Rahman Ravelli is one of the world’s most respected, go-to firms for high-value crypto-related matters. A precedent-setting market leader, it has a track record of success in the most complex cases and has secured outcomes that helped define the law.
Its achievements in this area are due to its creative, entrepreneurial approach to litigation – an approach that has seen it secure a series of landmark judgements. Rahman Ravelli acts for clients at all stages of a dispute or crisis, where securing urgent interim relief, managing regulatory risk or recovering misappropriated assets is the priority.
The firm works strategically with speed and discretion, operating a recovery-first strategy that uses all relevant legislation to give clients the strongest possibility of securing the outcome they want to achieve. All of its respected team of lawyers work across multiple jurisdictions and are experts at working with foreign counsel, exchanges and forensic blockchain experts.
Our approach is proactive and focused on achieving rapid enforceable outcomes rather than on drawn-out litigation.
Some of our leading cases include:
Our work spans the full spectrum of crypto-related legal issues, including:
We secure urgent interim relief though freezing orders, disclosure orders and other interim measures to prevent the dissipation of assets and support enforcement action.
Working alongside experts and investigators, we trace and recover digital assets across jurisdictions, ensuring our clients have the best possible strategy for reclaiming losses.
Advising crypto-asset service providers, exchanges, funds and institutional investors on compliance, risk and sanctions compliance.
Providing legal structure and strategic advice designed to protect reputation and limit exposure.
Rahman Ravelli’s crypto practice supports a broad range of clients including:
We work across multiple jurisdictions and frequently collaborate with foreign counsel, regulators and technical specialists to deliver coordinated global solutions.
Our lawyers are known for their robust, intelligent and relentless efforts to pursue clients’ interests. They make the all-important decisions early and act on them immediately to achieve a swift outcome rather than lengthy litigation. This is why we are entrusted with the largest, most challenging cross-border crypto disputes and asset recovery cases.
We were among the earliest firms to build deep expertise in the crypto disputes sector and have developed with the market.
We have represented and / or advised:
The firm helped found CFAAR (the Crypto Fraud and Asset Recovery network), a global organisation of legal professionals that aims to bring together the leading names in crypto dispute resolution. Syed Rahman, who leads the firm’s crypto practice, is also Head of International Chapters at CFAAR.
Having been working with the crypto industry since 2016, the firm’s extensive experience means its lawyers are regularly asked to write for major publications and speak at international conferences and events on crypto-related legal matters.
As one of the first legal practices to recognise the potential legal and financial implications of crypto, Rahman Ravelli is an elite firm at the cutting edge of such matters.
The international reach and depth of experience of our multinational team ensure that clients’ interests are aggressively and effectively enforced. Its combination of speed, intelligence and creativity obtains results that other firms cannot achieve.
Rahman Ravelli is one of the very few firms that has matured and developed in tandem with the crypto sector; enabling it to stay ahead of competitors, keep pace with all relevant matters and possess a track record of success in landmark cases. It has repeatedly proved itself to be the logical destination for those needing representation to resolve the most demanding legal and business problems relating to digital assets and emerging technology; from disputes and all related litigation through to fraud, tracing, freezing, enforcement and recovery.
Rahman Ravelli’s experience means it is adept at obtaining the most appropriate remedy in every case.
These remedies include:
The crypto sector and the disputes arising from it have changed significantly in recent years.
There has been a growth in large-scale fraud and major exchange-level disputes. In response, the courts have shown an increased willingness to grant urgent interim relief.
In addition, there has been a rise in jurisdictional arbitrage, which is the practice of exploiting the differences between various countries’ legal, regulatory or tax regimes in order to obtain the most favourable outcome possible. This has been accompanied by an increase in forum shopping, where a legal action is filed in a particular jurisdiction to obtain such an outcome.
Such tactics can bring challenges when it comes to both mounting a case and enforcing the resulting judgement. Which is why it is important to seek legal representation that can effectively address - or even anticipate - each and every factor that may arise in a case.
Rahman Ravelli represents clients in all aspects of crypto disputes, including those seeking relief and those facing allegations of fraud or regulatory breaches. This gives us a dual perspective that enhances our strategic approach in complex matters.
