The Firm advises fintech companies and financial institutions on the full range of regulatory and licensing matters under Mexico’s Fintech Law and its secondary regulations. Our work encompasses the preparation and filing of license applications before the CNBV for financial entities, including those regulated by the Fintech Law: crowdfunding institutions and electronic payment fund institutions; the design of regulatory strategies that align business models with the applicable licensing requirements; engagement with regulators on interpretive questions and novel structures; and ongoing compliance with the evolving conditions, capital requirements, and reporting obligations imposed on licensed fintech entities. Having obtained the first fintech authorization in Mexico, the Firm brings unmatched practical experience in navigating the licensing process from initial application through final resolution.

The Firm advises fintech companies, investors, and acquirers on corporate finance transactions across the full lifecycle of technology companies operating in the financial services sector. Our work encompasses venture capital and private equity investments, including regulatory analysis of financing rounds; mergers and acquisitions involving licensed fintech entities; corporate restructurings; joint ventures between fintech companies and traditional financial institutions; and debt financings. We have represented investors in significant transactions in the sector, including General Atlantic’s investment in PayClip, and have advised on acquisitions involving regulated payment systems and pre-paid card issuers. Our fintech lawyers work in coordination with the Firm’s M&A, capital markets, and tax teams to ensure that transactions are structured to address both commercial objectives and the regulatory constraints that apply to financial technology businesses.

The Firm advises on the design, structuring, and regulatory compliance of innovative financial products and services across all asset classes, including payment systems, electronic money, remittances, pre-paid instruments, crowdfunding platforms, peer-to-peer lending, and virtual assets. Our experience in the digital assets space encompasses the regulatory treatment of cryptocurrencies under Mexican law, the structuring of Initial Coin Offerings, the design of tokenized financial instruments, and compliance with Banxico’s regulations on virtual asset operations. We have advised Pangea on the implementation of cryptocurrency-based international transfer schemes, represented Emergent Payments on regulatory matters for payment processing and the GCoin crypto asset, and counseled stREITwise on Mexican regulatory aspects of crowdfunding under US Regulation A+. The Firm has also advised Wise in its registry as money transmitter, Nium, Dlocal, Coinbase, Binance, Lightspark, and many others on its entrance to the Mexican market.

The Firm advises fintech companies and financial institutions on compliance with Mexico’s data privacy framework (the LFPDPPP), cybersecurity requirements applicable to financial entities, and anti-money laundering obligations under Mexico’s AML regulatory regime. Our work encompasses the design of privacy policies and data processing frameworks tailored to the specific data flows of digital financial services; the implementation of cybersecurity protocols and incident response plans aligned with CNBV requirements; and the development of AML compliance programs, including customer due diligence procedures, suspicious activity reporting systems, and internal controls designed to meet the heightened obligations that apply to fintech entities. We also advise on the data privacy and AML implications of open banking, API integrations, and arrangements similar to Fintech/Banking-as-a-Service.

The Firm’s Cweb3 Initiative positions it at the forefront of legal innovation in the broader digital economy, encompassing digitalization, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, non-fungible tokens, tokenization of assets, and the intersection of emerging technologies with financial regulation. We advise technology companies on the regulatory treatment of innovative products that do not fit neatly within existing licensing categories, and work with regulators and industry participants to develop frameworks that accommodate technological innovation while maintaining appropriate consumer protections. Our work in this area includes advising Incode Technologies on facial recognition technology for financial services, counseling IBM on technology service contracts with financial entities, and representing AutoLotto Inc. on Mexican regulatory aspects related to an Initial Coin Offering conducted abroad.