|
J. Dax Hansen helps innovators transform and adopt technology and financial services. He is a technology transactions and regulatory attorney who has pioneered blockchain, digital currency, payments, and fintech law. Dax has advised clients on many industry “firsts,” ranging from the first bitcoin exchanges and tokenized assets, to the first public company adoption of bitcoin as a reserve asset and the first mainstream non-fungible token (NFT) auction. Dax founded the firm’s leading Fintech industry group, which, for many years, has served clients innovating and operating at the intersection of emerging technologies and money. He combines his technology experience with knowledge of complex financial services regulatory regimes, including money transmission, anti-money laundering, prepaid access, unclaimed property, consumer credit, privacy and data security, and payment processing, to assist clients with product counseling, consumer and commercial contracting, business formation and industry consortia. Much of Dax's work is international, and he maintains a Japan-related technology practice.
Dax is internationally recognized by Chambers and Partners as a pioneer of the fintech industry, having played a key role in the development of the practice area. He is also regarded as a leading figure in the blockchain and cryptocurrencies field, with particular experience advising startups and financial services businesses on regulatory matters.
With nearly two decades of experience practicing payments and fintech law, Dax has advised leading technology companies, startups and financial services firms on dozens of projects. These projects include physical and online-stored value, mobile payments, loyalty and points programs, online marketplaces, crowdfunding, local couponing, pay with points integrations, co-brand and private label credit, e-commerce, payment processing, tokenized payments, e-commerce and payment standards and best practices.
Beginning in 2010, soon after the release of Satoshi Nakamoto's Bitcoin white paper, early blockchain and decentralized cryptocurrency innovators sought Dax's legal help as they built blockchain infrastructure and new businesses, including exchanges, wallets, vaults and altcoin protocols. Since those early days, Dax's blockchain and digital currency work has expanded at a tenacious pace. Dax has advised and continues to work with many of the leading companies, industry associations and consortia. Projects include U.S. and international digital currency exchanges, vaulting and custody solutions, bitcoin kiosks, tokenized gold and commodities, decentralized exchanges, autonomous smart contracts, stable coins, and Non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Beginning in late 2016, Dax worked with his colleagues to apply a new level of legal counseling to established software projects undertaking token sales related to decentralized applications (DApps) and distributed protocols. Dax has participated in early initiatives to develop standards and software tools for security token offerings (STOs). He has helped found and represent blockchain industry associations and consortia from the early days, including the Bitcoin Foundation, the Chamber of Digital Commerce, the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance and RiskBlock. Dax and his colleagues have authored white papers on cutting-edge topics, such as Bitcoin under U.S. property law, smart contract applications and self-sovereign identity. Dax regularly contributes to global education efforts through the firm’s VirtualCurrencyReport.com blog and International Tracker of global blockchain regulatory developments.
