Emilia Malgueiro Campos is a blockchain and crypto law professor, lawyer, and one of the founding partners of Malgueiro Campos Zardo Advocacia, a law firm focused on digital law, Web3, new technologies, and business contracts. ^[1][2]

Education

Campos graduated from the Universidade Paulista in December 1997. She attended the Thomas Jefferson School of Law as part of the Legal Exchange Education Program (LEEP) in 2013. She earned her Master of Science in Digital Currency and Blockchain Technology from the University of Nicosia in 2017. She also received an Executive MBA from the Business School of Sao Paulo in 2016. ^[3]

Career

Emilia Campos began her legal career as an attorney at Danneman Simensen from 1999 to 2003, specializing in intellectual property. She then worked as a senior lawyer at Gusmão & Labrunie from 2004 to 2005, focusing on intellectual property, contract management, and civil litigation. From 2005 to 2007, she continued her work in intellectual property at De Vivo, Whitaker, Castro e Gonçalves Advogados. ^[4][5]

From 2007 to 2010, Campos was an attorney at Biolab Sanus Farmacêutica, managing intellectual property, regulatory compliance, and contracts. She then joined Veirano Advogados in 2010, working as a senior associate until 2014, focusing on intellectual property, technology transfer, and contract management. In 2016, Campos co-founded Malgueiro Campos Zardo Advocacia. She has also held academic positions, teaching blockchain technologies at FIAP in 2019-2020 and giving lectures on crypto law at LEC - Legal, Ethics & Compliance in 2023. In 2024, she joined Ibmec as a professor in the MBA program for digital finance, focusing on virtual assets and financial regulation. ^[4][5]

Panels

Decentralization Today

In the Web3 stage opening speech at Web Summit Rio 2024, Campos discussed the evolution of decentralization in society and its significance in the Web3 context. She highlighted that early societies were decentralized, with small groups using their currencies until agriculture introduced complexity and centralized authority. Campos explained that technologies like the printing press and, more recently, Web3 technologies enable the return to decentralized models by allowing decentralized communication, law, production, and finance. She cited various studies, including Johan Govers’ “Four Pillars for a Decentralized Society,” emphasizing that decentralized communication, law, production, and finance are now achievable through modern technologies. Campos concluded by encouraging the audience to explore Web3 projects that aim to create a more decentralized and freer society. ^[6]

Crypto Developments

Campos discussed several key developments in the cryptocurrency space. She highlighted the SEC's approval of an Ethereum ETF, signaling a more positive regulatory stance in the U.S., which generated optimism at the Consensus event in Austin, Texas. Campos noted the importance of regulatory discussions, especially with the upcoming U.S. elections and candidates’ positions on crypto. She also covered updates from the Central Bank of Brazil, which outlined a timeline for advancing crypto regulations, with final texts expected by 2025. At Consensus, Campos observed growing interest from international companies in the Brazilian market due to its favorable regulatory environment compared to the U.S. and Europe. She also discussed the CVM’s significant ruling against Atlas for fraudulent activities, marking a notable regulatory action in Brazil's crypto sector. ^[7]

Brazil Crypto

Campos discussed the approval of PL 4101, a law regulating Brazil's crypto asset service providers market. She explained that initially proposed in 2015, the law faced significant delays and amendments that weakened its effectiveness. According to Campos, the legislation failed to define all market participants clearly and excluded companies trading crypto from their inventory from key compliance requirements, such as anti-money laundering obligations. Critical protections, including the segregation of user and exchange assets, were vetoed, raising concerns about user safety. Campos highlighted that the Central Bank now has six months to establish detailed regulations after the law’s enactment. She expressed disappointment with the legislative process but remains hopeful that the Central Bank will address the law’s shortcomings. ^[8]

Cryptocurrency Taxes

Campos discussed with Ana Paula Rabello the changes in cryptocurrency income tax declarations in Brazil for the 2021/2022 period. They covered introducing new tax codes specifically for cryptocurrencies, including a dedicated code for Bitcoin, and an updated minimum declaration threshold of BRL 5,000. Campos and Rabello emphasized the need for accurate record-keeping of transactions, the differences in tax reporting between individuals and businesses, and the importance of seeking professional advice. They highlighted the consequences of incorrect tax declarations and stressed the need for compliance and regularization to avoid legal issues with tax authorities. ^[9]