Vice President, Digital Currency Compliance Advisory

Our Purpose
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
Title and Summary
Vice President, Digital Currency Compliance Advisory
Vice President, Digital Currency Compliance Advisory
Our Purpose
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart, and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships, and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses, and governments realize their greatest potential.
The Role
The Vice President, Digital Currency Compliance Advisory is a senior leadership position within the Global Ethics and Compliance team. You will serve as the primary subject matter expert for Mastercard's evolving digital asset, stablecoin, and blockchain initiatives. This role is a critical partner to the "1st Line of Defense," providing strategic advisory to product teams and ensuring that innovation in the digital currency space is built on a foundation of robust AML, Sanctions, and regulatory compliance.
Key Responsibilities• Subject Matter Expertise & Advisory: Provide timely advisory and oversight as a 2nd line functional subject matter expert to support business growth and control development. You will ensure that digital currency initiatives are launched with a clear understanding of regulatory risks while enabling the business to scale securely.• Product & Control Development: Partner with product and technology teams throughout the product lifecycle to design "Compliance by Design" controls for digital currency wallets, cross-border settlement solutions, and NFT marketplaces.• Digital Currency AML Operations Oversight: Provide high-level oversight of AML operations specific to digital assets. This includes setting standards for Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) due diligence, on-chain transaction monitoring strategies, and the integration of blockchain analytics tools into the broader Mastercard compliance ecosystem.• M&A and Strategic Partnerships: Lead the compliance workstream for M&A activity within the digital asset sector. You will conduct deep-dive regulatory due diligence on target companies, assess the maturity of their compliance programs, and spearhead the post-acquisition integration of their AML/Sanctions frameworks into Mastercard standards.• Regulatory Strategy & Advocacy: Monitor the global "patchwork" of digital asset regulations (e.g., MiCA, Travel Rule, evolving FATF guidance). You will translate complex regulatory changes into actionable business requirements and represent Mastercard's compliance posture in discussions with key regulators and industry bodies.• Risk Assessment & Governance: Lead the periodic enterprise-wide risk assessments for digital currency products. You will establish and track key risk indicators (KRIs) for the digital asset portfolio, reporting findings and mitigation strategies to senior leadership and regional business leads.
All About You• Expertise: Extensive experience in AML/Sanctions compliance, with a significant focus on digital assets, cryptocurrency, or blockchain technology. A JD or advanced degree is highly desirable.• Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of BSA/AML requirements, relevant FATF recommendations and the regulatory landscape for VASPs globally.• Advisory Mindset: Proven ability to build rapport with product developers and business leads; you are a "solution-oriented" partner who can balance business growth with risk mitigation.• Strategic Leadership: Experience navigating complex, matrixed organizations and leading cross-functional teams without direct reporting lines.• Analytical Rigor: Proficiency with blockchain analytics tools and the ability to interpret on-chain data to identify emerging financial crime trends.• Communication: Exceptional executive presence with the ability to simplify complex technical and regulatory concepts for senior management and external partners.
Preferred Certifications & Technical Expertise• Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS): CAMS or CAMS-Audit certification is strongly preferred.• Certified Cryptocurrency Risk Specialist (CCRS): Or equivalent credential demonstrating a deep understanding of the crypto-risk ecosystem.• Blockchain Analytics Certifications: Specific expertise or certification in industry-leading tools, such as:
o Chainalysis (CRC, CKC, or CCFC)
o Elliptic (Certified Compliance Practitioner)
o TRM Labs (TRM Certified Investigator)
Mastercard is a merit-based, inclusive, equal opportunity employer that considers applicants without regard to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disabled or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We hire the most qualified candidate for the role. In the US or Canada, if you require accommodations or assistance to complete the online application process or during the recruitment process, please contact [email protected] and identify the type of accommodation or assistance you are requesting. Do not include any medical or health information in this email. The Reasonable Accommodations team will respond to your email promptly.
Corporate Security Responsibility
All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must:

• Abide by Mastercard's security policies and practices;
• Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;
• Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and
• Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard's guidelines.

In line with Mastercard's total compensation philosophy and assuming that the job will be performed in the US, the successful candidate will be offered a competitive base salary and may be eligible for an annual bonus or commissions depending on the role. The base salary offered may vary depending on multiple factors, including but not limited to location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Mastercard benefits for full time (and certain part time) employees generally include: insurance (including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, disability, life insurance); flexible spending account and health savings account; paid leaves (including 16 weeks of new parent leave and up to 20 days of bereavement leave); 80 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time, 25 days of vacation time and 5 personal days, pro-rated based on date of hire; 10 annual paid U.S. observed holidays; 401k with a best-in-class company match; deferred compensation for eligible roles; fitness reimbursement or on-site fitness facilities; eligibility for tuition reimbursement; and many more. Mastercard benefits for interns generally include: 56 hours of Paid Sick and Safe Time; jury duty leave; and on-site fitness facilities in some locations.
Pay Ranges
Purchase, New York: $221,000 - $353,000 USD