Counsel - Regulatory (UK)

About the Role

Payward — the parent company behind Kraken, NinjaTrader, Breakout, xStocks, Payward Services, and CF Benchmarks — is seeking a Regulatory Counsel to join our Regulatory Legal team. This group is responsible for maintaining and growing Kraken's product offerings across the UK and EU, as well as advising the business on its day-to-day regulatory obligations.

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

• Product Advice: Advising on Payward's growing offerings in the UK (such as the Krak card, payments, and staking)
• Cryptoasset Regime Compliance: Advising on regulatory obligations for CASPs under the UK Cryptoasset Regime, including managing regulatory queries, notifications, and supervisory correspondence
• Payments & E-Money Compliance: Advising on regulatory obligations affecting e-money and payment accounts

This is a fully remote role for a qualified lawyer located in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support on cryptoasset, e-money, and payment services regulatory requirements, including account-access obligations and related operational compliance matters
• Support active licensing applications and in-flight UK licensing or registration workstreams, compiling application materials and coordinating with outside counsel
• Provide regulatory support on corporate transactions and structural changes affecting UK entities (e.g., change-of-control notifications, corporate client migrations)
• Maintain day-to-day relationships with regulators for our licensed entities
• Translate complex regulatory frameworks (such as the UK Cryptoasset Regime, FCA rulebooks, AML/CTF, operational resilience requirements, outsourcing rules, and payment services regulations) into pragmatic, actionable business guidance
• Foster a culture of clarity, favouring plain-English communication, measurable risk tradeoffs, and decision-ready recommendations

Requirements

• Qualified lawyer (Solicitor/Barrister of England & Wales, or equivalent)
• 6+ years' post-qualification experience (PQE) in financial services regulatory law gained at a regulated institution (bank, payment institution, broker-dealer, exchange, crypto service provider) or in private practice supporting such clients
• Demonstrated track record of independently owning BAU regulatory relationships and workstreams
• Direct experience supporting regulator engagement with the FCA (or equivalent regulator), including notifications, information requests, and supervisory correspondence
• Substantive experience advising on the UK Cryptoasset Regime (FCA authorisation under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Regulations 2026)
• Substantive experience with UK e-money and payment services regulation, including account-access and open banking obligations
• Experience in AML/CTF, including advising on policies, controls, and supervisory expectations
• Experience advising on outsourcing arrangements and operational resilience compliance (e.g., the FCA/PRA operational resilience regime)
• Outstanding analytical, drafting, and plain-English communication skills
• Pragmatic, commercially accountable approach to legal and regulatory risk

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with the UK's onshored MiFID regime and its application to investment services (including derivatives, equities, and emerging tokenised financial instruments)
• Experience supporting change-of-control notifications or corporate transactions
• An authentic interest in crypto and digital assets, with familiarity with Payward's and competitors' products