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Fintech

Our Fintech Group specialises in financial regulation, technology, e-commerce, financial services, data protection, cyber-security and more.

William Fry’s Fintech Group comprises lawyers specializing in financial services, financial regulation, technology, e-commerce, commercial contracts, data protection, cyber-security and tax. Our cross-departmental approach provides practical and innovative solutions to our clients drawing on multiple perspectives.

William Fry has acted for one-third of firms which have successfully secured authorisation as an EMI to date in Ireland on their applications. We have unrivalled experience in securing authorisation of EMIs and PIs and registration of AISPs and PISPs in Ireland quickly and efficiently.

Members of the team from William Fry’s leading M&A practice regularly advise buyers, sellers and targets on mergers and acquisitions transactions and fundraisings involving Fintechs.

We have particular strength in advising on and negotiating external and intra-group outsourcing arrangements including cloud services involving Fintechs and technology vendors both from a commercial contracts perspective and from a regulatory perspective.

Our Fintech Group can assist companies in meeting their IT and cybersecurity regulatory requirements by providing cybersecurity training from a regulatory and operational perspective; providing a 24/7 breach management and incident response service (contact us at [email protected]); advising on GDPR aspects of cyber security incidents and mandatory data security breach reporting to regulators; and reviewing or drafting IT security and cybersecurity policies.

We work with banks, AISPs and PISPs in navigating the regulatory requirements on Open Banking.

Our Fintech Group advises governmental authorities and firms on the evolving landscape of regulation of blockchain, distributed ledger technology and cryptocurrencies under Irish law. On the technology side, we advise some of the global leaders in the blockchain space.

We advise on data protection/GDPR compliance including data protection policies and notices, international data transfers, record retention policies, vendor management, data breaches and regulatory audits/investigations into data protection compliance and data protection enforcement.

We provide advice and assistance to regulated Fintechs on regulatory enforcement action and investigations by all relevant regulatory authorities.

Our Tax team members advise on tax structuring and tax planning for Fintech firms and management.

Experience

William Fry has acted for one third of successful applicants to the Central Bank of Ireland for authorisation as an EMI to date.

Areas of Expertise

Authorisation of electronic money institutions (EMIs) and payment institutions (PIs)
Fintech M&A / fundraisings
Outsourcing and Cloud Services
Cybersecurity
Open Banking
Blockchain, distributed ledger technology and cryptocurrency
Data Protection/GDPR Compliance
Regulatory enforcement

Related Areas

Banking & Finance

Data Protection & Privacy

Tax

Corporate / M&A

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Oct 2024

Legal News – October 24

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Sep 2024

Central Bank Remarks on Combatting Financial Crime

William Fry's Financial Regulation team looks at recent Central Bank remarks on th...

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Sep 2024

Central Bank Innovation Sandbox is Open For Applications

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Sep 2024

MiCAR: Updates to the Central Bank’s MiCAR Webpage

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Aug 2024

The Digital Euro Project: ECB Moves to Next Phase

William Fry's Financial Regulation team examines some recent developments regardin...

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Jul 2024

Central Bank MiCAR Authorisation and Supervisory Expectations for CASPs

William Fry's Financial Regulation team examines a recent Central Bank of Ireland ...

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Jul 2024

Legal News Podcast – July 24

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Consultant

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Jul 2024

Central Bank’s Authorisations and Gatekeeping Report 2024

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Jun 2024

Podcast – DORA: Practical Initial Steps to Compliance

In the third episode of our DORA miniseries, the Fintech team look at implementing...

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Jun 2024

DORA: ICT-Third Party Risk Management and Contract Remediation

In this episode, our Fintech team take an in-depth look at one of the key themes o...

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Jun 2024

MiCAR: EU Level 2 and 3 Measures Move Forward

William Fry's Financial Regulation team examines some recent updates regarding EU ...

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Jun 2024

Podcast – Overview of DORA

In this first episode of William Fry's Legal Podcast miniseries focusing on DORA, ...

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May 2024

Central Bank update on the MiCAR authorisation process

William Fry's Financial Regulation team examines a recent Central Bank of Ireland ...

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May 2024

Central Bank Update on the impact of MiCA on VASPs

On 2 May 2024, the Central Bank of Ireland signalled a change in its approach to r...

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Apr 2024

Central Bank Updates Approach to Authorising Payment Institutions / E-Money Institutions

We look at updates to the Central Bank's approach to authorising Payment and E-Mon...

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Apr 2024

EU AML/CFT Reform Package

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Mar 2024

Payments and E-Money Sector – Central Bank Event and Report

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Feb 2024

Digital Operational Resilience Act – second batch of technical standards launched for consultation

We focus on the second batch of draft implementation measures announced by the Eur...

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Jan 2024

New Government Legislation Programme: Industry & Sector Breakdown Spring 2024

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Consultant

Gillian Lynch

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Dec 2023

MiCA National Discretions: Department of Finance publishes Feedback Statement

We examine the Irish Department of Finance's exercise of national discretions unde...

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Dec 2023

One Small Step for the Digital Euro, One Giant Leap for CBDC-kind

We look at recent developments regarding the digital euro, with the release of a j...

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Nov 2023

Central Bank’s Thematic Review of Irish Insurers Highlights Importance of Cyber Security

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MiCA Updates: EBA’s Third Consultation Package and the Commission’s Delegated Acts

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CBI Consultation Paper on Innovation Engagement (CP156)

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MICA Update: Joint ESMA and EBA Guidelines on Suitability Assessments

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MICA Update: Second Consultation Packages from ESMA and the EBA

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Oct 2023

MICA Update: ESMA Communiqués on MiCA Implementation

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Oct 2023

How critical is critical? – ESAs publish technical advice on critical service provider designation under DORA

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Aug 2023

Crypto-Assets Regulatory Updates – August 2023

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Sharing is Caring: The Financial Data Access Regulation

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The Future of EU Payment Services Regulation – PSD3 and PSR

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Jun 2023

A Digital Euro for the Digital Age

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Jun 2023

Enforcing DORA: £80k Fine for CIO’s Failed IT Migration

We look at DORA enforcement and the potential penalties involved, and we examine a...

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Digital Operational Resilience – Are you DORA ready?

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Jun 2023

An Era of Cryptocurrency Regulation across the Globe

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Jun 2023

ECB follows Basel Committee on the Treatment of Crypto-Assets

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Central Bank Remarks on the Forthcoming Implementation of MiCA

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May 2023

Central Bank Safeguarding Notice to PI/EMI Firms on audit requirements

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DORA: Management of ICT Third-Party Risk

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Crypto firms prepare for MiCA

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Practice Areas

Fintech

Our Fintech Group specialises in financial regulation, technology, e-commerce, financial services, data protection, cyber-security and more.

Key Contacts

Shane Kelleher

John O’Connor

Máire O’Neill

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