MoonPay, a cryptocurrency payments startup, has hired its first-ever in-house lawyer, Lindsey Haswell, to serve as Chief Legal Officer. Haswell’s appointment comes after she served as the top lawyer for the cryptocurrency exchange Blockchain.com since May 2021.
MoonPay is a Miami-based company that provides payment infrastructure for crypto and non-fungible token (NFT) transactions. In a statement, Haswell mentioned that she is currently the “first and only lawyer” at MoonPay, but she is looking to build a legal team of seven to twenty lawyers in the future. She also mentioned that the recent layoffs in the crypto industry could present hiring opportunities.
Before joining Blockchain.com, Haswell held senior lawyer roles at urban mobility company Lime and Uber Technologies Inc. She also worked as a lawyer at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
A spokesperson for Blockchain.com announced that Tim Lubans has been promoted to general counsel and will oversee the legal and compliance teams.
MoonPay raised $87 million last April from more than 60 high-profile investors, including singer Justin Bieber, rapper Snoop Dogg, tennis player Maria Sharapova, and actor Bruce Willis. The funding was part of a previously-disclosed Series A round in 2021 that valued the company at $3.4 billion.
However, MoonPay has also faced legal issues. Yuga Labs, the creator of the popular Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs, and MoonPay were named defendants in a December lawsuit that alleged they used a network of celebrities to “misleadingly promote and sell” Yuga’s NFTs collection. Almost 40 people and companies were also named as defendants in the case. Court documents show that a federal judge recently extended the time for Yuga and others to respond to the complaint. Haswell, in a statement, said that she could not comment on ongoing litigation, but she mentioned that it is “safe to say we disagree with the allegations in the complaint.”
Haswell’s appointment as the Chief Legal Officer demonstrates MoonPay’s commitment to compliance and regulatory best practices in the cryptocurrency industry. As the industry continues to evolve, MoonPay aims to remain ahead of the curve by hiring top legal talent and building a legal team to ensure the company complies with all regulations.
MoonPay’s recent hiring of Haswell and its plans to build a legal team demonstrates its commitment to being a responsible player in the cryptocurrency industry. With the industry facing increasing regulatory scrutiny, MoonPay’s focus on compliance and regulatory best practices could position the company for long-term success.
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Crypto startup MoonPay hires legal chief from Blockchain.com