General Counsel - Cryptocurrency and Securities Law (Houston, TX - Remote)

Overview

Binance is a prominent global blockchain ecosystem known for operating the largest cryptocurrency exchange in terms of trading volume and users worldwide. With a strong reputation for industry-leading security, transparent fund management, fast trading engine, liquidity, and diverse digital asset products, Binance provides services ranging from trading and finance to education, research, payments, institutional services, Web3 features, and more. The company aims to leverage digital assets and blockchain to create an inclusive financial ecosystem that promotes financial accessibility and the freedom of money on a global scale.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and implement a comprehensive legal strategy to address complex litigation matters, regulatory challenges, and contentious inquiries affecting Binance and its stakeholders worldwide.

Act as the main point of contact with external legal advisors, overseeing negotiations and interactions with parties opposing Binance to safeguard the company's interests.

Offer strategic and commercially viable legal advice to internal teams across regions, ensuring a clear comprehension of intricate legal and regulatory landscapes.

Design and execute a cohesive dispute resolution framework aligned with Binance's overarching business objectives and risk management priorities.

Take charge of drafting, reviewing, and managing critical litigation and arbitration documents, including discovery responses, motions, reports, and settlements.

Collaborate closely with cross-functional and regional teams, providing expert legal guidance on various complex issues within different jurisdictions.

Mentor and cultivate legal talent within the organization through targeted training sessions for non-legal partners, improving overall legal awareness.

Identify, evaluate, and mitigate legal risks within Binance's global operations, suggesting and implementing innovative solutions to emerging challenges.

Supervise the administrative and operational functions of the litigation legal team, including billing, contract management, and document control to ensure efficiency and compliance.

Requirements

At least 12-15 years of extensive experience in litigation, investigations, and dispute resolution, preferably within the technology, financial services, or cryptocurrency sectors.

Strong international and cross-jurisdictional experience is highly advantageous.

Proven track record of overseeing complex legal operations and managing high-stakes litigation matters globally.

Proficient in written and verbal English, with exceptional legal drafting and communication skills.

Ability to excel in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment, handling multiple priority matters simultaneously with flexibility.

Previous experience dealing with regulatory inquiries, information requests, and internal and external investigations effectively.

Deep interest and knowledge of the cryptocurrency industry and its evolving regulatory landscape.

Legal expertise combined with solid business acumen and proven leadership capabilities.

Proactive approach with the ability to independently lead complex projects and litigation strategies.

Innovative mindset to develop creative solutions for mitigating risks and resolving disputes efficiently.

Strong skills in interpreting legal frameworks, statutes, and contractual documents across various jurisdictions.

Why Binance

Be part of the world's leading blockchain ecosystem.

Collaborate with top talent in a global organization that focuses on customers and operates with a flat hierarchy.

Engage in unique, fast-paced projects with independence within an innovative setting.

Grow in a results-oriented environment with opportunities for career advancement and continuous learning.

Competitive salary and company benefits offered.

Flexible work arrangements (subject to business team requirements).

Binance is dedicated to upholding equal employment opportunities and values a diverse workforce for its success. By applying for this position, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agreed to our Candidate Privacy Notice.

Binance is a prominent global blockchain ecosystem known for operating the largest cryptocurrency exchange in terms of trading volume and registered users. With a user base of over 250 million individuals across 100+ countries, Binance is recognized for its top-notch security measures, transparent user fund policies, fast trading engine, deep liquidity, and diverse portfolio of digital-asset offerings. These include services encompassing trading, finance, education, research, payments, institutional support, Web3 features, and more. By harnessing the potential of digital assets and blockchain technology, Binance aims to construct an inclusive financial environment to advance financial freedom and enhance financial accessibility worldwide.

Key Responsibilities:

Act as the principal figure for Binance’s global regulatory affairs, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards and managing regulatory risks in all operational jurisdictions.

Develop, implement, and constantly refine Binance’s global regulatory legal approach to align with evolving international laws and regulatory frameworks.

Lead and oversee the global regulatory legal team, providing strategic guidance and encouraging cross-regional collaboration to efficiently address regulatory hurdles.

Serve as the key point of contact with regulatory authorities globally, cultivating strong relationships to facilitate constructive dialogues and promote Binance’s regulatory interests.

Manage the preparation, submission, and oversight of regulatory filings, licenses, permits, and approvals globally.

Offer expert legal counsel on various regulatory matters impacting Binance’s products, services, and business operations on a global scale.

Monitor and interpret global regulatory developments, foresee potential impacts on Binance’s business, and advise senior management on necessary compliance actions and strategic responses.

Lead the responses to regulatory inquiries, investigations, audits, and enforcement actions, ensuring timely and effective resolution.

Collaborate closely with various teams like compliance, risk, business development, and product to integrate regulatory considerations into business processes and product launches.

Drive the implementation of regulatory training programs for internal stakeholders to promote a culture of regulatory compliance across the organization.

Manage external legal partners and consultants as necessary to support regulatory matters and complex legal issues.

Supervise the operational functions of the global regulatory legal team, including budget management, resource allocation, and performance evaluation.

