Financial institutions operate in an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Dentons’ Financial Institutions Regulatory practice, in addition to the Financial Regulatory Hub Europe, assists financial institutions in successfully navigating this ocean of regulations. With many years of experience in the financial services sector, our advice is based not only on our legal know-how, but also on a profound understanding of our clients' business models. A special focus of our practice is advising on new technologies, such as crypto assets and digital financial services. 

A particular strength of our practice group is Dentons’ strong global positioning, with an outstanding number of financial regulatory lawyers in Europe and worldwide. This global reach puts us in a unique position to advise clients in complex multi-jurisdictional matters. As our client, we regularly invite you to free seminars and inform you about regulatory developments.

Key service areas

We offer comprehensive legal advice, especially in the following areas:

• Regulatory change projects
• Digital financial services (such as online distribution of insurances and digital asset management)
• FinTechs and new technologies (e.g. crowdfunding, crypto assets) 
• CRR-related advice, including the issuance of own funds, optimization of regulatory ratios and exposure limits
• Solvency II
• Regulatory structuring of capital markets transactions
• Setting up and structuring alternative investment funds
• Regulatory advice for (re-)insurers
• Multi-jurisdictional regulatory monitoring projects
• Forensic services and internal investigations, including communication with regulators
• Outsourcing agreements for financial institutions
• Regulatory compliance (e.g. internal governance, remuneration, distribution requirements, selling restrictions)
• Bank recovery and resolution, including global risk management and default management
• M&A transactions in the financial sector
• Setting-up financial institutions, obtaining licenses and supporting across multi-jurisdictional “build the business” as well as “run the business” workstreams, including new product approval processes
• Trainings for members of the management and the supervisory board, compliance departments, traders and marketing departments on regulatory matters

Our clients include banks, investment firms, payments services providers, (re-)insurers, exchanges and clearing houses and FinTechs.

Recognition

Dentons named Top International Law Firm in the JD Supra 2020 Readers' Choice Awards

May 7, 2020

Dentons was named Top International Law Firm in the JD Supra 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards. In addition, six lawyers from Dentons’ offices around the world received Top Author awards, in recognition of the visibility and engagement that their thought leadership earned among JD Supra’s readers in 2019.

Insights

CRD VI – Impact on non-EU enterprises and EU branches of non-EU enterprises

February 21, 2025

European Union: In this client alert we focus on the new provisions on cross-border banking services and summarize which services and credit institutions are affected, with information on certain exemptions and grandfathering rules. We also indicate what options are available to affected third-country enterprises for continuing to offer their services in the EU.

New EU rules for consumer credit markets

November 29, 2023

EU: To address the technological developments and improve consumer protection in the credit market, the EU has decided to replace CCD1 by the new Directive (EU) 2023/2225 of the European Parliament and of the Council (the Second Consumer Credit Directive,”CCD2”), which was officially published on October 30, 2023. CCD2 introduces new harmonized rules with an extended scope of application and a number of changes that will have a significant impact on the consumer credit market.

Wirecard: Court finds BaFin not liable for damage suffered by investors

February 17, 2023

Germany: Since the collapse of payment service provider Wirecard AG and its affiliates in summer 2020, investors have been looking into how to compensate their losses by claiming damage from third parties. Such third parties include investment brokers or advisers involved in the distribution of Wirecard AG shares, the auditors of Wirecard’s financial accounts and statements and also the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht). In its recent decision dated February 10, 2023, the Court of Appeals in Frankfurt (Oberlandesgericht Frankfurt) addressed the question to what extent BaFin can be liable for damages suffered by investors in connection with Wirecard’s bankruptcy. 

View all insights for Financial Institutions Regulatory in Germany

News and Events

Recent Press Releases

Dentons advises Football Club FC St. Pauli on the establishment of a cooperative

November 21, 2024

Global law firm Dentons has advised FC St. Pauli, a German professional football club based in the St. Pauli district of Hamburg, on the establishment of a cooperative and related regulatory issues.

Dentons advises Pliant on formation of strategic partnership with Vereinigte Volksbank Raiffeisenbank

September 12, 2024

Global law firm Dentons has advised Berlin-based fintech Pliant GmbH on the formation of a strategic partnership with Vereinigte Volksbank Raiffeisenbank eG (VVRB).

Dentons advises LFPI together with Mosburg Legal on acquisition of majority stake in HQ Capital

May 16, 2022

Germany: Global law firm Dentons, together with Mosburg Legal, has advised the French LFPI Group on the acquisition of a majority stake in global private equity specialist HQ Capital. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, subject to regulatory approval.

View all press releases for Financial Institutions Regulatory in Germany