SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Bybit, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange and digital financial platform serving over 80 million users across 200+ countries, is seeking a Chief Operating Officer for its European operations. Headquartered in Vienna, Bybit EU is building the next generation of regulated digital asset services for the European Economic Area.
Reporting directly to the EU Group CEO, the COO will be the single accountable owner of end-to-end operational experience for European customers, ensuring seamless customer journeys while driving operational efficiency and reducing cost to serve. This is a broad executive leadership role spanning AML/AFC operations, customer services, payments, MiFID operations, trading desk operations, and external partner management.
Key Responsibilities:
Operational Strategy & Performance: Define and execute European operational strategy aligned with business and regulatory objectives. Oversee day-to-day operations across European entities, ensuring efficiency, scalability and service quality. Own operational budgets, KPIs, resource allocation and performance management. Drive operational transformation, automation and continuous process improvement. Own the end-to-end customer journey across operational functions, working with Product, Technology and global teams to remove friction and deliver measurable improvements in customer experience and cost to serve.
AML & Anti-Financial Crime Operations: Oversee AML/AFC operations including KYC/KYB, customer due diligence, transaction monitoring, sanctions screening and financial crime investigations. Ensure effective operational controls, escalation procedures and compliance with regulatory requirements. Partner with Compliance, MLROs and Risk teams to strengthen financial crime prevention.
Customer Services & Experience: Lead European customer service operations across retail, VIP and institutional segments. Drive customer satisfaction, service quality, complaint resolution and operational efficiency. Establish service standards, KPIs and scalable customer support capabilities.
Payments & Financial Operations: Oversee payment operations including fiat deposits, withdrawals, transaction processing, reconciliation and settlement. Ensure efficient and reliable payment services across banking partners and payment providers. Support operational delivery and development of regulated EMI payment services.
MiFID & Trading Operations: Oversee MiFID-related operations and European trading desk activities within regulatory permissions. Ensure effective trade execution processes, order management, reconciliation, settlement and operational controls. Partner with Product, Trading, Risk and Compliance to support trading products and market operations.
External Partners & Third-Party Management: Manage strategic operational relationships with banks, payment providers, custodians, liquidity providers and outsourced service partners. Oversee partner performance, service agreements, outsourcing arrangements and third-party operational risks. Develop and optimize partnerships to support business growth, resilience and operational efficiency.
Operational Risk & Governance: Establish effective operational governance, internal controls, risk management and business continuity frameworks. Ensure operational compliance with European regulatory requirements including MiCA, MiFID II, AML and DORA. Oversee operational incident management, audit readiness, regulatory remediation and management reporting.
Leadership & Collaboration: Build and lead high-performing European operations teams across all responsible functions. Set clear objectives, KPIs and accountability. Act as a key member of the European executive leadership team, collaborating with global and local stakeholders.
Requirements:
- Significant 15+ years of relevant experience in financial services, banking, fintech, digital assets, brokerage or capital markets, including significant executive leadership experience
- Strong ownership mentality, high agency and critical thinking; takes accountability for outcomes, challenges assumptions and drives issues through to resolution across organizational boundaries
- Proven experience managing complex, multi-functional operations in regulated financial services environments
- Strong understanding of crypto trading, digital assets, payment services, AML/AFC and MiFID-related operations
- Demonstrated experience leading customer operations, payments, trading operations and external service providers
- Strong knowledge of European regulatory frameworks including MiCA, MiFID II, AML, DORA and payment services regulations
- Proven ability to scale operations, improve efficiency and implement effective governance and risk management frameworks
- Experience managing outsourcing arrangements, banking relationships and strategic external partners
- Strong commercial, analytical and financial management skills with experience managing budgets, KPIs and operational performance
- Proven leadership experience across international teams and multiple European jurisdictions
- Excellent strategic thinking, decision-making, communication and stakeholder management skills
- Fluent English; additional European languages advantageous; Chinese a nice-to-have
- Background in management consulting, banking or trading preferred, with strong critical thinking, analytical judgment and proven hands-on experience leading teams and improving business performance
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Banking, Management or related field; equivalent relevant professional experience also considered
