Crypto Estate Planning

Clear legal support for tradfi & defi advisory in the UAE, helping you protect your rights, family, assets and future. With senior legal

Comprehensive Estate Planning (Crypto)

Our cutting-edge service ensures your crypto and digital assets are not lost, creating a legal plan for secure access and transfer.

In-depth description

We offer a cutting-edge estate planning service specifically for digital assets. We address the unique challenges of cryptocurrency and NFTs, creating legal structures and practical protocols to ensure your chosen fiduciaries can securely access, manage, and distribute your digital wealth to your heirs, preventing it from being lost forever.

Scope of work

  • Conduct in-depth workshops to inventory the client’s digital assets (cryptocurrencies, NFTs, wallets).
  • Design a legal and practical strategy for the secure management and transfer of these assets.
  • Develop a Fiduciary Access Protocol detailing how keys and passwords can be securely accessed by trustees or heirs.
  • Draft specialized clauses within Wills and Trusts to explicitly govern digital assets.

Price range

AED 50,000 onward (Hourly rate)

Deliverables

  • A Comprehensive Estate Plan tailored for digital assets.
  • A secure Fiduciary Access Protocol document.
  • Custom-drafted Wills and Trusts including specific digital asset provisions.

Do you hold crypto with no plan for what happens next?

Do you hold significant cryptocurrency or NFT assets?

Without a legal estate plan, your digital assets could be permanently lost. Heirs often cannot access wallets without help.

Could your heirs access your crypto if you passed away?

Private keys and seed phrases die with their owners. We create legal protocols so your heirs can recover your assets.

Do you want to hold crypto through a legal structure?

A Foundation or SPV can hold digital assets with proper governance, reducing personal exposure and tax friction.

Have you considered the tax position of your crypto?

Crypto gains can trigger tax in your home country even if you live in the UAE. We map your exposure before it matters.

Frequently asked questions

Without a proper plan, crypto assets are effectively lost if your heirs cannot access the wallet or private keys. Unlike bank accounts, there is no recovery process. Assets may also be subject to intestacy laws that distribute them contrary to your wishes, especially across multiple jurisdictions.
Yes. A DIFC or ADGM Will can reference digital assets and include a secure mechanism for transferring access to heirs. Careful drafting is required to ensure the Will does not inadvertently expose private keys or create security risks while still giving heirs actionable access.
 
Several legal structures can be used, including trusts and foundations holding a secure legacy document, or professionally managed custodial arrangements referenced in your Will. The key is creating a structure that balances security with accessibility for your heirs at the right time.
Potentially yes, if they are identified and subject to legal process. However, self-custody assets not disclosed or not subject to a legal hold may be accessible to anyone with the private key, including unwanted parties. Proper estate planning eliminates this ambiguity.

Tax treatment depends on the jurisdiction of each heir and where the assets are deemed located for tax purposes. In the UAE there is currently no inheritance tax, but heirs in France, the UK, the US or other jurisdictions may face tax obligations. Cross-border planning is essential for international families.

Key contacts:

Romain Astruc

Managing Partner – Generalist, Advisory & Litigation

Mehdi Al Ghafari

Associate – Corporate, Commercial & Litigation

Gabriel Elmarzouki

Associate – Corporate, Commercial & Litigation

Get in touch

Other services you might need

Digital asset planning works best as part of a broader estate plan. These services complete the picture for internationally mobile investors.

Estate Planning - Wills, Foundations & Trusts

A complete estate plan integrates your crypto assets with your conventional wealth across all relevant jurisdictions.
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Asset Holding Vehicles for Private Individuals

The right holding structure protects your digital and conventional assets and simplifies transmission to your heirs.
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Commercial & Criminal Disputes - Crypto Investors

Crypto scams and investment fraud require specialist legal action. We recover assets and pursue bad actors.
Learn more

WHAT SET US APART

Why ASTRUC & Co

Digital asset planning sits at the intersection of cutting-edge legal structures and traditional succession law. We navigate both.

