Share this article
Coinbase Taps Morgan Stanley Lawyer to Head Enterprise Compliance
Ian Rooney clocked almost 10 years at Morgan Stanley.
Updated Sep 14, 2021, 12:34 p.m. Published Apr 1, 2021, 11:22 a.m.
Ahead of its public listing expected in April, U.S. cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has hired Morgan Stanley's global anti-money laundering counsel.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
According to a report by Bloomberg Law on Wednesday, Ian Rooney will head Coinbase's enterprise compliance team to ensure a smooth run in the lead-up to the exchange's direct listing, recently pushed back from March to April.
Coinbase, like other large U.S. cryptocurrency exchanges, wants to appear completely above board in the eyes of regulators, particularly around sensitive areas like money laundering, which is often seen as naturally suited to crypto. The addition of Rooney should also be helpful as virtual asset firms face an onerous set of anti-money laundering (AML) rules courtesy of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), with progress to be reviewed in June.
Earlier this month, Coinbase's intentions for a direct listing reportedly faced a review by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Around the same time, it was reported Coinbase agreed to a $6.5 million settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over allegations the exchange “self-traded” digital assets between 2015 and 2018.
Rooney's hiring comes after the exchange nabbed former SEC official Brett Redfearn on Tuesday as the vice president of its capital markets division. Coinbase also has hired a former executive of payments company Stripe, Melissa Strait, in February to head its compliance efforts.
See also: Coinbase Snags Former SEC Director Brett Redfearn Ahead of Public Listing
Coinbase Class A shares will be listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker "COIN," and is expected sometime this month.
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
Bitcoin pushes above $90,000 as traders eye change in pattern
Particularly hard-hit in 2025's final sessions, crypto-related stocks are bouncing in this year's first trading day.
What to know:
- Bitcoin rose above $90,000 during U.S. trading hours on Friday.
- It's a notable change in trend, as crypto prices late in 2025 were typically on the defensive while American stocks traded.
- Strategy, Coinbase, Hut 8 and Galaxy Digital were among the crypto-related stocks seeing strong gains.
Top Stories
