Ex-VISA Chief Appointed as CEO of a Crypto Bank

Russian-British cryptocurrency bank Crypterium has announced that it has appointed Marc O’Brien, the former head of a payment network Visa in the UK and Ireland, as its new CEO.

O’Brien is also a former advisor at another payment network Mastercard, and advised Britain’s Royal Mint, a government-owned mint, on the possibility of creating a gold-backed digital token.

Per an official statement, O’Brien said, “I strongly believe that cryptocurrency is about to go mainstream, and we can be pioneers.”

Speaking to Business Insider, O’Brien said Crypterium was looking to open offices in New York, Miami and Singapore and that Crypterium products would be available from fall this year.

The move is the latest coup that the cryptocurrency world has scored over the financial sector in recent weeks. A number of major talents from traditional finance have jumped ship, including Rob Jesudason, the former chief financial officer of Australia’s Commonwealth Bank. Jesudason last week joined Block.one, the developer of the EOS cryptocurrency, as chief operating officer and group president.