Currency.com Hires Ex-Symbridge CEO to Navigate State Licensing

Currency.com
has brought on Alexander Kravets as its U.S. chief executive, handing him
responsibility for operations in a market where crypto platforms still face a
patchwork of state-level licensing requirements.

Kravets
spent over 25 years building and running regulated trading businesses,
including stints leading U.S. divisions at CEX.IO and Symbridge crypto exchanges.
At CEX.IO, helped to secure money transmitter licenses in over 30 states.

The hire
comes as Currency.com works through the state-by-state licensing grind that
crypto exchanges face in the U.S. In October 2025, the platform
secured its 32nd money transmitter license, marking progress toward full coverage across
all 50 states. Getting to that finish line typically takes crypto firms years
and millions in application fees, surety bonds, and compliance costs.

License Accumulation
Remains Slow Process

Currency.com
still needs licenses in roughly 18 jurisdictions to operate nationwide. Each
state sets its own rules, bond requirements, and processing timelines, with
some applications dragging out for 12 to 24 months. New York’s BitLicense
remains among the toughest to obtain, while California’s new Digital Financial
Assets Law takes effect in July 2026, adding another layer of compliance work.

Kravets
brings direct experience navigating that maze. Before his CEO roles, he
co-founded XTRD (now Axon Trade), an institutional-grade order execution
management system for digital asset trading. His technical background spans
trading systems, execution infrastructure, and risk management across both
traditional finance and crypto markets.

“Alex
brings an exceptional combination of regulatory experience, operational
leadership, and technical depth to the table,” said Konstantin Anissimov,
Currency.com’s global CEO. “His track record in building compliant U.S.
crypto businesses aligns perfectly with our goals of responsible scaling in the
American market.”

Institutional
Focus Drives Expansion Push

Currency.com
has been positioning itself for institutional clients, with recent backing
from N7 Capital signaling
a push into that segment. The platform also partnered with
OpenPayd to
add multi-currency payment rails and foreign exchange liquidity across 30
additional currencies.

Kravets
will oversee the buildout of U.S. infrastructure as the company chases more
licenses.

“The
U.S. market requires discipline, transparency, and strong execution,” he
said. “Currency.com’s strength lies in its clear long-term vision, and I’m
excited to contribute to its delivery. As the company continues to build
institutional-grade infrastructure, my focus will be to ensure U.S. operations
are aligned with regulatory expectations and market demand.”

The broader
U.S. crypto regulatory picture remains in flux. Treasury Secretary Scott
Bessent recently urged Congress to pass federal crypto legislation, though
state licensing requirements will persist regardless of any federal framework.

Platforms
operating across state lines need both federal registration with FinCEN and
individual state money transmitter licenses to stay compliant.

Kravets
currently runs AK Solutions, an advisory firm focused on real-world assets,
digital asset trading, DeFi yields, and derivative strategies. The press
release about his appointment as Currency.com’s U.S. CEO did not specify
whether he will continue actively developing this project.

This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

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