Crypto Litigation Attorneys

FRB’s Crypto Litigation team represents investors, founders, trading firms, exchanges, and other market participants in civil litigation and investigations arising from cryptocurrency and blockchain activity. We pair courtroom experience with deep fluency in blockchain technology to pursue recoveries, navigate high‑exposure claims, and defend enforcement actions by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and other federal government and state regulators—always with your business objectives top of mind.

Types of Crypto Litigation Cases Our Attorneys Can Assist With

Token Issuer & Securities Litigation

While regulatory guidance continues to evolve, there may still be claims that a token offering has violated securities laws. These circumstances can arise with either private litigants bringing claims, including putative class actions, or regulators bringing investigative actions or enforcement actions. Plaintiffs and defendants alike face threshold questions under the Howey test and face evolving guidance around digital asset categorization.

How FRB helps: We litigate securities claims related to token offerings, initial token offerings, airdrops, and secondary market trading, and we navigate parallel investigations with the SEC and other regulatory agencies. Our litigators collaborate with our corporate, regulatory, and tax colleagues to address collateral issues like rescission risk, disclosures, and ongoing compliance.

Business Divorce & Trade Secret Claims in Trading Firms

Founders and key employees in digital assets firms, including trading firms or market‑making operations, sometimes part ways abruptly—raising issues around IP ownership, trading strategies, non‑competes, and confidential information or trade secret information.

How FRB helps: We pursue and defend claims involving intellectual property (including trademark disputes, copyright disputes, patent disputes) as well as trade secret disputes,  and breaches of restrictive covenants, or fiduciary duties. We can seek or resist preliminary injunctions that can make or break a case, including temporary restraining orders or freezing orders. Our team understands the unique sensitivities of both the digital assets market, and the nuanced issues inherent in intellectual property, trade secret and employment litigation.

Insolvency, Receiverships & Creditor Litigation

Cryptocurrency platform insolvencies and fund failures can strand customer assets and lead to complex priority disputes, clawbacks and adversary proceedings, and claims valuation fights—especially when crypto assets are volatile.

How FRB Helps: Working alongside our bankruptcy and creditors’ rights team, we file and defend claims, challenge preference and fraudulent transfer actions, and develop monetization strategies for illiquid or distressed positions. We also help creditors navigate receiverships and cross‑border recognition issues. We have been extremely active in many of the large crypto bankruptcy litigations stemming from 2022, including the Celsius bankruptcy.

Common Challenges Encountered During Crypto Litigation

There are a handful of challenges that may be encountered during crypto litigation. Some of which include: 

Jurisdiction & Venue

Crypto‑native disputes often span international borders. Defendants may be pseudonymous, corporate entities may be offshore, and contracts frequently include arbitration clauses or foreign forum selection clauses naming far-flung jurisdictions. Determining where a claim “arises” when transactions occur on distributed networks is an early—and consequential—fight. Experienced counsel can rapidly assess these procedural issues, conserving resources and positioning the matter for the most favorable forum.

Evidence & Attribution

The evidentiary record in blockchain litigation is both public and fragile. On‑chain transactions are immutable, but key context (private keys, server logs, Discord/Telegram chats, or custodian records) can disappear without prompt preservation. Linking an address to a human actor often requires investigation, analytics and corroborating data. A crypto‑savvy law firm coordinates tracing experience with forensics, subpoenas, and expert testimony early, building an attribution narrative the court will accept.

Regulatory Overlay & Parallel Proceedings

Law enforcement activity or regulatory action (including SEC and CFTC enforcement actions) can run alongside civil litigation, raising Fifth Amendment considerations, stay motions, and discovery complications. Consumer protection and money laundering concerns can invite additional scrutiny. Counsel with a cross‑disciplinary lens can sequence strategy—resolving, staying, or leveraging matters to reduce risk and legal spend.

Why Work With an FRB Crypto Litigation Attorney 

Technology‑literate advocacy. Our litigators speak the language of blockchain, from consensus mechanics and tokenomics to mempools and perpetual swaps. We use blockchain analytics tools and can translate complex facts into clear courtroom narratives. That fluency shortens the learning curve and strengthens your position from day one.

Regulatory and commercial perspective. Crypto disputes do not happen in a vacuum. FRB integrates litigation strategy with regulatory realities and consumer protection regimes. We also factor in business priorities so that the legal strategy aligns with your trading or product roadmap.

Efficient, outcome‑focused strategy. Early case assessment is central to our approach. We evaluate jurisdiction, liability, damages, and collection prospects upfront; where appropriate, we pursue negotiated resolutions that protect value. When litigation is necessary, we staff leanly, deploy motion practice deliberately, and prepare for trial from the outset. Our track record includes guiding clients through rapidly evolving disputes in ways that minimize disruption and cost.

Protect Your Investments With Help From a Crypto Litigation Attorney

If you are facing a frozen exchange account, a token‑related securities claim, or an investigation by a regulator, timing matters. Speak with an FRB crypto litigation attorney today to assess your options, preserve evidence, and protect your rights in this rapidly evolving landscape. Contact us to schedule a confidential consultation and learn how we can help you move from uncertainty to action.

Who we serve: crypto companies and startups, investors, founders, custodians, trading firms and market makers, funds, and protocol teams engaged in blockchain development and trading.

Related capabilities: internal investigations, white‑collar defense, creditors’ rights, corporate governance, tax, and intellectual property counseling for digital asset businesses.

Jurisdictions: federal and state courts, arbitration tribunals, and cross‑border matters involving offshore entities.

DISCLAIMER: This summary is not legal advice and does not create any attorney-client relationship. This summary does not provide a definitive legal opinion for any factual situation. Before the firm can provide legal advice or opinion to any person or entity, the specific facts at issue must be reviewed by the firm. Before an attorney-client relationship is formed, the firm must have a signed engagement letter with a client setting forth the Firm’s scope and terms of representation. The information contained herein is based upon the law at the time of publication.