When Joseph Axisa founded Axis Group three years ago, the intention was deliberately modest: keep the operation small, remain self-employed and build a business around work he was genuinely passionate about.

What followed was very different.

Today, Axis Group has grown from a one-person operation into an eight-person firm generating seven-figure annual revenue, with a client portfolio, currently valued at 4billion+, spanning DeFi protocols, blockchain infrastructure providers, Layer-1 solutions, crypto-asset service providers and financial services businesses.

For Mr Axisa, Founder and Managing Partner, the growth has been driven by a combination of entrepreneurial risk-taking, specialist expertise and a willingness to build a business around an industry he believes in.

“I’m very entrepreneurial,” he says, reflecting on the decision to take the initial risk. “Even during my university years, I always tried to scratch the entrepreneurial itch by running some small businesses, some still operating to this day, although I am no longer involved”.

That appetite for risk was matched by a strong conviction in the potential of emerging technologies. Instead of following the traditional professional services model, Axis Group positioned itself firmly at the intersection of law, regulation, technology and digital assets.

According to Mr Axisa, that positioning has been central to the company’s success.

One of the company’s defining moments came through its work with Arbitrum, a leading Layer-2 blockchain network built on Ethereum, alongside research and industry initiatives, including what Mr Axisa describes as an industry-first procurement training programme. Additionally, in 2024, Axis passed the most amount of governance proposals through Arbitrum, which to this day - is deemed the largest Layer-2 Solution on Ethereum.

In its second year, the business placed a stronger focus on the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), as businesses increasingly began preparing for a more structured regulatory environment.

By 2025, Axis Group was heavily involved in MiCA authorisations and white papers. The firm is currently working on around 16 authorisations, putting it at the forefront of a highly competitive market.

The growth has also been reflected financially. After generating a six-figure sum during its first year, the business reached seven-figure revenues in the years thereafter, with growth projected year-on-year.

The team, meanwhile, has expanded from Mr Axisa alone to eight people.

Yet he argues that the numbers tell only part of the story.

The biggest competitive advantage is not simply having legal expertise, but understanding the technology behind the businesses being advised.

“Our main target market is fintech, digital assets, tokenisation – tech-focused companies in general,” he explains. “We’re a team of nerds and experts.”

That technical orientation allows Axis Group to approach legal and regulatory challenges from a technology perspective, rather than treating them solely as conventional legal problems. Its services currently include legal and regulatory advisory, MiCA authorisation, token valuation, token legal opinions, fundraising, operational advisory and corporate advisory.

While digital assets and emerging technologies will remain at the heart of the business, Axis Group is also broadening the services it provides.

The group has recently expanded into areas including the launch of Axis Ledger (a digital-asset focused accounts & bookkeeping firm) and will soon be launching Axis Corporate, with Mr Axisa describing the strategy as creating a more comprehensive offering for clients.

The rationale is both practical and commercial. Rather than requiring clients to work with multiple external providers, Axis Group aims to offer a broader range of services under one umbrella. This creates opportunities to deepen client relationships while also allowing the firm to maintain greater control over the client experience.

The next area of particular interest is funds and financial services. Axis Group is developing its “Vault” proposition, reflecting a wider trend towards the intersection of traditional fund structures and digital assets.

Mr Axisa believes the next phase of the industry will be defined by greater integration between traditional financial services and crypto.

One trend he is watching closely is the increasing integration of crypto capabilities into payment companies. Instead of operating as separate businesses, financial services providers are increasingly looking towards more integrated models, including through broader regulatory authorisation strategies.

Tokenisation is another area he expects to gain momentum, particularly as fund managers and administrators explore how traditional funds and assets can interact with blockchain-based infrastructure.

For businesses operating in this rapidly evolving space, staying ahead of regulation will be critical. Axis Group’s approach is therefore not simply to respond to regulatory developments once they happen, but to anticipate where the market is heading and develop solutions accordingly.

That forward-looking approach reflects the philosophy that has shaped the company since its inception.

For Mr Axisa, building a successful professional services business is ultimately about more than revenue growth. The strongest advantage comes from genuinely understanding, and enjoying, the sector in which you operate.

“You actually have to love it,” he says. “If you really enjoy the work, you can outcompete people.”