The usual sequence
- 01Choose the jurisdiction
- 02Incorporate the entity
- 03Apply for the licence
- 04Ask the legal questionsToo late
Result: rework, delay, and fees you've already paid.
For digital asset businesses structuring in ADGM
Implementation Guaranteed.
Start with a Strategic Structure Review, not the ADGM entity.If the plan changes along the way, we cover the extra work.
- $500M+
- in compliant token raises structured
- 10+
- years pioneering Web3 legal structures
- 8+
- jurisdictions with direct expertise
Same business. Two very different places to begin.
The right sequence
- 01Define the business, activity and money flows
- 02Map the classification and permissions
- 03Choose the jurisdiction and entity that fit
- 04File, in the right orderNothing to unwind
Result: one structure, built once.
We structure your business before you build it.
Map the business. Find the pathway. Build the roadmap. Guaranteed.
- 01
Map the business
We map what you actually do: product, ownership, money flows, people and assets. Our CTO reads the architecture directly, so the structure is designed against what your business is, not a summary of it.
- 02
Find the regulatory pathway
How your product gets classified, which regulated activities you are carrying on, and which permissions that requires. This is the step most founders skip, and it is the one that determines everything after it.
- 03
Build the licensing roadmap
Jurisdiction, entity, licence route and the order to do it in. You get the roadmap in 10 working days.
- 04
Implementation guaranteed
We carry the strategy through to execution. If the plan changes along the way, we cover the extra work.
Trusted by 20+ founders, funds and protocols
★★★★★
“Victoria's understanding of the regulatory frameworks for digital asset businesses in the UAE, VARA, ADGM and DIFC, is truly par excellence.”
Caroline BowlerCEO · BTC Markets★★★★★
“Ape Law's unique blend of web-native legal expertise and fearlessness are invaluable in navigating the legal complexities of GameFi and Web3.”
Danny WilsonCFO · Illuvium★★★★★
“Best-in-field legal advice and tokenomics for our asset token launch. They took our venture from concept to reality.”
Troy SadlerCEO · ArtworksXThey all started in the wrong place.
Real matters where the sequence was the problem. Client identities anonymised.
Biggest licence first?
Digital asset exchange · ADGM licensing
The biggest licence was not the right first step.
- Challenge
- Started with the final licence
- The win
- Clear phased licensing roadmap
The licence said no?
Web3 VC · ADGM regulatory strategy
The regulations appeared to end the project.
- Challenge
- Licence did not permit token investments
- The win
- A new ADGM pathway created
What licence?
Prediction market · Product classification
The licence was not the first question.
- Challenge
- The product was not yet classified
- The win
- Product-first regulatory roadmap
Ready to apply?
Crypto business · UAE
The licence was not the first step.
- Challenge
- Started with the application
- The win
- Clear licence and launch roadmap
Starting with the token?
Tokenization · Regulatory strategy
The token was not the place to start.
- Challenge
- The token was being treated as the start
- The win
- Regulator-ready structure designed first
Too many options?
RWA tokenization · Regulatory strategy
More options were creating less clarity.
- Challenge
- Too many pathways remained open
- The win
- Strongest path validated and mapped
Who owns the rights?
Web3 data platform · DAO & token structuring
The token story needed legal foundations.
- Challenge
- IP, data and licence rights were unclear
- The win
- Rights aligned with the ecosystem
Too much in one company?
Staking platform · Structuring
One company was carrying every risk.
- Challenge
- Everything sat inside one company
- The win
- Key risks separated by design
Needed a fund?
Technology · Investment
Thought three investors meant they needed a fund.
- Challenge
- Assumed the raise required a fund
- The win
- Clear structure and roadmap
Ready to launch?
Tokenization · UAE
The company existed. The business was not ready.
- Challenge
- Thought they were ready to launch
- The win
- Foundations in place before launch
Just another contract?
Crypto acquisition · Transaction strategy
This acquisition needed more than a contract.
- Challenge
- Crypto was treated like a normal asset
- The win
- Crypto-specific protections built in
Is trust enough?
Property development · Joint venture
Trust alone could not protect the partnership.
- Challenge
- Key relationship terms were unclear
- The win
- Structure built around the people
Respond immediately?
Web3 commercial dispute · Evidence strategy
The first accusation was not the full story.
- Challenge
- The client started on the defensive
- The win
- Evidence rebuilt and leverage protected
No perfect evidence?
Founder dispute · Evidence strategy
The founder had more leverage than he realised.
- Challenge
- No single piece of perfect evidence
- The win
- Evidence rebuilt into leverage
Recognise any of these?
See If You QualifyYou've got questionsWe've got answers
01How is this priced?+
Fixed fee, quoted before any work starts. The review is priced on its own. If you go ahead with implementation, that's quoted separately once the roadmap is agreed. You'll have both numbers in writing before you commit to anything.
02How does the Implementation Guarantee work?+
If we implement your structure and the plan needs to change along the way, we do the extra research and revised advice at our cost. You don't get a second invoice for us updating our own work. Conditions apply and we'll walk you through them on the call.
03What makes this different from a setup agent or another law firm?+
Setup agents sell a licence package. That is fine if registration is your only question, but expensive if it is not. Most firms hand you a memo and leave. The advice ends where the hard part starts. Specialist firms will do the regulatory analysis properly. We do two things they generally do not. We have a CTO in-house who reads your actual architecture, including contracts, token flows and custody, instead of working from a description. We also guarantee our own implementation work. If the plan needs revising along the way, you do not get a second invoice.
04What if I've already set up a UAE company or have other advisers?+
Both are common. The review tells you whether what you've got works for what you're doing and what it would take to fix it if it doesn't. You keep whoever you want to keep.
05What do I need to do next?+
Complete the short qualification form below. It takes two minutes. If it's a fit, we'll book a 30-minute call to go through what you're building and what your structure should look like.