Bitstamp Appoints JB Graftieaux as CEO After Julian Sawyer's Departure

Graftieaux previously served as the company's compliance officer and Europe CEO.

By Jamie Crawley

May 9, 2022 at 8:38 a.m. UTC

Updated May 9, 2022 at 2:59 p.m. UTC

Jamie Crawley

Jamie Crawley is a CoinDesk news reporter based in London.

Follow @JamieCrawleyCD on Twitter

Bitstamp, Europe's largest crypto exchange, has appointed former chief compliance officer (CCO) and Europe CEO JB Graftieaux as its new global CEO following the departure of former CEO Julian Sawyer.

Sawyer, who joined Bitstamp in October 2020, had left the firm to "pursue other opportunities," Bitstamp announced on Monday.
Graftieaux served as Bitstamp's CCO from November 2014 to February 2016. He also enjoyed five-year spells at PayPal (PYPL) from 2009 to 2014 and eBay (EBAY) from 2016 to 2021.
Bitstamp credits Graftieaux with obtaining regulatory licenses for its European Union-based operations while he was CCO, as well as accelerating the firm's growth in Europe over the last year.
Last month Bitstamp revealed its plans to spur growth in the U.S., with the extension of its "Bitstamp-as-a-Service" offering to stateside banks and fintechs, enabling them to provide digital asset services to their customers.

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