Gemini, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and custodian led by the Winklevoss twins, has joined the Innovate Finance community whose mission is to accelerate the UK’s leading role in the financial services sector by directly supporting the next generation of technology-led innovators. Gemini is currently in the process of applying to be regulated by financial regulators in Europe.
Innovate Finance’s position as a single point of access to promote enabling policy and regulation, talent and skills, business opportunity and growth, and investment capital, may prove to be worthwhile as Gemini attempts to enter the European market. With the relevant authorizations, Gemini will be able to offer services in local currencies.
Julian Sawyer, Gemini’s Managing Director for Europe, said:
“Cryptocurrencies and digital assets represent the next frontier in financial services and have the potential to transform specific areas of investing, trading, and the use of payments. We are thrilled to be part of the Innovate Finance community and look forward to collaborating with other members to advance the UK’s global fintech sector. As part of the next generation of innovators in financial services, Gemini is committed to building relationships across the industry to enhance our services and encourage robust standards and
regulations in the space.”
Innovate Finance’s membership ranges from seed-stage startups and global financial institutions to investors, professional services firms, and global FinTech hubs.
The European division of Gemini has recently hired Blair Halliday as Chief Compliance Officer and Money Laundering Reporting Officer. Halliday joined the UK and European affiliate of Gemini Trust Company from cryptocurrency platform Circle, where he was Chief Compliance Officer for the EMEA region. In this role, he led the remediation and renewal of the company’s global anti-money laundering (AML) program.
He was also tasked with driving key changes to strengthen Circle’s AML regime ahead of product launches and new market entry. At Gemini’s growing European operation, he follows recent hires such as Noah Perlman as Chief Compliance Officer, David Damato as Chief Security Officer, Sydney Schaub as General Counsel, Jeanine Hightower-Sellitto as Managing Director, Operations, and Robert Cornish as Chief Technology Officer. Sawyer was also recently named Managing Director of the U.K. and Europe.
In late 2019, Gemini partnered with BSO to offer the firm’s Crypto Connect network, which provides specialist solutions for both institutional clients, who require the same high-quality access to Gemini as they do for other traditional asset class exchanges, as well as the demanding crypto community. The Ethernet network delivers guaranteed latency on layer two backbone with high security and enables Public cloud & private infrastructures inter-connectivity over 240 PoPs via its private, internet avoiding, dedicated & guaranteed latency backbone worldwide.
