Ken Ng

Senior Associate

I am a specialist financial services and investment funds lawyer with over 8 years’ experience.

I advise on all aspects of financial services regulation, including financial markets conduct law, licensing, registrations, and AML/CFT compliance. I am deeply passionate about advising businesses that leverage technology to drive innovation in financial services (FinTech). My experience includes advising numerous international and domestic FinTech platforms, including securities brokerage firms, derivative issuers, payment providers, and equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending platforms. I am also increasingly specialised in the blockchain and digital asset space, advising on regulatory compliance, token offerings, and customer and network terms.

I also advise on investment funds, joint ventures, limited partnerships, and capital raising, leveraging my prior experience as a corporate lawyer at a Tier 1 Malaysian law firm. Drawing on my expertise in both wholesale and retail investment funds, I provide comprehensive advice on all aspects of fund management and structuring.

Clients value my practical approach to addressing complex legal issues and delivering prompt, commercially-focused advice.

Career highlights

Advising a wide range of New Zealand and international FinTech platforms. This includes advising securities brokerage platforms, licensed derivatives issuers, peer-to-peer lending and equity crowdfunding platforms. A key recent project involves advising an innovative investment platform that supports fractionalised property ownership.

Advising on the structuring and establishment of wholesale and retail funds, including unit trusts and limited partnerships. Notably, this includes advising a specialist climate and impact fund manager on the establishment of major funds aimed at financing innovative solutions to address climate change and deliver positive impact in the Pacific region.

Advising digital asset businesses, including exchanges, issuers, creators, brokers, and wallet providers, including Toha Network, Localcoin, Sylo and others, including leading global exchanges and platforms.

Acting for peer-to-peer lending and equity crowdfunding platforms, including assisting with market services licence applications as well as day-to-day regulatory advice. This includes recently advising Go Lend on its P2P lending service licence.

Providing specialist advice to local and international payment providers on financial regulatory matters including AML/CFT compliance.

Advising over a dozen financial advice firms, including some of NZ’s largest financial advice networks, on the financial advice regulatory regime that came into effect in 2023. This includes advising on licence applications, business structuring, disclosure, and commercial agreements.

Advising on various major corporate M&A transactions involving offshore businesses.

Affiliations
  • Member, Blockchain NZ
  • Member, FinTech NZ
  • Member, NZ Malaysia Business Association Inc
Achievements and recognition
  • Band 1 team, Financial Services, Chambers Asia-Pacific
  • Tier 1 team, Investment Funds, The Legal 500 Asia-Pacific