Head of Legal

Remote | United Kingdom | Crypto & Payments | FCA Authorisation | Employment or B2B

Our client is an established, profitable fintech operating at the intersection of crypto and traditional payments. It runs a consumer on/off-ramp platform and a fast-growing B2B infrastructure business: APIs and white-label solutions that let exchanges, neobanks, PSPs, wallets and other platforms embed regulated crypto and fiat services. The company is authorised under MiCA and PSD2 in the EU and is now building its regulatory presence in the UK. The culture is owner-led, high-ownership and low-bureaucracy: decisions are made quickly and close to the founders.

About the role

This is a senior, hands-on legal role with a single, clear mandate: own the company’s UK regulatory build. You will report directly to the CEO and be the most senior legal voice in the business on UK matters.

The UK’s new cryptoasset regime takes effect in October 2027. From that date, regulated cryptoasset activity in the UK requires FCA authorisation. You will own a first-wave authorisation under this new regime end to end, alongside a UK e-money application. For a regulatory lawyer, this is a career-defining piece of work, and the window to start it is narrow.

The role has no direct reports at hire. You will work closely with the company’s EU legal function. This is a deliberately focused UK mandate, not a group legal role.

What you will own

• FCA cryptoasset authorisation: perimeter analysis of B2C and B2B activities against the new regime, application strategy, drafting, regulatory business plan input, RFI handling and dialogue through to decision.

• UK EMI application: ownership on the same basis, including sequencing between the two applications.

• FCA relationship: acting as the senior in-house legal counterpart to the regulator.

• UK conduct perimeter: the cryptoasset financial promotions regime, Consumer Duty, the UK Travel Rule, and safeguarding and prudential requirements.

• Post-authorisation readiness: governance, senior manager and certification considerations, reporting and disclosures.

• External counsel: briefing, directing and quality-controlling UK external counsel, and managing that spend.

• International expansion: legal lead on additional licence applications in other jurisdictions, and advice where the UK and EU regulatory perimeters meet.

• Commercial legal: drafting and negotiating English-law B2B agreements. This includes MSAs, API and white-label terms, referral and agent agreements, and banking, payment and card scheme counterparty agreements.

• UK consumer-facing legal: consumer terms, financial promotions review and UK-specific disclosures.

• UK employment: UK employment law and contractor arrangements, in partnership with HR.

What we are looking for

• Qualified solicitor or barrister in England & Wales, typically with 8+ years PQE.

• Hands-on UK financial services regulatory experience, including at least one FCA authorisation or variation of permission that you personally owned or materially led, from perimeter analysis to decision.

• Direct, personal interaction with the FCA: correspondence, meetings and representation that you led yourself.

• Crypto or digital-asset legal experience at licensed or established firms, such as registered or authorised exchanges, regulated on/off-ramps, licensed custodians or infrastructure providers.

• Cryptoasset, e-money or payments perimeter experience. Engagement with the 2025–26 FCA cryptoasset consultations is highly relevant.

• Ability to draft and negotiate English-law B2B fintech agreements independently.

• A track record of owning regulatory outcomes, not only advising on them. Law-firm backgrounds are welcome where this is evident.

• Ability to take a clear position under pressure from senior stakeholders and counterparties, and to translate legal risk into business options with a recommendation.

• Comfort operating as a remote senior with no legal support structure beneath you, working with a leadership team based outside the UK.

• Practical use of AI tools in legal drafting, research or review.

• Fluent legal English to regulator-facing standard.

• Existing right to work in the UK, and the ability to attend regulator meetings in London as required.

Team management experience is not required. We welcome strong senior counsel ready to step into a Head of Legal role.

Nice to have

• Previous Head of Legal, GC or senior counsel role at a UK-authorised EMI, PI or FCA-registered cryptoasset firm.

• Experience of a firm moving from AML registration to full FSMA authorisation.

• Involvement in industry working groups or trade association engagement on the new UK crypto regime.

• SM&CR experience.

• Knowledge of UK safeguarding and prudential requirements for e-money and payments.

• Crown Dependency (Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man) or Australian regulatory exposure.

• Card scheme legal experience, such as Visa/Mastercard rules and principal membership.

• Experience building a legal or regulatory function in a jurisdiction from scratch.

What’s on offer

• A direct reporting line to the CEO and ownership of the company’s UK market entry.

• A defining role in a first-wave authorisation under the UK’s new cryptoasset regime.

• A remote setup in the UK, with a flat structure and fast decisions.

• An employment or B2B contract, with a performance bonus linked to UK authorisation milestones.

• A fast, transparent hiring process, typically completed within four weeks.

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