Stripe Veteran Joins Coinbase as Chief Compliance Officer

Melissa Strait, former global head of financial crimes at fintech company Stripe, has been named Chief Compliance Officer at Coinbase. Strait will work with global law enforcement agencies and oversee compliance programs, including anti-money laundering efforts, in the role. 

“Since our founding more than eight years ago, Coinbase has committed itself to being the most trusted and compliant venue for anyone to interact with the crypto economy,” Coinbase said in a recent blog post. “We hold ourselves to the same exacting compliance standards as the world’s largest financial institutions and fintech companies.” 

Prior to joining Stripe, Strait oversaw daily compliance operations at financial services company Square. In her roles at Stripe and Square, she worked closely with Coinbase products and introduced a range of new customers to digital assets. 

“Melissa helped to build teams during the critical moments of growth and regulation within the traditional fintech industry,” Coinbase said. “As we continue to move forward with the mainstream adoption of crypto, her experience will be vital in ensuring our innovative technology is aligned with global compliance standards.” 

Strait joins recent legal and compliance team hires Paul Grewal, Milana Mccullagh and Katherine Minarik. Grewal, Former U.S. Magistrate Judge, serves as Coinbase chief legal officer and Mccullah and Minarik are deputy general counsel vice presidents.