Blockchain & Cryptocurrency

Steptoe's blockchain and cryptocurrency team brings an unrivaled combination of legal and regulatory experience across dozens of practices and industry-specific knowledge to advise clients navigating the complex legal and regulatory environment surrounding cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets in the US and across the globe. Our multidisciplinary team is made up of lawyers with a depth of experience in regulatory issues such as anti-money laundering, economic sanctions, and countering terrorism financing compliance, commodities and derivatives regulation, and securities regulation (including issuers, exchanges, and investment companies), as well as tax law, intellectual property, corporate and transactional, public policy, and government enforcement issues. We think holistically about our clients' business models, operational requirements, and competitive issues, and are uniquely positioned to help clients build, acquire, and operate business entities; develop and implement regulatory and compliance strategies; and mitigate the legal and regulatory risk of novel technological concepts. 

On behalf of the Chamber of Digital Commerce and Coin Center, Steptoe helped create and serves as counsel to the Blockchain Alliance, a nonprofit entity that provides a platform for the blockchain and digital asset industry to engage with law enforcement and regulatory agencies, helping to promote the growth of this industry and technology. The Blockchain Alliance includes more than 60 of the leading companies in the digital asset space, as well as over 80 local, state, federal, and international government, law enforcement, and regulatory agencies. Steptoe also serves in key capacities with a number of the leading trade associations and advocacy groups, including as an advisor to Coin Center, the Chamber of Digital Commerce, the Blockchain Association, and GBBC Digital Finance and as a co-chair of the Legal and Regulatory Group of the Global Blockchain Business Council.

Our team brings an unrivaled combination of legal, regulatory, and policy experience across dozens of practices. It also brings deep industry-specific knowledge to advise clients navigating the complex legal and regulatory environment surrounding digital assets and blockchain technology in the US and across the globe. The multidisciplinary team includes former high-ranking officials from the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury Department, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with extensive knowledge of digital assets and blockchain technology. We advise individuals and entities on the range of legal and regulatory issues from a currency, commodities and derivatives, and securities law perspective. We also have unique experience on the taxation implications for a range of crypto-related activities including trading, investing, creating and issuing tokens, and digitizing assets. We have been recognized as leaders in this space by Chambers, the Legal 500 US, Law360, and the National Law Journal, among others. Our client services fall into four main categories, as further described below, but we are constantly expanding and adapting as the industry evolves