Chief Legal Officer

ABFinance is a US-based firm building digital finance for the future. Our vision is to create a full financial ecosystem where digital assets, traditional finance, and everyday money management live in one seamless experience that is made available to everyone. Founded by a team of innovators, traders, and compliance professionals, our mission is to bring digital assets to the mainstream through secure, regulated products. Our flagship ecosystem combines a compliant, security-first crypto exchange serving both retail and institutional clients, alongside a Debit Card that enables everyday spending and smooth bridging between fiat and digital assets, supported by core capabilities such as spot trading and yield generation products. Summary The Head of Legal and Compliance is a qualified US lawyer responsible for overseeing all legal and regulatory matters in the rapidly evolving blockchain and digital assets industry. This role ensures the company’s business strategy aligns with legal requirements, provides corporate and regulatory guidance, and supports innovative business models while minimizing legal risk. Key Responsibilities Management Duties Design frameworks, establish strategies, policies, processes, procedures and draft operating manuals for a safe, compliant, risk managed, risk monitored, profitable, cost effective and sustainable digital assets exchange across all ranges of company activities including legal, finance, regulatory compliance, AML, market risk and surveillance, people management, internal governance, customer disputes, risk management, product management and remediations. Advisory Duties Advise senior leadership and the Board of Directors on compliance matters, providing insights into potential risks and opportunities. Monitor and interpret applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards to ensure the company's activities remain compliant. Structure and draft risk managed roadmap for company growth. Operational and Execution Duties Attend to regulatory enforcements against the company, liaising with regulators from over 20 key jurisdictions Manage cross-functional teams to implement product compliance and remediation. Attend to litigation and dispute resolution. Operate risk matrixes, registers, controls. Execute marketing and promotion compliance e.g. review and advisory on PR communications and reverse solicitation frameworks and call to actions. Attend to law enforcement requests (forensics & fraud), Draft operating terms and conditions for, market contracts (orderbook), insurance fund, and product off exchange custody, liquidations and execution. Configure computing logics and system alert trigger rules for risk systems such as customer behavior monitoring, sanctions screening, transactions monitoring and market surveillance. e.g. order book stuffing, passthrough, spoofing, open interests breaches. AML/CFT, transactions monitoring, customer due diligence, KYB/KYC, STRs. Instruct counsel, oversee and execute licensing applications, regulatory approvals and corporate structuring, while managing legal costs. Required Skills and Experience Qualified lawyer with 8+ years of experience, ideally with prior exposure to cryptocurrency, fintech, or financial services. Strong understanding of blockchain technology, digital asset ecosystems, and relevant financial regulations. Strong knowledge of US regulatory requirements, specifically with crypto-related products. Strong understanding of America's AML/CFT requirements and travel rules regulations Excellent analytical, negotiation, and communication skills for navigating a fast-paced, complex environment. Hands-on, commercial-minded approach to balance risk management with business growth.