Digital Asset Law Resource Center
A public reference on the law of cryptocurrency, crypto fraud, and asset recovery.
Foundations, topical guides, reference tools, and FAQs for clients, counsel, and market participants navigating digital asset law — from cryptocurrency regulation to the principal forms of crypto fraud and the recovery of lost assets.
This resource is published and maintained by G. Dowd Law LLC, a Chicago law firm whose digital asset work is led by its founder, George Dowd. The material here is written to explain rather than advocate and is reviewed for legal accuracy before publication; it explains the law as it stands rather than offering advice on any particular situation. If you need legal counsel, contact the firm directly.
Foundations
Foundations are broad, stable overviews. They are the place to begin. Each frames a major area of digital asset law and links onward to the focused Topic Resources beneath it.
Foundations
Digital Asset Regulation
How United States law classifies digital assets, and which authorities — the SEC, the CFTC, FinCEN, the IRS, and the states — regulate them.
Foundations
Crypto Fraud & Asset Recovery
How cryptocurrency fraud works, how it is investigated and prosecuted, and the routes through which victims pursue recovery of lost digital assets.
Topic Resources
Topic Resources examine a single subject in depth — a particular form of fraud, or a particular legal mechanism — and sit beneath the Foundations.
Topic Resource
Pig Butchering
The patient cryptocurrency investment scam built on a cultivated relationship — how it works, and what victims can do.
Topic Resource
Crypto Pump-and-Dump Schemes
Coordinated price manipulation in digital asset markets, the role of paid promotion, and the duty to disclose it.
Topic Resource
Oracle Manipulation
How manipulated price feed data is used to drain decentralized finance protocols, and how the law treats it.
Topic Resource
Crypto Exit Scams
Rug pulls and abandoned projects — and how the law separates deliberate fraud from honest failure.
Topic Resource
Whistleblower Programs
The federal programs that pay awards for reporting crypto fraud and market manipulation, and protect those who do.
Recent Developments
Commentary and analysis on digital asset law from G. Dowd Law LLC. This resource is an evergreen reference; current developments are tracked on the firm’s blog.
Quick Reference
About This Resource
The Digital Asset Law Resource Center is a public reference on how U.S. law applies to cryptocurrency and other digital assets including regulation, the principal forms of fraud, and the routes through which victims pursue recovery. It is maintained by G. Dowd Law LLC, a Chicago law firm whose digital asset work is led by its founder, George Dowd. Learn more →
Need legal counsel on a digital asset matter?
This resource is informational. For representation in crypto fraud and asset recovery matters, regulatory proceedings, or other digital asset disputes, contact G. Dowd Law LLC directly.