Named experts · Practitioner profile
About Jonathan
Jonathan Galea is a Malta-qualified lawyer who has worked in crypto since 2013. In 2017 he founded BCAS, a licensed VFA Agent in Malta, and he co-authored Malta's Virtual Financial Assets framework, working with the MFSA and the European Banking Authority. He chairs the virtual-assets section at the Malta Chamber of Commerce and is a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta. In 2025 he became a partner at US firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel, where he leads digital-assets and MiCA work from London.
Practice fields
Credentials
- Partner, CahillNXT — Digital Assets & Emerging Technology, Cahill Gordon & Reindel (since 2025)
- Founder (2017), BCAS — licensed VFA Agent, Malta
- Co-author of Malta's Virtual Financial Assets framework; worked with MFSA and EBA
- Visiting lecturer, University of Malta; in crypto since 2013
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.
- Cahill Gordon & Reindel — Jonathan Galea (Partner, CahillNXT — Digital Assets) — firm bio
- UCL Faculty of Laws — The Value of Regulation versus the Value of Licensing (speaker: Dr Jonathan Galea, CEO BCAS) — conference
- Malta CEOs — From McDonald's nuggets to US law firm partner: Jonathan Galea on sticking to your mission — industry press
Relevant guides
Knowledge-base coverage that overlaps with Jonathan's practice (Malta, European Union · MiCA CASP, Token classification, Stablecoin issuance, Crypto AML, Non-EU crypto).
Crypto casino · Gambling + crypto licensing
Crypto Casino License vs Gambling License 2026 — What Operators Need
Crypto casino operators face the intersection of gambling regulation and crypto-asset regulation. Some jurisdictions treat crypto casinos un…
MiCA · CASP operations & lifecycle
CASP Operations and Lifecycle 2026 — MiCA Passport, Banking, Wind-Down
The CASP passport under MiCA Article 65 went operational in late 2024 — but a working passport is one part of running an authorised CASP. Th…
Qualifying holdings · CASP acquisitions
Qualifying Holdings Acquisitions 2026 — MiCA CASP Guide
MiCA Articles 83 and 84 govern notification and assessment of any acquisition of a qualifying holding in a CASP, and of increases past 20%, …
MiCA stablecoin · Title III + Title IV
MiCA Stablecoin Regulation Summary 2026 — Title III ART + Title IV EMT
MiCA's stablecoin regulation splits across Title III (asset-referenced tokens) and Title IV (e-money tokens) with distinct issuer authorisat…
VASP licensing · Pre-MiCA frameworks
VASP License Crypto Explained — Pre-MiCA Frameworks to MiCA Migration
VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) registration was the dominant pre-MiCA EU crypto framework — AML-focused registration in Estonia, Lith…
MiCA enforcement · Powers, penalties, published decisions
MiCA Enforcement in 2026: NCA Powers, Penalties and What to Watch
MiCA enforcement sits with national competent authorities. This guide sets out their powers under Article 94, withdrawal under Article 64 an…