Ken Kawai

Ken Kawai has extensive experience advising global and local financial institutions, fintech firms, startups, investors and corporate clients on complex financial regulatory matters.

Ken focuses primarily on the fintech industry and is known as one of the leading figures in fintech law area. Ken regularly advises clients on legal issues, including cryptocurrencies, security tokens, NFTs, digital asset investment funds, cross-border electronic payments, open banking and metaverse.

Ken also specialises in derivatives and has counselled global banks, broker-dealers and investors on regulatory matters and best practices with respect to derivatives and related products. Ken’s deep and practical knowledge in this area is rooted in his 17-year career at MUFG Bank, Ltd., where he was involved in derivatives trading and marketing.

Ken serves as the auditing and supervisory officer of Japan Financial Intermediary Business Association (the self-regulatory organization of financial intermediary business operators), the lead counsel of Japan Security Token Offering Association (the self-regulatory organization of the STO issuers, subscribers and platform operators), the lead counsel of Japan Cryptoasset Business Association, a working group member of the web3 Project Team in the Liberal Democratic Party’s Headquarters for the Promotion of Digital Society and an advisor...