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Fintech

Fintech

Key Contacts

Cambodia

Laos

Myanmar

Thailand

Vietnam

OVERVIEW

We offer unrivaled legal services for fintech and payment product offerings in the region.

Leveraging our market-leading legal expertise in the technology sector, Tilleke & Gibbins advises the world’s foremost financial institutions and innovative technology companies on the offering of fintech products and services in Southeast Asia. Our advice covers all local laws and regulations related to cross-border money transfer and remittance services, e-payment services, virtual account and card issuance, crowdfunding, digital assets and cryptocurrencies, online lending services featuring peer-to-peer (P2P) mechanisms, operating agreements, and data protection matters.

We assist fintech clients in establishing partnerships with local banks, securing licensing and registration for their local operations, and obtaining approval from the Bank of Thailand (BOT) and other regulators across Southeast Asia for product offerings. We also offer strategic advice on market entry and all related legal and regulatory concerns, including foreign investment, investment promotion, anti-money laundering (AML), and know-your-customer (KYC) requirements. Our legal experts across our Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam offices bring an in-depth understanding of the relevant technology and business to help clients present complex and innovative products to local regulators.

Experience

  • Assisted a multinational financial services provider on the Thai legal elements of its acquisition of Citibank’s merchant acquiring business in Asia Pacific, including conducting due diligence, advising on deal structuring, novating 800+ merchant accounts, and advising on transitional service arrangements and BOT regulatory and licensing requirements.
  • Advised Coda Payments on the regulatory framework applicable to e-money businesses in Thailand, as well as on exemptions under Thailand’s Payment Systems Act.
  • Engaged on a retainer/secondment basis to provide legal and regulatory advice to a world-leading online payment processing company to support its operations and services in the Thai market, including applying for and operationalizing payments licenses from the BOT.
  • Advised one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges on laws and regulations, licensing requirements, and restrictions applicable to its proposed launch of a copy trading product in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
  • Advised an Asian mobile phone manufacturer on fourth-party payment services that enable online merchants to carry out cross-border settlements and currency exchange in Vietnam.
  • Advised Visa International on a range of matters related to their local operations in Thailand, including advice on compliance with Thailand’s Payment Systems Act.
  • Assisted a commercial bank with the preparation of a full suite of contracts for the launch of an online B2C marketplace for the Cambodian market via the client’s mobile application.
  • Assisted a leading shopping, rewards, and payments platform in preparing and submitting a payment license application to the BOT, as well as in applying for a Foreign Business License to operate a foreign majority-owned business in Thailand.
  • Assisted a New Zealand payment provider engaging in highly scalable real-time e-money payment processing, digital payments, and point-of-sale platforms to enter the Vietnam market.
  • Advised a Thai financial services company on local licensing and regulatory requirements in relation to nanofinance and personal loans; buy now, pay later (BNPL) structures; and invoice financing.
  • Advised a Thai commercial bank on card payment acquiring services in Vietnam and reviewed the terms and conditions and privacy policy for its related mobile app.
  • Advised an international online payment platform on Thai licensing and regulatory requirements for its products and the establishment of a mobile payment partner.
  • Assisted a Greek payment processor providing airtime credit and airtime advance services, digital financial platforms, big data analytics, mobile financial services, and handset loans in entering the Vietnam market.
  • Provided comprehensive legal advice to the payment arm of a multinational tech company in connection with its collaboration with a leading Thai bank.
  • Advised a client on cybersecurity regulations, laws, and guidance issued by the supervising authorities as they relate to payment systems, payment products and solutions, and infrastructure security.
  • Retained to assist a Thai fintech company with applying for and obtaining a license from the Bank of Thailand to operate a personal loan program in Thailand.
  • Assisted a global merchant services technology company on all legal matters in connection with the offshore provision of e-payment services in the Thai market, including advising on licensing requirements and regulations, analyzing business models, and handling consultations and applying for a ruling from the BOT.
  • Engaged to assist a client with preparing and submitting an application to the BOT to obtain a payment license for the Thai market.
  • Advised a mobile e-payment application on establishing operations to provide e-payment and e-wallet services in Thailand. We assisted the client in a full range of corporate formation and regulatory matters, including consultations with the BOT and the Ministry of Commerce to obtain approval for their innovative products.

PROFESSIONALS

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