Regulatory Legal Counsel (UK) - Cryptoasset & Payments Compliance

Payward, the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services, and CF Benchmarks, is seeking a hands-on Regulatory Legal Counsel to join their Regulatory Legal team in a fully remote role for a qualified lawyer in the UK.

The Team

Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the world's longest-standing crypto platforms, trusted by over 10 million individuals and institutions globally. It offers spot trading, margin, futures, staking, and OTC services, catering to both individual investors and institutional clients.

The Regulatory Legal team is responsible for maintaining and growing Kraken's product offerings across the EU and UK, advising the business on its day-to-day regulatory obligations. This team consists of experienced lawyers from diverse backgrounds in tradfi, fintech, and crypto, known for their speed, curiosity, and commercial accountability.

You will act as a practical legal generalist with a focus on:

• Providing product advice on Payward's growing offerings in the UK, including Kraken card, payments, and staking.

• Advising on Cryptoasset Regime Compliance under the UK Cryptoasset Regime, including handling regulatory queries, notifications, and supervisory correspondence to maintain compliance and strong regulatory relationships.

• Supporting payments and e-money compliance, advising on regulatory obligations for e-money and payment accounts, and related workstreams.

The Opportunity

• Provide legal support on cryptoasset, e-money, and payment services regulatory requirements, including advising on account-access obligations and operational compliance questions.

• Support active licensing applications and other in-flight UK licensing or registration workstreams, including compiling application materials and coordinating with outside counsel.

• Provide regulatory support on corporate transactions and structural changes affecting UK entities, such as change-of-control notifications and corporate client migrations.

• Support day-to-day regulator relationships for licensed entities.

• Translate complex regulatory frameworks, such as the UK Cryptoasset Regime, FCA rulebooks, AML/CTF, operational resilience requirements, outsourcing requirements, and e-money/payment services regulation, into actionable guidance for the business.

• Foster a culture of clarity with plain-English communication, measurable risk trade-offs, and decision-ready recommendations.

What You Bring

• Qualified lawyer (Solicitor/Barrister of England & Wales, or equivalent).

• 6+ years of post-qualification experience in financial services regulatory law, gained at a regulated financial services institution or a law firm/private practice supporting such clients.

• Direct experience supporting regulator engagement with the FCA, including notifications, information requests, and supervisory correspondence.

• Substantive experience advising on the UK Cryptoasset Regime and FCA authorisation for regulated cryptoasset activities.

• Substantive experience with e-money and payment services regulation in the UK, including account-access and open banking obligations.

• Experience in AML/CTF (anti-money laundering/counter-terrorist financing), including advising on related policies, controls, and regulatory expectations.

• Experience advising on outsourcing arrangements and operational resilience compliance (e.g., FCA/PRA operational resilience regime).

• Outstanding analytical, drafting, and organizational skills with crisp, plain-English writing.

• Ability to efficiently and confidently distill complex legal and regulatory issues into clear, actionable guidance for non-lawyer stakeholders.

• A pragmatic, commercially accountable approach to legal and regulatory risk, prioritizing providing stakeholders with a useful range of options and clear recommendations.

• Comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy and owning a broad, fast-moving BAU workload from day one.

Nice to Haves

• Familiarity with the UK's onshored MiFID regime and its application to investment services.

• Experience supporting change-of-control notifications or other regulatory aspects of corporate transactions.

• An authentic interest in crypto and digital assets, and familiarity with Payward's and competitors' products.