system.
A solid reputation globally, home to some of the world’s biggest brands across multiple industries including finance, insurance and online gaming.

We advise and support a variety of enterprises, from young entrepreneurs and private investors to local companies and FTSE 100 multinationals. CEX.IO, Covesting, eToro and TokenMarket are just a few global brands who employ Hassans as their trusted advisors.