TIAN Sion Yoong is a Partner in the Financial Services Regulatory, Derivatives & Structured Products, and FinTech Practices. He focuses on regulatory matters within the financial services sector, as well as on emerging technologies in finance, including blockchain, digital assets, and AI. He also has extensive experience in both the transactional and regulatory aspects of derivatives and structured products.

In the regulatory space, he has advised financial institutions on the regulatory landscape in Singapore, including licensing and regulatory requirements applicable to financial market infrastructures, banks, securities and derivatives dealers, fund managers, financial advisers and other financial intermediaries, and derivatives trade reporting, clearing, trading, and margin requirements. He has also advised on carbon credit projects and transactions, FinTech providers (including prospective digital bank, AI solutions providers, crowdfunding platforms, robo-advisers and payment service providers), blockchain platforms, cryptocurrency/digital token exchanges, dApp and DeFi projects, tokenisation projects, metaverse and game companies, as well as initial coin offerings (ICO) / security token offerings (STO) and issuers of stablecoins and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), on various licensing, regulatory and transactional matters.

In the derivatives transactional space, he has assisted numerous clients (including general corporates and regulated entities such as banks, insurance companies and REITs) with the preparation, review and/or negotiation of their derivatives documentation, including the International Swaps and Derivatives Association (ISDA) master agreements, confirmations and credit support and collateral management documentation.

Sion Yoong also has experience with bond issuances, structured note programmes, securitisations and other forms of structured finance. He also has prior experience as in-house counsel in a major investment bank supporting its foreign exchange (FX), rates and credit trading businesses in both transactional and regulatory matters.

He graduated from National University of Singapore (LL.B., Hons.) and is admitted to the Singapore Bar.

Significant transactions that Sion Yoong has been involved in include advising / acting for the following:

  • EFG Bank on the unique regulatory issues which arose from the statutory transfer of business being effected from BSI Bank, whose regulatory status as an approved merchant bank in Singapore was being withdrawn by the Monetary Authority of Singapore ("MAS"). The statutory transfer of business took place as a parallel process to the global acquisition of BSI and its subsidiaries by EFG International. This was the first time in over 30 years that MAS had ordered a merchant bank to be shut down.

  • A major bank with a global presence in Asia, UK and U.S. in relation to its project involving the issuance of fiat-backed stablecoins and the development of cross-border payment rails using blockchain technology. This stablecoin project aims to enable faster and more transparent cross-border payments, lowering costs and complexity for the bank's customers.

  • A major video game / interactive entertainment software company on financial regulatory and licensing issues under Singapore law in relation to its proposed global launch of an online gaming platform incorporating the use of NFTs, cryptocurrencies and other GameFi elements.

  • A US company in relation to the issuance of digital tokens that represent a portfolio of voluntary carbon credits managed by it on an unallocated basis.

  • Coinhako, a Singapore-incorporated digital assets service provider, on the financial services licensing and regulatory requirements under the Payment Services Act 2019 ("PSA") applicable to its operation of a cryptocurrency exchange, and the various other incidental services that it intends to carry out. We have assisted Coinhako in becoming among the first cryptocurrency exchanges to successfully obtain a payment services licence under the PSA to provide digital payment token services.

  • A major European bank on legal and regulatory issues pertaining to the issuance of equity-linked retail structured notes in Singapore.

Related Practices

  • Derivatives & Structured Products
  • Financial Services Regulatory
  • FinTech
  • LegisWatch (2023), Singapore Carbon Tax Regime: Eligibility Criteria for International Carbon Credits
  • NUS TRAIL (2023), The Evolution of Money: Legal and Policy Considerations in a Digital Age
  • Thomson Reuters (2023), Singapore Crypto-assets Regulation Guide
  • Butterworths Journal of International Banking & Financial Law (2022), Decentralised finance (DeFi): a game-changer or just a passing fad?
  • SAL Practitioner (2019), A Guide to Digital Token Offerings: Monetary Authority of Singapore's Roadmap for Regulation of Blockchain-based Digital Tokens
  • IFLR1000 (2017), Developments in the regulation of digital advisory services

asialaw – The definitive guide to Asia's Leading Law Firms and Lawyers

  • Regulatory – Singapore: Distinguished Practitioner

IFLR1000: Financial & Corporate – The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms

  • Financial Services Regulatory – Singapore: Highly Regarded
  • IFLR1000 Rising Star Awards Asia Pacific – Structured Finance, Securitisation & Derivatives: Rising Star

Chambers Global – The World's Leading Lawyers for Business

  • Banking & Finance: Regulatory – Singapore: Band 3

Chambers Asia-Pacific – Asia-Pacific's Leading Lawyers for Business

  • Banking & Finance: Regulatory – Singapore: Band 3
  • Capital Markets: Securitisation & Derivatives – Singapore: Band 3

Chambers FinTech Guide – The Best Lawyers in The Global Fintech Industry

  • FinTech Legal – Singapore: Band 2

"I love to work with and respect Tian Sion Yoong for his dedication to serving clients, as well as his very detail-oriented and thorough understanding of the client's issues and industry"

"Tian Sion Yoong is highly skilled, intelligent and delivers strategic legal advice. It is a joy to work with him"

"Sion Yoong is definitely an excellent lawyer with in-depth knowledge despite his younger age"

"He is very attentive to detail and very thorough in his analysis. He doesn't miss anything when it comes to legal advice"

"Sion Yoong is a commercially driven lawyer and has the ability to transform complex legal issues into client-oriented advice"

"Sion Yoong has a very strong grasp of the regulatory framework in Singapore. He constantly provides clear, pragmatic and concise advice"

"Sion Yoong Tian always gives priority to my matters. He likes to try to understand the business and always asks good questions"

The Legal 500: Asia Pacific – The Client’s Guide to the Asia Pacific Legal Profession

  • Capital Markets: Structured Finance, Derivatives and Securitisation – Singapore: Leading Partner
  • Fintech & Financial Services Regulatory – Singapore: Recommended

"Tian Sion Yoong is the leading partner and has a deep understanding and the best-in-class working knowledge"

"Tian Sion Yoong has a deep understanding and the best in class working knowledge with leading global financial institutions as well as unicorn fintech/blockchain projects"

"Tian Sion Yoong is very detailed in his analysis, and is also very practical in advising on regulatory matters"

Lexology Index

  • Global Leader in Fintech & Blockchain – Blockchain

Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers

  • Recognised as part of the Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers - independently rated lawyers list

Contact Details

Qualifications

National University of Singapore (LL.B., Hons.)

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