Thomas Nägele PhD

Practice Areas

The firm’s main areas of expertise include distributed ledger technologies, in particular Blockchain law, IT-law, and capital markets law, while also sustaining a distinct team that is specialised in the different areas of civil and criminal law.

Liechtenstein, already being a well-established financial centre, has taken on a pioneer role in the crypto asset space and implemented an effective virtual asset regulatory framework over the last years. NÄGELE Attorneys at Law has been actively involved with integral contributions in the drafting of the Liechtenstein Blockchain Act (Trusted Technologies Law), with the Partners serving as speakers at national and international events surrounding Blockchain/DLT technology. This experience, coupled with the firm’s involvement in over 300 blockchain-related projects, witnesses a deep understanding of the legal framework surrounding Fintech Innovation but also traditional financial and capital law within the country, as well as abroad.

Founding partner Dr. Thomas Nägele advises international finance, technology, and industrial enterprises, operating in the fields of Blockchain/DLT technology, telecommunications and internet, as well as public institutions worldwide. Dr. Nägele’s technical IT-focused knowledge is unsurpassed, derived from his experience as a software developer, his function as head of IT at a security consulting company, as well as his experience as a founder and board member of ekey biometrics systems establishment in Vaduz. Coupled with his expertise in the fields of Internet/IT law, corporate and civil law, he bridges the gap between law and technology on a daily basis. He has taken on different leadership roles in numerous organizations dedicated to the support of the blockchain ecosystem and the individual actors within it.

Career

2023 Chair of the Board of INATBA (International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications)

2022 Board Member of INATBA (International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications)

2017 Lecturer at the University of Liechtenstein

2017 President of the CRYPTO COUNTRY ASSOCIATION (CCA) e.V., Liechtenstein

2015 Founding partner of NÄGELE Attorneys at Law LLC, Vaduz

2012 - 2015 Legal Associate with a Liechtenstein Law Firm, Vaduz

2011 - 2012 Internship at the Princely Court of Justice, Vaduz

2006 - 2011 Founder and member of the board of ekey biometric systems Establishment, Vaduz

Professional Memberships

Member of AIJA

Member of European Attorneys Association DACH

Member of JCI Liechtenstein Werdenberg

Member of Liechtenstein Bar Association

Member of Liechtenstein Arbitration Association

Member of Liechtenstein Chamber of Commerce

Member of the Board of INATBA

President of the Crypto Country Association e.V.

Publications

March 2023 Virtual Assets and Regulatory Framework, Karm Legal Consulting

March 2022 The "Blockchain Law" in Liechtenstein, eds. Kunschke, Spitz and Pohle, ISBN: 978-3-503-20688-9

January 2022 Suitable Corporate Forms to launch a Utility Token Offering (ICO) in Liechtenstein

November 2021 The Legal Nature of Tokens, Dr. Thomas Nägele, DLT media LLC, ISBN: 978-3-9525557-2-9

November 2021 How to register as a Token-Issuer (ICO/STO) in Liechtenstein?

April 2021 Why Liechtenstein is an attractive location for the token economy

November 2020 MiCA Markets in Crypto-assets Regulation and the DLT Pilot Regime

August 2020 Secondary Market for Security Tokens, Jan Sramek Verlag, ISBN: 978-3-7097-0251-2

July 2020 Liechtensteins Token and TT Service Provider Law

July 2020 Registration requirements according to the TVTG

April 2020 Blockchain Comparative Guide

March 2020 Liechtenstein: Fintech comparative guide

March 2020 Legally Binding Electronic Signatures

March 2020 The Regulatory Framework for a Tokenized Economy

January 2020 Executive Summary of Crypto Exchanges in Liechtenstein

December 2019 Digital Asset Regulation

November 2019 Blockchain rules, Piska/Völkel, MANZ Verlag Wien, ISBN: 978-3-214-02473-4

July 2019 Tokenized structures and assets in Liechtenstein law

June 2019 EU Token Regulation Paper

June 2019 Digital Asset Regulation

July 2018 Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain Technology in Liechtenstein Regulatory Law [Kryptowährungen und Blockchain Technologie im liechtensteinischen Aufsichtsrecht]

June 2018 Blockchain and token-based companies in Liechtenstein