Annerton Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH's comprehensive regulatory capacities in the financial sector are regularly called upon by banks, financial institutions and international corporations as well as startups and fintech companies. The team advises on matters pertaining to blockchain, banking as a service (Baas), e-commerce and crypto custody as well as BaFin licensing procedures; the latter was recently utilised in the context of crypto custody transactions. Frank Müller (Munich) is experienced in BaFin licensing procedures as well as in advising financial institutions and fintech companies on cooperation agreements; Alireza Siadat (Frankfurt) specialises in matters pertaining to market entry, passporting, compliance and crypto assets and Susanne Grohé (Berlin) offers expertise in e-money, blockchain and DLT topics as well as e-commerce, money laundering and outsourcing matters; she is supported by senior associate Kemal Ahmedi. The compliance segment was strengthened with the addition of Sebastian Glaab; he joined from an international credit institution in July 2022.

Hengeler Mueller's fintech practice regularly cooperates with the regulatory, M&A and venture capital teams on transactions, financing rounds and regulatory matters; these competencies are frequently called upon by banks, investors, private equity houses and companies. Regulatory matters frequently pertain to the crypto sector, including crypto custody, blockchain and the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR), where Christian Schmies regularly takes the lead. The team also includes Vera Jungkind, who covers the data protection interface, as well as joint venture and venture capital investment expert Jens Wenzel.

Jones Day is well versed in topics pertaining to cryptocurrencies, distributed ledger technology (DLT) and blockchain, this expertise is frequently called upon by financial institutions in the context of implementing innovative business models as well as matters pertaining to DLT-based platforms; as was recently demonstarted in the assistance with setting up various tokenisation platforms. Other clients include fintech companies, which the team assists with crypto broker licensing procedures. Practice heads Ivo Poslushny (private equity transactions and venture capital financing rounds) and Nick Wittek (blockchain, cryptocurrencies, financial market infrastructure) are the key contacts.

Latham & Watkins LLP ‘s multidisciplinary team comprehensively advises financial institutions, investors, fintech companies and technology companies on transactions, investments in fintech companies and regulatory issues; the latter also pertains to licensing procedures regarding new business models, including crypto asset-related services. The team frequently cooperates across locations on fintech-based business models, which is complemented by expertise in enforcement procedures and litigation. The practice is led by Axel Schiemann, who covers crypto asset-related issues as well as banking and regulatory issues in connection with fintech innovations, and Markus Krüger, who is well versed in transactions and regulatory matters.

Osborne Clarke advises financial services providers, fintech companies and startups on regulatory and IT law as well as tax and consumer protection matters. Recent instructions pertain to crypto-related matters, including the new Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR), non-fungible tokens (NFT) and the structuring of online platforms regarding the digitisation of investments in startups. Practice head Eric Romba offers regulatory advice on digital business models, while Robert Oppenheim and financial services practice head Tanja Aschenbeck (payment transaction law and regulatory topics) comprehensively advise on BaFin procedures and licensing procedures.

Bird & Bird LLP utilises cross-practice cooperation of its finance, regulatory and technology teams and is experienced in matters pertaining to crypto tokens and virtual currencies. Other mainstays are regulatory topics, including the structuring of crowdfunding services according to the regulation on European crowdfunding service providers (ECSP) as well as token-related licensing matters, transactions, investments, cooperation agreements and product launches. Michael Jünemann (regulatory law, blockchain, DLT) heads the team.

Greenberg Traurig Germany‘s multidisciplinary advice offering covers banking and regulatory issues as well as payment services law matters, practice head Carsten Kociok is a key contact here, which includes e-money products and blockchain technology. The client roster consists of credit, financial services and e-money institutions as well as startups, which the team advises on licensing, blockchain and token-related matters as well as payment products, takeovers and digital platforms. Head of the technology team, co-head of the global FinTech task force and co-head of the global IP & technology practice Viola Bensinger is another key contact and advises on digital payment services and software licensing as well as on e-commerce and data protection issues.