Requirements:

Qualified legal practitioner in a prominent jurisdiction with substantial international regulatory legal experience.

Minimum of 12-15 years in regulatory legal roles, preferably within technology, financial services, or cryptocurrency sectors.

Demonstrated skill in navigating complex regulatory compliance issues and engaging with regulatory bodies across various global jurisdictions.

Profound knowledge of global financial products such as spot and derivatives trading, payment systems, and digital assets.

Proven ability in devising and executing global regulatory strategies in a rapidly changing, heavily regulated setting.

Experience in leading high-performing legal teams across multiple regions.

Exceptional stakeholder management abilities, fostering trusted relationships with regulators, business leaders, and external legal counsel.

Extensive understanding of the cryptocurrency industry and its regulatory landscape worldwide.

Outstanding communication and negotiation skills, fluency in English required, and additional language proficiency is a bonus.

Strong business acumen coupled with a pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach to regulatory challenges.

Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced, high-pressure environment, handling multiple priorities and deadlines effectively.

Why Binance:

Shape the future with a leading blockchain ecosystem.

Collaborate with top-tier talent in a user-centric global organization with a flat structure.

Engage in unique, fast-paced projects autonomously in an innovative setting.

Flourish in a results-oriented workplace with growth opportunities and continuous learning.

Competitive salary and company perks provided.

Work-from-home flexibility based on business team requirements.

Binance is devoted to being an equal opportunity employer, recognizing that diversity in the workforce is fundamental to our success.

About Wintermute

Wintermute is a esteemed technology corporation and a key player in the digital asset markets on a global scale. Wintermute is a distinguished crypto-native algorithmic trading organization that offers liquidity across prominent exchanges and trading platforms. The OTC desk provides a wide array of spot and derivatives products, catering to over 2,000 counterparties including both crypto natives and traditional financial institutions. Actively involved in the development of the blockchain ecosystem, Wintermute is a major participant in DeFi and engages in investments, partnerships, and incubations.

Wintermute, established in 2017 by leaders in the trading industry, has encountered and adeptly navigated numerous crypto industry cycles. The culture at Wintermute combines the high technological standards of high-frequency trading firms in traditional markets with the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of technology start-ups.

Role Overview:

We are in pursuit of individuals with a robust background in financial services regulations and expertise in cross-border dealings in the UK, US, and EU. The ideal candidate will leverage their experience from traditional financial markets to contribute to Wintermute's digital asset trading operations, encompassing proprietary trading and liquidity provision for spot crypto assets, derivatives, and tokenized financial instruments. This role offers an opportunity to steer Wintermute's global regulatory strategy and spearhead policy dialogues with regulators in the UK, US, and EU, in addition to managing commercial trading negotiations. This position necessitates close collaboration with our regulatory, business, and product teams across the globe.

Primary Responsibilities:

Strategic input and direction on global regulatory affairs focusing on pertinent financial services regulations in the UK, US, and EU.

Guidance on regulatory license applications and cooperation with stakeholders to ensure practical and operational adherence to regulatory obligations.

Leading efforts to mitigate cross-border regulatory and litigation risks, supporting compliance functions with regulatory inquiries, and engaging external counsel as needed.

Drafting and advising on a range of trading and commercial agreements related to various business lines.

Collaboration with business and control functions to ensure trading agreement templates are compliant and aligned with regulations and global regulatory positions.

Legal analysis and research on emerging legal issues related to new markets or products, offering compliant but commercially viable legal solutions.

Monitoring and evaluating implications of evolving global financial markets regulatory landscape and engaging with regulators and policymakers.

Required Skills:

7-10 years of experience as a financial markets regulatory lawyer at a top-tier US/UK law firm.

Extensive background in advising on cross-border financial services regulatory matters and experience interacting with regulatory agencies like FCA, ESMA, and SEC.

Proficient in UK FSMA, EU MiFiD or similar traditional finance and digital asset regulatory frameworks.

Ability to respond to regulatory inquiries, manage regulatory risks, and advise on commercial matters.

Proactive and hands-on approach to project management and issue resolution.

Preferred Experience:

Prior in-house experience in the digital assets industry.

Familiarity with Singapore PSA and SFA regulations.

Understanding of contractual and commercial issues related to proprietary trading firms.

Benefits of Joining our Team:

Opportunity to work with one of the foremost algorithmic trading firms globally.

Engaging projects offering accelerated responsibilities and ownership.

Vibrant working culture with various team-building activities.

Unique office setup in central London with diverse amenities.

Entrepreneurial and collaborative company culture.

Performance-based compensation with attractive benefits.

Wintermute is a well-established technology unicorn and a prominent player in the digital asset markets worldwide. With a robust presence in crypto-native algorithmic trading, the company offers liquidity solutions across various exchanges and platforms. Wintermute's OTC desk facilitates a wide array of spot and derivatives products, serving a broad clientele of over 2,000 counterparties spanning crypto natives and traditional financial institutions. The organization actively contributes to the advancement of the blockchain ecosystem through its significant involvement in DeFi, alongside investments, partnerships, and incubations initiatives.

