DLT360: Securities Law & Tokens

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Securities regulation around the world is about to create sweeping obligations for token issuance, which must be understood and mapped. In the United States and the European Union legislative proposals such as the Lummis-Gillibrand Draft Bill (US) and the proposed Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (EU) will create legal obligations which cannot be ignored even by blockchain-based projects. In order to help projects navigate through this environment, DLT360 will map out these obligations in our Navigator, and assess related Risks and Opportunities in our Risk & Opportunity Radar. In addition, presentations and reports will provide in-depth assessment.

[IMPACT] Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

In line with the Challenge settings goal of "providing funded proposals with solutions and services to operate legally in their residing country" this proposal addresses one of the most fundamental legal challenges for blockchain projects: How to issue tokens in a compliant manner.

[IMPACT] What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

Quickly evolving and uncertain regulatory frameworks:

Both in the United States and the European Union, legislative proposals are currently making their way through the legislative process. While in many instances the substance of emerging legislations can already be understood at a higher level, detailed provisions and obligations will be subject to change as the legislations are finalized. To mitigate this risk, we will make sure to monitor legislative developments closely, and to update our work accordingly.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

Week 1-2: Background research for legislative proposals in United States and EU.

Week 2-6: Answer specific questions around these legislative proposals, based on DLT360's financial regulation & securities guiding questions (such as: Blockchain specific statutes/regulation: What blockchain specific statutes or regulations, if any, exist in this jurisdiction?How are blockchain based digital assets classified in this jurisdiction (taxonomy)? Securities: Can digital assets be classified as securities in this jurisdiction and under what circumstances?What applicable statutes/regulations pertaining to securities law exist in this jurisdiction?Which body is responsible for regulating and overseeing securities markets in this jurisdiction?What disclosure obligations arise for digital assets out of being classified as a securitiy?What other obligations arise for digital assets out of being classified as a security? +20 more guiding questions

Week 6-10: Create content (presentations, reports, papers) and implement information in DLT360 Navigator and Risk & Opportunity Radar.

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

Research & content development hours legal analysts:

200 hours/30$: 6000$

Review and editing by senior legal experts: 30x100$: 3000$

Budget reserved for creating graphic design elements: 1000$

Budget reserved for interviews & webinars with legal experts: 2500$

In total: 12500$

[FEASIBILITY] Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

DLT360 Legal Segment:

Maury Shenk (Senior Advisor)

Maury Shenk is a senior lawyer and investor, as well as senior advisor at DLT360. Formerly Managing Partner at an International Law Firm in London. Maury holds a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from Stanford University.

Michiel Van Roey (Senior Advisor)

Michiel van Roey is a senior lawyer, co-founder & general counsel of Profila as well as senior advisor at DLT360. Michiel holds a Master of Law from University of Antwerp, University of Bern, and University of Virginia School of Law.

Jonas Weinberger (Team Lead, Legal Analyst)

Jonas Weinberger is team lead and legal analyst at DLT360, as well as research assistant at the Brussels School of Governance.

Further members of the DLT360 team. See: dlt360consulting.com/about

[FEASIBILITY] If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

If funded we will expand this project in the future, covering more jurisdictions through future catalyst proposals.

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or any member of your team working on any other proposals in this Fund9?

[FEASIBILITY] Are you or your team working on any other proposals from previous Funds?

[AUDITABILITY] Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

-Number of legislative proposals analyzed

-Number of guiding questions answered

-Number of presentations created

-Number of reports created

-Number of elements added in DLT360's Navigator

-Number of Risk & Opportunity elements added in DLT360's Risk & Opportunity Radar

[AUDITABILITY] What does success for this project look like?

Clearly mapped out legal environment for token issuance in US & EU.

[AUDITABILITY] Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

New proposal