The fintech practice at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP works with global financial institutions, major investors, start-ups, scale-ups, and industry bodies such as regulators and non-profit organisations across the fintech industry. Frequently coordinating global matters from the London office, the team is skilled at advising on high-profile transactions including IPOs, financings, acquisitions, and high-value investments into cutting-edge fintech companies, particularly in the payments, open banking, insurtech, wealthtech, and cryptoasset sectors. The team is led by co-head of the firm’s global fintech practice Simon Toms, a veteran of global fintech transactions with clients spanning across private capital investors and leading payments businesses, alongside crypto and digital assets regulatory expertise. Sebastian Barling joined the firm from Linklaters LLP in 2024, bringing financial services regulatory experience in the payments and crypto-asset sectors. Deborah Kirk — who joined the firm from Latham & Watkins in 2024 — brings in-depth knowledge of IP, data, and tech issues.
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Accolades
Client satisfaction
Work highlights
Represented eToro, a multi-asset investment and social trading company, on its $620m IPO and with a market cap on IPO of $5.6bn.
Advised Nasdaq on the sale of its risk modelling business subsidiary Simplitium Limited to Verisk Inc.
Advised Visa Inc. on its acquisition of UK-based Featurespace, a developer of real-time AI payments protection technology.
Practice head
Simon Toms
Other key lawyers
Deborah Kirk, Sebastian Barling