It is almost impossible to scan the news without seeing multiple headlines relating to cryptocurrency and other digital assets. Perhaps the definitive sign that crypto for the masses has arrived and is here to stay is the fact that Bitcoin and Dogecoin whisperer, Elon Musk, recently hosted Saturday Night Live, which also parodied NFTs. Earlier this year, Tesla announced it was investing $1.5 billion in Bitcoin, adding momentum to a wave of corporate and institutional investments in cryptocurrencies.

In this new column for Reuters Legal, Shearman & Sterling partner Donna Parisi gives a high-level overview of the regulatory landscape faced by companies and investors, with a spotlight on the rules and regulatory bodies that companies need to be aware of when entering the digital asset space for the first time.

This is the first in a series of columns that Donna will write for Reuters on the topic of crypto and digital assets.