Roy Keidar
Roy Keidar serves as special counsel at Yigal Arnon & Co. – providing legal counsel in the firm’s Fintech and Cryptocurrency practice. Having spent 14 years in the Israeli government he has a strong familiarity with emerging technologies. Roy has enhanced the firm’s reputation for providing its clients with the legal services needed to navigate the complex world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain.
Roy’s unique background and experience enable him to provide comprehensive legal and technological advice to companies and start-ups in the fintech field, which provide a variety of solutions, such as: payment and clearing systems, financial information systems, peer to peer technology, crowd funding solutions, insurance technology, digital currency, blockchain, and other financial technology companies.
Roy is respected in the fintech field, and frequently corresponds with regulators, gives presentations at conferences, is interviewed by journalists and writes articles for local and international audiences.
Prior to Yigal Arnon, Roy served as the legal advisor to the Israeli national security council in the Prime minister’s office, advising on international law, national security, counter-terrorism, terror financing and administrative law. Before this, Roy served as an officer in the international law department in the IDF. He is a lecturer in the Interdisciplinary college of Herzliya on the issue of Emerging Technologies and National Security.
Nominee’s three achievements
1. Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Practice. Roy has developed a fast-growing practice advising startups and mature companies generating their own blockchain-based cryptocurrencies and engaging in token sale events. Roy has gained unique expertise in building successful token economic models in line with existing regulations, working both with entrepreneurs and investors. Roy’s clients include Platin, Blockchain proof of location technology; Revelator, Blockchain music and creative rights; Brainerz, smart gaming solutions based on blockchain; Solume, cryptocurrencies analysis solutions and others.
2. Global reach and domestic expertise. While Blockchain technology generates growing interest all around the world, its implications go far beyond domestic regulation. Roy has been among the first to develop a global approach towards cryptocurrencies, working with clients to adjust their business model to best suit global requirements especially in the areas of securities, Digital Ledger Technology licensing, AML/KYC, financial institution requirements, exchange licensing, and crypto fund formation. Roy is part of a global network of legal experts dealing with blockchain technology and cryptocurrency, located in the US, EU, Canada and Asia.
3. Working closely with Regulators. Being a fairly new phenomenon, Blockchain has generated growing interest from regulators. Roy has worked closely with regulators to assure the adequate implementation of various aspects of the technology in the law. Roy has engaged the Israeli Securities Authority, The Anti Money Laundering and Terror Financing Authority and financial institutions. He has been a member of the advisory board of the Israeli Blockchain forum; a speaker at numerous forums and conferences; and had various articles published on the subject of blockchain and cryptocurrencies as sampled below:
Breaking Barriers: From Fringe to Institutional Blockchain, CCN;
Israel’s blockchain startups look to disrupt more than banking, VentureBeat;
Regulating Blockchain, The Israeli Block in the Chain, CoinReport;
How blockchain could end, instead of enable, money laundering, VentureBeat;
Cryptocurrencies and market abuse risks: It’s time for self-regulation, Brave New Coin