1.

Senior counsel only

Crypto estate planning is specialist work where experience matters. We apply senior legal expertise to a technically complex challenge – ensuring your digital assets are not

2.

Cross-border fluency

Crypto assets exist across jurisdictions simultaneously. We structure solutions that work across the UAE, France and other relevant legal systems – covering inheritance

3.

Integrated planning

We integrate your digital asset plan into your complete estate strategy – Wills, foundations and conventional assets all coordinated – so there are no gaps between your

More than legal counsel

With you, all the way

Life in the UAE brings extraordinary opportunities — and equally complex legal realities. Whether you’re relocating your family, navigating a divorce across jurisdictions, or structuring an inheritance that spans continents, you deserve a legal partner who understands both the technicalities and the human side of what you’re going through. At ASTRUC & Co, we treat every client’s situation as if it were our own.

From our offices in Dubai to our network spanning Riyadh, Paris, and Luxembourg, we bring senior-level attention to every matter — personal or financial. We believe the best legal advice is honest, clear, and delivered by someone who genuinely cares about the outcome. That’s why our clients stay with us, and why they come back when life presents its next chapter.

Ready to move forward?

Talk to our team about your situation. We’ll walk you through your options and help you move forward with clarity.

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Merger and Acquisition
  • Set-up of the Workstreams related to the Transaction
  • Legal Due Diligence
  • Tax Due Diligence
  • Negotiating and Drafting the SPA
  • Assistance related to Conditions Precedents
  • Registration of the Transaction with the Authorities
Private Equity
  • Advisory on PE life cycle from Fund Formation, Capital Deployment, M&A, etc.
  • Advisory on Financing Rounds and Execution
  • Drafting of Prospectus, Investment Case, Risk Warnings and Investment Disclaimers, etc.
  • Drafting of Shareholders Agreements
  • Advisory on Board of Directors Structuring and Execution
  • Drafting of Policies, Charts and other JVAs
  • Litigation/Arbitration
Banking &Finance
  • Banking loan documentation negotiation and review including requested securities
  • Account opening requirements and forms
  • Compliance controls upon onboarding as a bank customer and regular updates to allow flawless funds repatriation
  • Escalation if needed with banking authorities and preparing file for litigation
  • Arabic speaker for immediate translation or intermediation with third parties including local authorities.
Commercial
  • Commercial Agency – Contract Drafting and Litigation
  • Rent-Sales Contract – Contract Drafting, Contract Management and Litigation
  • Logistic Services Contract
  • IT Services Contract
  • Intermediary Contract
  • Other Services Contract
Construction
  • FIDIC Short Form of Contract
  • FIDIC Larger or more complex projects (the Construction Contract)
  • FIDIC Contractor doing the Design (Plant and Design-Build Contract)
  • FIDIC EPC/Turnkey Contract
  • Review of Ad Hoc Contracts
  • Assistance for Management of the Contract
  • Litigation/Arbitration
Employment Relationship
  • Assistance during Recruitment Phase with Executive Search Agents or Recruitment Agency
  • Drafting Offer Letter and Employment Contract
  • Drafting Disciplinary Policy and Documentation
  • Registration of Company with Labour Authorities
  • Registration of Employee with Labour Authorities
  • Assistance During Disciplinary Proceedings
  • Termination Strategy and Execution
  • Litigation Services
HR Strategy – Advisory Services
  • Labour Market Analysis
  • Labour Legislation Memo and Manual
  • Analysis of Remuneration Trends, Structures and Composition
  • Labour Taxation
  • Industry Practice reg. bonus, schedule, overtime, leave, length of service, etc.
Business Set-Up and Maintenance
  • Comparative Study on Options Available
