Achter elke grote regelgevingsoverwinning, belangrijke uitspraak in de rechtbank en elke wet die de crypto-industrie heeft gevormd, staat een advocaat. Zij spelen een grote rol in de brede acceptatie van digitale assets. Maar 15 kantoren en individuele advocaten hebben echt hun plek veroverd in de moderne financiële geschiedenis.
Zij schreven pleitnota’s, voerden rechtszaken, spraken bij het Congres en bouwden de juridische structuren waardoor institutioneel geld met vertrouwen in crypto durfde te stappen.
Van de belangrijke Ripple vs SEC-zaak, de regelgevingsoverwinning van Coinbase, tot beleidsdocumenten die nu in de Senaat worden besproken – dit zijn de 15 grootste advocaten die vechten om de juridische crypto-strijd.
| Rank | Nominee | Type | Base | Landmark Case | Credentials & Track Record | Why on the List |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sullivan & Cromwell | Firm | New York, USA | FTX bankruptcy lead counsel | Major SEC defense; $180M+ approved FTX fees; Chambers Band 2 Crypto-Asset Disputes | Led the largest crypto bankruptcy to date. The FTX restructuring stands as the most complex legal mandate the industry has seen. |
| 2 | Davis Polk & Wardwell | Firm | New York, USA | Block.one EOS securities settlement | Chambers Band 1 in Crypto-Asset Disputes and FinTech Blockchain; Robert Cohen (ex-SEC Crypto Unit head) | The only firm ranked Band 1 across both core crypto legal categories. Deep regulatory ties and top-tier institutional mandates. |
| 3 | Latham & Watkins | Firm | Los Angeles, USA | Global DeFi, DAO, and NFT defense | Chambers Band 1; Multi-agency matters (SEC, CFTC, FinCEN, OFAC) | Handles more DeFi and DAO mandates than any peer. Strong cross-border execution across US, EU, and Asia. |
| 4 | Debevoise & Plimpton | Firm | New York, USA | Ripple SEC defense | Chambers Band 1; Andrew Ceresney (ex-SEC enforcement director) | Played a central role in the Ripple case that reshaped how courts treat secondary-market token sales. |
| 5 | Cleary Gottlieb | Firm | New York, USA | Garlinghouse & Larsen SEC defense | Chambers Band 2; Matthew Solomon (ex-SEC litigation chief) | Led the personal defense of Ripple’s executives, a parallel case with major legal implications. |
| 6 | Fenwick & West | Firm | Mountain View, USA | Crypto SEC investigations and M&A | Chambers 2026 ranked in 4 FinTech categories; Partner Michael Dicke individually ranked for Crypto-Asset Disputes | Core legal partner to Silicon Valley crypto builders. Broadest bench across crypto, fintech, and securities law. |
| 7 | Cooley LLP | Firm | Palo Alto, USA | Early Bitcoin company advisory | Chambers FinTech ranked; Brian Klein (Band 1) joined 2025 | Involved since the earliest Bitcoin corporate formations. Continues to advise founders and funds shaping the sector. |
| 8 | Brown Rudnick (Digital Commerce) | Firm | Boston / DC, USA | FTX Bahamas counsel; BlockFi recovery | Stephen Palley (Chair); Chambers & Legal 500 ranked | Built a leading crypto practice through strategic hires. Delivered landmark DAO rulings and full BlockFi creditor recovery. |
| 9 | Paul Grewal | Individual | San Francisco, USA | Coinbase SEC case dismissal (2025) | Coinbase CLO; Former US Magistrate Judge | Led Coinbase’s legal defense to a major win against the SEC. Influential voice in policy and regulatory debates. |
| 10 | Stuart Alderoty | Individual | San Francisco, USA | Ripple summary judgment & 2025 settlement | Ripple CLO; President of National Cryptocurrency Association | Delivered a defining court outcome for crypto markets. Now leading industry-wide public education efforts. |
| 11 | Lewis Rinaudo Cohen | Individual | New York, USA | US Senate Banking testimony (2025) | Co-Chair, CahillNXT; Chambers Band 1 | Key legal thinker shaping US crypto legislation. His “ancillary asset” framework influenced policy design. |
| 12 | Miles Jennings | Individual | United States | SEC Task Force decentralization framework | CLO, Castle Island Ventures; Former a16z policy head | Developed one of the most cited frameworks on decentralization in regulatory discussions. |
| 13 | Jake Chervinsky | Individual | Washington DC, USA | Hyperliquid Policy Center CEO | Founder & CEO; Former Blockchain Association policy head | Now leading a DeFi-focused policy group with strong funding. Active in shaping US regulatory direction. |
| 14 | Amanda Tuminelli | Individual | New York, USA | DeFi patent challenges | Executive Director & CLO, DeFi Education Fund | Led successful legal challenges against patents affecting core DeFi protocols. Key figure in pre-enforcement strategy. |
| 15 | Marisa Tashman Coppel | Individual | United States | SEC Dealer Rule lawsuit | Senior Product Counsel, Phantom; Former Blockchain Association legal head | Led a major industry challenge against SEC rulemaking. Helped frame constitutional arguments for crypto firms. |
Over deze lijst
Deze lijst is samengesteld door de BeInCrypto Research Division als onderdeel van de BIC 100 Institutional Awards 2026.
Genomineerden worden gekozen op basis van de impact, invloed en het belang van hun juridische werk voor de digitale assets-sector. Toezichthouders en overheidsfunctionarissen worden apart beoordeeld in Categorie 5.5 (Regulatory Framework).
Methode
De ranglijst is gebaseerd op Chambers FinTech 2026-tierindelingen, uitslagen van belangrijke rechtszaken, betrokkenheid bij regelgeving (zoals verklaringen in de Senaat, SEC-dossiers en amicus briefs), en het strategische belang van opvallende zaken.
Individuele functies en lidmaatschappen zijn gebaseerd op openbare informatie per april 2026, afkomstig uit bedrijfsprofielen, Bloomberg Markets en officiële aankondigingen.
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