Fintech

The exponential rate of technology innovation in the financial services sector is creating huge opportunities globally.

This fintech revolution, driven by customer experience and innovation in technology, is changing the way we spend, save, borrow, lend, manage and transfer money.

How we can help businesses in the fintech sector

Simpson Grierson has been at the forefront of advising clients on fintech products and services for many years – from startups to leading financial service providers.  We are experts in New Zealand financial services regulation, data protection and technology law, and have a deep understanding of the fintech space.

Regulatory:  We have a strong practice in advising on new and emerging technologies, and regularly assist businesses to navigate through the regulatory compliance issues that they present.  We can advise on regulatory hurdles for B2B and B2C fintech products and services, including those relating to:

• applicable Reserve Bank policies (including its current outsourcing policy)
• payment and settlement system laws
• laws regulating financial institutions
• financial service provider laws
• money laundering laws
• financial market laws (including rules on offering and issuing securities)
• financial adviser laws (including rules on robo-advice)
• competition laws
• fair trading, consumer protection, and marketing laws.

Privacy: Fintech products and services typically involve the collection, storage and other processing of personal information.  Our leading privacy group can help to ensure that any processing of personal information complies with New Zealand’s privacy laws, including the Privacy Act 1993 and the Credit Reporting Privacy Code.

Technology: We can help fintech customers, suppliers and developers with all aspects of technology law, including software and technology development; technology exploitation; cloud service arrangements; hosting, support and maintenance contracts; and open source licensing.

Our specific fintech expertise

• Mobile apps and payment technologies
• Open banking
• Technology development and exploitation
• Digital payment platforms
• Digital identities
• AI applications
• Blockchain and other distributed ledger platforms
• Robo-advice
• Peer-to-peer lending, payments and currency exchange
• Aggregation and market platforms
• Currency exchange platforms
• Cryptocurrencies
• Crowd funding

Simpson Grierson is a proud member of the New Zealand Tech Alliance, and its association FinTechNZ.