Named experts · Practitioner profile
About Irina
Irina Heaver is the founder of NeosLegal, the UAE's first crypto-native law firm, set up in Dubai in 2016 — before VARA existed, before ADGM published its virtual-asset rules. She has advised 250+ projects on token launches, VARA and ADGM licensing, RWA tokenisation, and fundraising, and has consulted governments and regulators on emerging-technology policy. Lexology lists her as the UAE's leading blockchain lawyer, and she took the Middle East Technology Legal Team of the Year 2025 at The Oath awards. She's a fixture on the Dubai and Asia conference circuit — TOKEN2049, Consensus — and one of the most-cited practitioner voices on Dubai's crypto licensing regime.
Practice fields
Credentials
- Founder, NeosLegal — UAE's first crypto-native law firm (Dubai, 2016)
- Advised 250+ projects on token launches, VARA/ADGM licensing, RWA tokenisation
- Lexology — UAE's leading blockchain lawyer
- Middle East Technology Legal Team of the Year 2025, The Oath Middle East Legal Awards
Jurisdictions
Sources
Every entry on this page is sourced from public records. The references below are the evidence base for the practitioner's expertise claims.
- NeosLegal — Irina Heaver, No.1 UAE Crypto Lawyer — firm bio
- Gulf Today — Irina Heaver, UAE's lawyer, at TOKEN2049 — industry press
- Lexology — Leading Blockchain Lawyer in the UAE — directory
Relevant guides
Knowledge-base coverage that overlaps with Irina's practice (United Arab Emirates, Switzerland · Non-EU crypto, Crypto M&A).
Dubai · VARA + ADGM crypto licensing
Crypto License in Dubai 2026 — VARA and ADGM Practitioner Guide
A crypto license in Dubai runs through two regimes — VARA for the mainland and free zones, and ADGM's FSRA in Abu Dhabi. This guide covers t…
Swiss FINMA · Token classification
FINMA Token Classification: Payment, Utility, Asset Tokens
Switzerland classifies crypto tokens into three categories — payment, utility, and asset — under FINMA's 2018 ICO Guidelines. The classifica…
Swiss AG / GmbH · Company formation
Swiss AG or GmbH for a Crypto Business: Which Entity to Form
Switzerland offers two main company forms for a crypto business — the AG with CHF 100,000 capital and the GmbH with CHF 20,000. The AG carri…
UAE · Crypto company formation
Dubai Crypto License 2026 — UAE Free Zone & VARA Guide
Dubai and UAE crypto licensing involves multiple layers — free zone vs mainland, which free zone (DMCC, ADGM, DIFC), and whether the activit…
Crypto custody licence · Comparison
Crypto Custody Licence: Jurisdictions Compared (2026)
A crypto custody licence is not one licence. Under MiCA it is a CASP Class 2 authorisation; in the US a state trust charter or SPDI; in Asia…
Crypto exchange licence · Comparison
Crypto Exchange License: Jurisdictions Compared (2026)
A crypto exchange licence is not one licence. It is six or seven different regimes — MiCA, VARA, MAS, SFC, FCA, FINMA, and the US state-by-s…