Digital Assets Compliance

About the role

You will own the design and execution of digital assets compliance for Column's crypto products, translating regulatory expectations into operational reality. You will act as the subject matter expert responsible for shaping the bank's standards, monitoring, and controls specific to digital asset activities. This role requires a builder's mindset, focusing on practical systems that protect the institution while enabling responsible innovation. You will work in direct partnership with product, engineering, and risk teams to ensure compliance infrastructure scales effectively. Your expertise will be the bridge between evolving regulatory guidance and the technical execution required in a fast-moving environment. If you are driven by building robust frameworks rather than merely checking boxes, this role is your opportunity to define a critical function.

Key facts

What you'll do

Operate and refine the AML/BSA monitoring capabilities for stablecoin and crypto payment products in strict accordance with the GENIUS Act, Bank Secrecy Act requirements, and the bank's existing AML program parameters.

Refine, maintain, and stress-test a comprehensive sanctions compliance program for digital assets, placing specific emphasis on blockchain analytics integration, wallet screening methodologies, and sanctions risk management tailored to crypto payment flows.

Expand the functionality and coverage of existing suspicious activity monitoring and sanctions screening tools, ensuring they effectively blend digital asset-specific workflows and logic.

Develop, test, tune, and validate new blockchain monitoring rules that address emerging digital asset risk patterns while maintaining high signal-to-noise ratios for investigations.

Own the accuracy and timeliness of monthly metric reporting on stablecoin-specific activity, providing clear insights to senior leadership and regulatory stakeholders.

Build out, document, and operationalize stablecoin-specific policies and procedures that are both compliant and practical for adoption by product and engineering teams.

Maintain vigilance over emerging risk trends in the digital assets landscape, rapidly updating the compliance program's controls and playbooks in response to new threats or vulnerabilities.

Serve as the primary anti-money laundering (AML) subject matter advisor to product and engineering teams responsible for building and launching stablecoin infrastructure and payment rails.

Translate complex regulatory requirements into concrete, actionable technical specifications that engineering can implement, such as the ability to freeze tokens within defined timeframes following a court order.

Conduct rigorous compliance reviews of new product features and third-party partnerships before launch, ensuring alignment with the bank's BSA/AML framework and digital asset risk appetite.

Provide clear, authoritative guidance on due diligence and enhanced due diligence (EDD) evaluation requirements for customers utilizing stablecoin rails and related services.

Respond to detailed requests for information (RFIs) from partners regarding the bank's stablecoin compliance program, articulating our controls and risk mitigations.

Perform extensive investigations into transactions flagged by monitoring systems, tracing digital asset flows to assess potential money laundering, fraud, or terrorist financing activities.

Prepare and document investigation findings, ensuring that all conclusions are supported by evidence and can withstand internal audit, regulatory examination, or legal scrutiny.

Requirements

Demonstrate a proven track record of building, implementing, or operating compliance programs, with a specific focus on digital assets or financial crimes within a regulated financial institution.

Possess deep, hands-on experience with blockchain investigation and analysis tools, leveraging best-in-class platforms to trace transactions and identify illicit activity on distributed ledger networks.

Showcase a history of developing and operationalizing sanctions screening and monitoring programs, specifically within high-risk payment environments involving digital assets.

Bring a strong understanding of the Bank Secrecy Act, Anti-Money Laundering regulations, and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) requirements as they apply to payments and emerging financial infrastructure.

Exhibit mastery in applying risk-based methodologies to detect and mitigate financial crime, particularly in the context of digital assets and stablecoin transaction monitoring.

Have substantial experience working with or within a financial crimes, compliance, or risk management function, driving the operation of monitoring and detection programs.

Hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent practical experience that demonstrates a comparable depth of knowledge in finance, technology, or a related field.

Display an unwavering commitment to ethical conduct and regulatory adherence, with the judgment necessary to balance innovation with the strict controls required in banking.

Nice to have

Experience in the financial services industry, particularly within banking or fintech environments where regulatory scrutiny is high.

Background in securities or regulated trading environments, provided it informs rather than distracts from a focus on payments-centric digital asset compliance.

Familiarity with the technical architecture of stablecoins, payment rails, and banking infrastructure integration points.

Practical notes

This position requires in-person presence at our Presidio-based office in San Francisco for 3 to 4 days per week.

This role reports directly to the Bank's Chief Compliance Officer.