Established in 2017 by seasoned leaders in the trading industry, Wintermute has adeptly navigated multiple cycles within the crypto landscape. The company nurtures a unique culture that amalgamates the technological standards of high-frequency trading firms in conventional markets with the innovative and entrepreneurial ethos of tech startups.

The company is seeking candidates with a robust regulatory background in financial services and extensive experience in cross-border operations in the US, UK, and EU markets. The ideal candidate will leverage their expertise in traditional financial markets to advance Wintermute's digital asset trading business, focusing on proprietary trading and liquidity provision for spot crypto assets, derivatives, and tokenized financial instruments. This role presents an opportunity for the candidate to influence Wintermute's global regulatory strategies, engaging in policy discussions with regulators in the US, UK, and EU, as well as leading commercial trading negotiations. Collaboration with the regulatory, business, and product teams on a global scale is a key aspect of this role.

Key responsibilities for this position include advising on global regulatory affairs, particularly delving into financial services regulations in the US, UK, and EU markets. The emphasis lies on navigating key regulatory frameworks like the UK's Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (UK FSMA) and the EU's Markets in Crypto Assets Regulations (MiCAR). The role encompasses leading regulatory license applications, managing cross-border regulatory and litigation risks, drafting and negotiating trading and commercial agreements, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, conducting legal analysis on emerging market trends and products, monitoring regulatory landscapes, and contributing to diverse legal projects as the need arises.

Applicants should ideally possess 7-10 years of experience as a financial markets regulatory lawyer within a leading US/UK law firm, expertise in cross-border financial services regulations, proficiency in key regulatory frameworks like UK FSMA and EU MiFiD, and a proactive approach to project ownership and delivery. Prior experience in an in-house capacity within the digital assets sector or familiarity with Singapore regulatory frameworks are advantageous.

Joining Wintermute presents an exciting opportunity to work with a top-tier algorithmic trading firm, engaging in challenging projects that offer accelerated career growth and fostering a vibrant working culture with various team-building events. The company boasts a dynamic environment in its central London office, characterized by a non-hierarchical, ambitious, professional, yet relaxed startup-like culture. Besides a performance-based compensation, additional perks include pension plans, private health insurance, and opportunities for professional development.

Please note: This role is based in London with relocation assistance provided.

About Toku:

Toku is a prominent provider of compliance infrastructure tailored for crypto companies, facilitating token and stablecoin-based salary payments to employees while ensuring adherence to state, federal, and international tax regulations. The company boasts a client portfolio that encompasses nearly a third of the crypto firms listed on Robinhood.

Supported by significant funding of $26 million from well-known investors such as Blockchain Capital and Naval Ravikant, Toku is rapidly expanding to address the escalating demand for compliance solutions within the ever-evolving regulatory landscape.

As the Compliance and Privacy Officer at Toku, you will take charge of privacy and security programs, guaranteeing compliance with regulatory standards like GDPR, SOC2, and ISO 27001. This pivotal role demands a blend of technical proficiency and strategic project management skills to ensure adherence to regulations, data protection, and shape the compliance landscape in the dynamic crypto sector.

Responsibilities:

Oversee GDPR compliance practices and spearhead certification initiatives with TrustArc/eTrust.

Develop and execute privacy and security programs and risk assessments in alignment with regulatory norms like SOC2, GDPR, and ISO 27001.

Lead security and privacy program endeavors collaboratively across various teams.

Serve as a primary contact for privacy-related inquiries and audits.

Establish and implement security protocols to ensure data integrity and safeguarding.

Conduct system security audits and propel penetration testing.

Define access control measures, encryption standards, and secure data transfer protocols.

Spearhead vulnerability assessments and devise remediation strategies.

Collaborate with engineering teams to incorporate privacy-by-design and security-by-design principles.

Create company-wide privacy and security training programs.

Stay updated on evolving regulations and security threats to adjust strategies accordingly.

Desired Qualifications:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.

4-8 years of experience in driving security/privacy engineering initiatives, business practices, and programs within fintech SaaS or HRIS/payroll platforms.

Demonstrated expertise in managing GDPR, SOC2, or ISO 27001 implementations.

Profound knowledge of encryption, authentication, and network security.

Familiarity with compliance management platforms like TrustArc or Drata.

Outstanding written and verbal communication skills to convey complex ideas clearly to diverse audiences.

Preferred Certifications:

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/E, CIPP/US).

ISO 27001 Lead Implementercertification.

Benefits of Joining Toku:

Play a pivotal role in shaping the future of compliance in the crypto space amid significant regulatory changes.

Collaborate with forward-thinking clients and highly involved industry-leading investors.

Join a swiftly expanding startup addressing market demands with a strong product-market fit.

Competitive salary, equity opportunities, and a work culture supportive of remote arrangements.

As an equal opportunity employer, Toku is committed to fostering a diverse team encompassing a wide range of backgrounds, thoughts, and experiences. The recruitment process is unbiased, devoid of discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other legally safeguarded characteristics. Female applicants, minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and candidates from underrepresented backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

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