Share this article
FinCEN Names Former Chainalysis Advisor Acting Director as Blanco Resigns
Governments are becoming increasingly interested in crypto transaction surveillance, as FinCEN's hire suggests.
Updated Apr 10, 2024, 2:20 a.m. Published Apr 2, 2021, 3:06 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) just hired Chainalysis’ former chief technical counsel as its new acting director, a hire that reflects the federal government’s increased interest in the growing cryptocurrency sector.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Michael Mosier will assume the post on April 11 following the departure of current Director Kenneth A. Blanco, who announced his resignation.
Blanco's tenure at FinCEN was marked by his stance that the burgeoning crypto industry is subject to existing regulations and as such does not require its own legal framework.
Most recently, Mosier served as counselor to the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, a job he took on last month after having served as FinCEN’s deputy director and first Digital Innovation Officer.
Joining Mosier is AnnaLou Tirol, the former associate director of FinCEN’s Strategic Operations Division, who will now serve as FinCEN's deputy director.
Before his stint as a deputy secretary and his new job at FinCEN, Mosier was the chief technical counsel at blockchain surveillance firm Chainalysis. Mosier held the position from June 2019 until February 2020 when he joined FinCEN. FinCEN, a bureau of the U.S. Treasury, serves as the U.S. financial intelligence unit.
Established in 2014, Chainalysis uses public blockchain data to trace and reveal details of cryptocurrency transactions for law enforcement agencies, private companies and government agencies. The company’s software has been used by public and private entities to trace exchange hacks and pinpoint illicit transactions. With the new bull market in cryptocurrencies, Chainalysis and its products have found favor with U.S. federal and state agencies.
Updated Thursday, May 6, 2021, 21:45 UTC: A previous version of this article stated that Mosier was the former CTO of Chainalysis; this is incorrect, and the article has been updated to reflect that he served as chief technical counsel to the surveillance company.
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
How a 'perpetual’ stock trick could solve Michael Saylor’s $8 billion debt problem
The bitcoin treasury firm is using perpetual preferreds to retire convertibles, offering a potential framework for managing long-dated leverage.
What to know:
- Strive upsized its SATA follow on offering beyond $150 million, pricing the perpetual preferred at $90.
- The structure offers a blueprint for replacing fixed maturity convertibles with perpetual equity capital that removes refinancing risk.
- Strategy has a $3 billion convertible tranche due in June 2028 with a $672.40 conversion price, which could be addressed using a similar preferred equity approach.
Top Stories
