Cryptocurrency firms ramp up search for compliance executives - WSJ

Cryptocurrency firms are accelerating hiring in their compliance departments as regulators, in the U.S. and around the world, turn their attention to digital currencies. For example, in September Binance hired Aron Akbiyikian, formerly from TRM Labs, as director of audit and investigations, and Robinhood's crypto unit hired Benjamin Melnicki to head its compliance efforts. Hamlyn Williams, a recruitment firm focusing on regulated industries, observes a pick up in compliance executive searches over the past 15 months, placing seven chief compliance officers at fintech and crypto companies in the past five months alone, the Wall Street Journal reports. The firm has conducted 18 CCO searches for fintech and cryptocurrency businesses in 2021, up from seven for all of 2020, the WSJ said. In the past six months, the price of bitcoin has dropped 26% as China has banned crypto transactions and mining. And the competition for talent is stiff as fintech