  • Legal Memorandum on Corporate and Tax Laws
  • Set-Up Services (Company, Immigration, Labour, Banking, Tax)
  • Nominee Services (Regulated Activity)
  • Shareholders Agreements
  • Board of Directors Structuring
  • Dissolution, Liquidation, Bankruptcy Proceedings
  • Litigation/Arbitration (Manager or Shareholders Dispute)
  • Redomiciliation
Joint Venture and Investors Relationship
  • Set-up of Joint Venture Company
  • Drafting Joint Venture Agreement
  • Drafting of Prospectus, Investment Case, Risk Warnings and Investment Disclaimers, etc.
  • Drafting of Shareholders Agreements
  • Advisory on Financing Rounds and Execution
  • Advisory on Board of Directors Structuring and Execution
  • Drafting of Policies, Charts and other JVAs
  • Litigation/Arbitration
Expatriation Services
  • Employment Package and Contract Review
  • Wealth Management Advisory
  • Tenancy Opportunities and Contract Advisory
  • Medical Insurance Advisory
  • Banking Advisory
  • School Advisory
  • Logistic Advisory
  • FX Exchange Advisory
Relocation
  • Resignation Strategy
  • Tax Situation Review
  • Logistic Advisory
  • FX Exchange Advisory
  • Administration of the Departure and Legal Representation
Advisory
  • Advisory Services on the Developer (reliability check)
  • Review of Contract with Developer
  • Conveyance of Property and Supervision of the Sales Process
  • Legal Representation for the Purchase/Sales
  • Assistance with Engineers and Contractors
  • Assistance with tenants or holidays home management firm
Litigation
  • Cancellation of Contract
  • Cancellation of Project
  • Disputes regarding Lands
  • Disputes regarding Permits and Licenses
  • Dispute with Engineer or Contractor
Civil Status
  • Amendment of Civil Status (divorced/married) in Home Country
  • Change of Name
  • Transcription of Marriage or Divorce
  • Legalisation Services with Consulate and Embassies
Nationality and Immigration
  • Application for Nationality due to family reasons
  • Coordination Services for Obtaining Nationality based on Investment (more than 40 countries)
  • Immigration Services to Schengen Country (Tourist, Business, Long Term, Residence, Nationality)
  • Immigration Services to the USA, UK, Canada, Australia (Tourist, Business, Long Term, Residence, Nationality)
  • Immigration Services to GCC countries (Tourist, Business, Long Term, Residence, Golden Visa, Nationality)
Succession Planning
  • Overall Estate Planning with Financial and Legal Experts
  • Set-up of Shariah Compliant Foundation or Holding Structure
  • Set-up of Trust (DIFC, UAE, ADGM, Foreign based)
  • Set-up of Holding Structure
  • Set-up of Last Wills in the UAE, Qatar, KSA and various territories, as needed
  • Family Counseling - Mediation of dispute between family members
Inheritance Proceedings
  • In any country where there are assets
  • Court proceedings based on Shariah Law
  • Court proceedings based on Deceased Law
  • Court Proceedings based on Last Will
Crime against the Person and Narcotics
  • Assault, Sexual Abuse, Murder
  • Kidnapping
  • Household Theft
  • Threat, Insult, Defamation, Harassment
  • Social Media Crimes
  • IT Crimes
  • Stealing or Misappropriation of Personal Data
  • Narcotics
Business Crimes
  • AML issues
  • Cryptocurrency and other Investment related Scams
  • Breach of Trust
  • Deception and Fraud
  • Theft of business secrets
  • Insolvency related Crimes
  • Accounting Crimes
  • Interpol
Marriages
  • Marriage between French nationals
  • Marriage involving a French national and a non-French national
  • Marriage involving two persons of the same nationality
  • Marriage involving two persons of different nationality
  • Marriage involving a Muslim
  • Brief on matrimonial regimes and applicable laws
Divorces
  • Divorce between French nationals
  • Divorce involving a French national and a non-French national
  • Divorce involving two persons of the same nationality
  • Divorce involving two persons of different nationality
  • Divorce involving a Muslim
  • Brief on matrimonial regimes and applicable laws