Compliance Manager - DeFi / Digital Assets
786997
Posted: 13/02/2026
Core Responsibilities
- Competitive
- Dubai - Hybrid
- Permanent
A rare opportunity to design and lead a DeFi compliance framework from day one inside a regulated financial institution building blockchain-based products.
This is a strategic build role, not a maintenance position. You will be responsible for creating a defensible, regulator-ready control environment across digital assets and decentralised finance.
- This is a UAE-based position and is offering full paid relocation.
The Company
Our client is a regulated financial platform in the UAE building next-generation infrastructure across digital assets and DeFi.
Operating at the intersection of traditional finance and blockchain innovation, the business is launching blockchain-based services within a fully regulated framework.
They are focused on long-term scale, regulatory credibility and institutional-grade governance across the MENA region.
The Role
We are seeking a senior Compliance Manager with deep, hands-on experience in digital assets and DeFi to design and operate a fit-for-purpose compliance framework.
You will work closely with Product, Engineering, Risk and Legal to embed compliance into the DNA of blockchain offerings from inception.
Core Responsibilities
Blockchain & DeFi Compliance
- Design and operate a comprehensive compliance framework for DeFi and digital asset products.
- Establish controls covering smart contracts, wallets, protocols and on-chain risk.
- Build scalable, regulator-ready compliance architecture.
- Own transaction monitoring and wallet screening frameworks.
- Leverage blockchain analytics tools such as Chainalysis, TRM or Elliptic.
- Develop AML/CFT, sanctions, custody and DeFi policies.
- Maintain robust documentation and reporting standards.
- 7–10+ years in Compliance, Financial Crime or Regulatory roles.
- Deep hands-on experience within digital assets, crypto or DeFi (essential).
- Proven experience delivering on-chain monitoring and Travel Rule frameworks.
- Strong understanding of custody, settlement and wallet risk in blockchain environments.
- Experience supporting regulatory reviews and independent audits.
- Ability to build compliance infrastructure from a greenfield environment.
Exposure to VARA, CBUAE, FCA, MiCA or similar regimes is advantageous.
Why This Role
This is a high-impact mandate inside a regulated institution entering blockchain at scale.
You will have direct visibility to senior leadership and regulators, and the opportunity to define what best-in-class DeFi compliance looks like within an institutional framework.
On offer is a highly attractive, tax-free salary + large annual bonus, full family relocation and health care.
For a confidential discussion, contact:
andrew@axiomrecruit.com
Andrew Phillips
Founder
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