Lindenpartners focuses on banking and securities supervisory law – here, Frank Zingel is a key contact – as well as the competencies demonstrated by Brigitta Varadinek at the interfaces with IT, litigation and banking contract law. The practice advises on matters pertaining to the payment services supervision law (ZAG), the development of digital banking products, cryptocurrency custody solutions as well as compliance and ESG-related topics. Among the client roster are banks, software companies, fintechs and startups. Jessica Glaser (previously at Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband) joined the team as associated partner in April 2023 and is well versed in regulatory matters; payment transaction law specialist Kati Meister left the practice for an in-house role in December 2022.

Luther Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH‘s fintech practice primarily focuses on regulatory topics, including crypto-related licensing procedures, the development of platform business and market entry issues as well as cooperation and development agreements and interfacing data protection matters; these competecies are complemented with expertise in financing rounds and transactions. Key contacts include Stefanie Hellmich (IT and data protection) and Rolf Kobabe (regulatory law). Daniel Latta is experienced in payment transactions law and joined the practice from Noerr at the end of 2022.

White & Case LLP offers cross-practice and cross-location cooperation on fintech matters and is well versed in cross-border transactions and mergers in the crypto sector, while the regulatory advice covers Bitcoin-related products and BaFin licensing matters. Practice head Karsten Wöckener complements this with expertise in financing rounds and issues pertaining to the launch of digital platforms. Clients include fintech companies, neobanks and digital payment services providers.

CMS combines regulatory and IT law expertise in the fintech area. The team assists with transactions, blockchain topics, the integration of payment services into existing business models and the launch of new fintech products. Andrea München is experienced in German, Luxembourg and European regulatory law and a key contact for cross-border matters, while Markus Kaulartz routinely handles matters pertaining to cryptocurrencies and AI as well as IT law.

GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB's fintech experts regularly cooperate across practices and advise on transactions, mergers, outsourcing and IT projects as well as regulatory issues. The latter is a key strength of Matthias Terlau and frequently called upon by startups, financial services providers and banks in the context of product developments and launches, BaFin licensing procedures as well as cooperation agreements. Interfacing capital markets, banking supervisory and corporate law matters are covered by Tobias Riethmüller (previously at GSK Stockmann); he joined the team in May 2023 and is well versed in advising on digital financing platforms and blockchain-related matters.

GSK Stockmann's team is led by Timo Bernau and specialises in assisting fintech companies, startups, banks and investment companies with regulatory matters in the context of digital business transformations. The practice advises on digital, DLT-based financial products and business models as well as cooperation agreements and BaFin licensing procedures in the crypto sector. Tobias Riethmüller (fintech, capital markets law) joined GÖRG Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwälten mbB in May 2023.

Hogan Lovells International LLP focuses on the digitisation of business models, payment licenses, product launches, including regulatory matters, and outsourcing, as well as licensing procedures and market expansions or entry. The team routinely cooperates across locations and is regularly instructed by banks, financial institutions and (fintech) companies. Practice head Richard Reimer frequently takes the lead, he is experienced in institutional and product-specific regulatory law.

Norton Rose Fulbright's multidisciplinary fintech team is led by corporate specialist Frank Henkel and focuses on transactions and takeovers. The practice also assists platform operators and (fintech) companies with German market entry, the development of digital payment platforms as well as investment law and regulatory issues pertaining to crypto-based products. Caroline Herkströter and Ute Brunner-Reumann, who both are experienced in regulatory matters, joined DLA Piper in the summer of 2023 and Anne Fischer (corporate and regulatory advice) joined the team from the same firm in November 2022.

Andreas Walter heads Schalast Law | Tax's practice, which advises startups, credit institutions, companies and investors. The team advises on regulatory matters, including banking licensing issues as well as cooperation agreements, the introduction of (token-based) products and topics pertaining to B2B credit platforms.