As pioneers in the field, Rahman Ravelli is one of the most influential law firms in this practice area, with a track record of success in leading cases. The firm was UK counsel to Terraform Labs, the company at the centre of one of the largest-ever digital asset disputes; where the SEC alleged that a fraudulent scheme caused losses of $40 billion to the U.S. economy.
Rahman Ravelli has helped clients navigate the complex legal landscape not only in the UK but also in the EU, US and Internationally. Some of our case work, listed below demonstrates our expertise and experience.
Cryptocurrency is recognised as property under English law following the UK Jurisdiction Taskforce's Legal Statement on Cryptoassets and Smart Contracts (2019) and subsequent case law (notably AA v Persons Unknown [2019] EWHC 3556 (Comm)). This means that crypto assets can be the subject of proprietary claims, freezing orders, and recovery proceedings. The FCA regulates certain cryptoasset activities under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, and is expanding its remit under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023.
Common types of crypto-related fraud include: investment fraud involving unregistered or fraudulent crypto exchanges or fund schemes; rug pulls (where developers abandon a project and abscond with investor funds); pump-and-dump schemes involving manipulation of crypto asset prices; NFT fraud and market manipulation; initial coin offering (ICO) fraud; and theft from exchanges and wallets through hacking. The National Crime Agency and City of London Police are among the UK agencies most active in investigating crypto fraud.
Yes. English courts have demonstrated a willingness to grant freezing orders and other interim relief in respect of stolen cryptocurrency and have ordered exchanges to provide information about wallet holders through Norwich Pharmacal orders. Blockchain analysis firms can trace the movement of stolen crypto assets through the blockchain with a high degree of accuracy, and this forensic trail can support both civil recovery claims and criminal proceedings. The ability to trace and recover stolen crypto is improving as regulatory frameworks around exchanges tighten.
Cryptocurrency can be used to launder the proceeds of crime by converting fiat currency into crypto, moving it through multiple wallets and exchanges (sometimes using 'mixing' services designed to obfuscate the trail), and then converting back to fiat currency. Law enforcement agencies use blockchain analytics tools to trace these movements. The POCA money laundering offences apply to crypto assets in the same way as to other property, and HMRC and the NCA have taken action against individuals and exchanges facilitating crypto-based money laundering.
Cryptoasset exchange providers and custodian wallet providers operating in the UK must be registered with the FCA under the Money Laundering Regulations. The FCA has also designated certain cryptoassets as specified investments or regulated financial instruments requiring full authorisation. Businesses must comply with AML obligations including customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, and suspicious activity reporting. The regulatory framework is expanding: the UK government is implementing a comprehensive crypto regulatory regime, and the FCA has been consulting on rules covering stablecoins, staking, and a broader range of crypto activities.
HMRC treats cryptocurrency as a capital asset for tax purposes. Disposals — including sales, exchanges for other crypto, gifts, and use of crypto to pay for goods or services — are subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT) for individuals. Income received in cryptocurrency — for example, mining rewards and certain staking returns — may be subject to Income Tax. HMRC has published detailed guidance on crypto taxation and has obtained data from exchanges to identify and pursue individuals who have not declared crypto gains. Failure to report is treated as a serious compliance failure.
NFTs are a category of cryptoasset that represent ownership of a unique digital item. English law treats NFTs as property — they can be owned, transferred, and are subject to the same proprietary legal principles as other crypto assets. The legal questions most commonly arising in relation to NFTs include: what intellectual property rights, if any, attach to the underlying asset; whether the NFT constitutes a financial instrument subject to FCA regulation; and how fraud and theft involving NFTs should be addressed. The legal framework for NFTs is continuing to develop rapidly through court decisions and regulatory guidance.
The legal and regulatory landscape for cryptoassets is evolving rapidly and requires solicitors who combine deep knowledge of financial regulation and criminal law with an understanding of the technical features of blockchain and distributed ledger technology. The cross-border nature of most crypto activity adds further complexity. Specialist crypto solicitors can advise on regulatory compliance, respond to FCA investigations, pursue civil recovery claims, and represent clients in criminal proceedings.
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