Bio

William Brannan provides counsel to regulated financial technology companies navigating complex securities, derivatives, and cryptocurrency regulatory issues. Will regularly advises digital asset exchanges, multi-asset trading platforms, robo-advisers, market makers, liquidity providers, custodians and digital asset services providers with respect to federal and state cryptocurrency regulations, securities laws, FINRA rules, security-based swap rules, state money transmitter licensing requirements and the New York BitLicense. Will’s practice focuses predominantly on venture-backed technology companies helping some of the most ambitious technological disruptors redefine and democratize the financial services industry. Will works across a range of commercial and regulatory matters spanning Non-Fungible Token (NFT) offerings, Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) projects, Web3 blockchain applications, sophisticated derivatives trading documentation, decentralized finance, staking, and cryptocurrency yield product offerings. Will also regularly advises pre-IPO liquidity platforms and market participants with respect to product structuring and regulatory compliance, including counselling technology-focused broker-dealers on formation issues, product structuring, the FINRA membership process, and satisfying ongoing regulatory obligations. He also represents broker-dealers, hedge funds, and banks on various transactional issues, including with respect to structured products, derivatives trading strategies, private securities transactions, and security-based swaps.