Kraken appoints crypto entrepreneur and fintech consultant Bivu Das to drive next chapter of UK growth story
Kraken has appointed Bivu Das as its Managing Director for the UK.
The popular crypto entrepreneur has more than two decades of commercial enterprise and fintech strategy development experience, and his arrival coincides with the UK making important strides towards establishing itself as a globally recognised crypto hub.
The 39-year-old will oversee Kraken‘s extensive network of regulatory, political, and commercial relationships as the company continues to scale its national footprint.
“Kraken has long advocated for the potential crypto assets have to transform how everyday people interact with financial services,” Das said.
“There are millions of people in the UK, as well as globally, that are underserved by the existing financial system. Kraken’s mission of accelerating crypto adoption, paired with an exceptional product offering, means we can continue to demonstrate its disruptive potential. I’m proud to drive our UK operation forward and towards this next important phase of Kraken’s journey.”
Prior to Kraken, Das co-founded a crypto start-up that provides an accessible payment gateway for on-ramping and off-ramping with the digital asset ecosystem.
He also led efforts by the popular neobank Starling Bank to navigate a hyper-growth stage of its operational development. The entrepreneur began his career in financial services and technology consultancy, working with big-four professional services firms and UK traditional banking institutions, such as Barclays, KPMG and Deloitte.
Bivu Das’s appointment coincides with the United Kingdom reaching a critical juncture in its ambition to become a global crypto hub.
With the recent implementation of a financial promotions framework for crypto and a broader legislative and regulatory framework well underway, Kraken believes the UK is now providing the regulatory clarity needed to capitalise on the opportunities of this asset class.
“There’s an opportunity for firms committed to the UK to continue to engage with regulators as the UK’s framework for crypto assets takes shape,” he explained.
“Better education and appreciation of the role crypto can play in the financial system of the future will be imperative for the industry to reach its mainstream potential.”
Das replaces outgoing Kraken UK Managing Director Blair Halliday.
Kraken in the UK…
- Has more than 275 team members located in the UK, along with a substantial client base.
- Holds multiple registrations and authorisations to serve UK clients, including:
- An FCA registered crypto asset exchange provider and custodian wallet provider
- An FCA authorised investment firm operating a crypto derivatives MTF (Crypto Facilities)
- An FCA authorised benchmark administrator (CF Benchmarks)
- Is a market leader in GBP spot trading, with recent estimates indicating that Kraken’s share of GBP trading volume was around 50%.
- Is the Official Crypto and Web3 Partner of Williams Racing.