Appleby‘s regulatory and compliance practice is noted for its experience in advising global cryptocurrency exchanges and has carved out a niche advising Bitcoin mining and AI data centre groups on offshore structuring. Jeffrey Kirk leads the BVI corporate practice, advising on regulatory aspects of M&A, capital markets, and finance. Andrew Jowett brings specialist expertise across fintech, digital assets, stablecoins, and DeFi platforms, while Peter Colegate, based in Cayman, adds further regulatory strength across the region.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The practice is unique in its outstanding regulatory knowledge and deep experience.'

  • ‘In BVI, we primarily work with Andrew Jowett, who has exceptional experience in the crypto and fintech spaces, both in the regulatory and deal domains. He is responsive and practical in his advice, which makes him an outstanding resource for us.'

  • ‘Appleby stands out in the market for combining deep technical excellence with a genuinely collaborative and pragmatic approach. The team is not only well-versed in the complexities of corporate and regulatory law but also consistently demonstrates an ability to cut through technical issues and deliver practical, workable solutions.'

  • 'What I have particularly valued is their responsiveness and willingness to engage with clients at a strategic level, rather than offering purely transactional advice.’
  • ‘In BVI, Andrew Jowett and Patrick Gill are the go-to choice for regulatory advice. They don’t sit on the fence — they give clear advice, backed by sound judgement, and they stand by it.’

  • ‘Appleby has been working in the digital assets industry since its inception, and their deep sectoral knowledge, together with experience in shaping the regulatory environment, is invaluable when dealing with innovative ideas. Appleby is an extension of our onshore team when it comes to issue-spotting from a regulatory / compliance perspective.’

Key clients

  • Bitfinex
  • August Digital
  • OANDA Corporation
  • Xterio
  • Tether
  • CoinList
  • Copper Technologies (UK) Limited
  • Onchains Labs
  • Rostro Group
  • JTC

Work highlights

Acting as general BVI counsel to Hidden Road on the sale of the company to Ripple.
Acting as general BVI counsel to Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin.
Acting as general BVI counsel to Bitfinex, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges.

Practice head

Jeffrey Kirk; Andrew Jowett; Peter Colegate

Other key lawyers

Shana Simmonds-Lewis; Patrick Gill