Nish is a dynamic and experienced practitioner in the cryptoasset and financial services industry, with expertise in cryptoasset and blockchain technologies across multiple jurisdictions. His background spans firms of varying sizes and scales, from global tier 1 banks to early-stage start-ups. He currently serves as the Regional Director for Binance in the UK.
You’ve had a career spanning tier 1 banks, the FCA, Rain, and now Binance. What first drew you into the crypto space?
I was drawn to crypto by its potential to fundamentally change how value is created, transferred, and accessed globally.
My experience in banking, regulation, and fintech showed me how financial systems evolve, and crypto felt like the next phase in that evolution. It blends technological innovation with the promise of open, borderless markets.
The opportunity to help shape infrastructure that is secure, compliant, and built from the ground up was compelling, and that intersection of innovation and responsibility continues to motivate me.
Which role taught you the most about the delicate balance between innovation and regulatory compliance?
Across my career, I’ve come to see innovation and compliance not as opposing forces but as complementary. My time in regulatory bodies gave me a strong understanding of the principles behind policy, while industry roles have shown me how those principles can be applied to real products.
The most sustainable approach is to build with regulation in mind from the start, protecting users and supporting market trust. This requires constant engagement between innovators and regulators, which aligns with Binance’s philosophy.
How significant is the UK’s clarification on staking for the country’s crypto market?
The UK’s clarification that staking is not a collective investment scheme is an important milestone.
It reopens access to products for qualifying professional users and signals a balanced regulatory stance that values innovation while protecting consumers.
With 12% of UK adults having owned crypto, this development could encourage institutional capital and strengthen the UK’s position among markets advancing adoption through clear regulation.
For professional investors, it provides the regulatory clarity and infrastructure needed to re-enter the market with confidence.
How has the FCA’s view on crypto changed since you helped draft early AML/CTF standards?
There’s been a noticeable global shift from focusing solely on risks and enforcement to recognising crypto’s potential within a supervised framework.
When AML/CTF rules were first applied to the sector, the priority was rightly on addressing financial crime in a new and fast-moving space. Those protections are still essential, but there’s now more emphasis on enabling responsible innovation.
Countries are developing tailored frameworks, engaging more deeply with the industry, and acknowledging that crypto, if built on strong compliance, can support the broader financial system.
How does the UK’s approach differ from other major jurisdictions Binance operates in?
It’s difficult to make direct comparisons because each jurisdiction’s approach is shaped by local legal and policy considerations.
The best frameworks are those that reflect domestic priorities while allowing global participation.
In the UK, as elsewhere, we support a model that enables growth without compromising user protection. The focus on both innovation and compliance is central to building lasting trust in the digital asset industry.
How are Earn products for professional users tailored differently from those for retail?
For qualifying professionals, Earn products are designed with scale, complexity, and compliance in mind. In the UK, access is restricted to professionals only, enabling them to use products like Liquid Staking, On-Chain Yields, and Crypto Loans within a regulatory framework.
These offerings are built to fit into institutional strategies and offer liquidity, competitive yields, and governance opportunities, all underpinned by Binance’s infrastructure.
Which Binance Earn products are most popular among the UK’s professional investors today?
We’re seeing strong demand for our liquid staking products, particularly WBETH and BNSOL.
WBETH now represents 20% of the global market with more than $9 billion in value, and BNSOL is the second-largest SOL liquid staking token with about $1 billion in total value locked.
These products are integrated across Binance’s ecosystem and offer yields, liquidity, and governance capabilities, all within a compliant structure. For UK professionals, they serve as institutional-grade tools that align with broader market strategies.
With various yield options available, how do you help clients choose based on risk and strategy?
As an exchange, we don’t provide financial advice.
What we do is offer a broad range of products that meet diverse risk profiles and strategies, from flexible and fixed terms to staking and loan-based options.
Clients assess what works for their portfolios, and we focus on making our offerings competitive, accessible, and aligned with user needs.
What’s driving WBETH and BNSOL’s rapid growth, and how are you expanding their utility?
Their growth mirrors the strength of the Ethereum and Solana ecosystems. They simplify access to staking rewards by removing the need to run validator nodes, while allowing users to maintain liquidity and exposure.
Beyond their yield, we’re expanding their use across Binance and the wider DeFi space through protocol integrations, platform support, and partnerships that broaden their use cases.
In a crowded staking and yield market, what is Binance focusing on next?
Our priority is user-focused innovation that enhances flexibility, security, and accessibility. We expect the next wave of products to include more personalised and adaptive yield strategies, such as varied lock-up terms, multi-asset options, and integrations with DeFi for hybrid yields.
With Earn access now extended to professionals, what are Binance’s next steps in the UK?
We’re focusing on re-engaging UK professionals through targeted outreach and tailored product offerings.
This includes liquid staking solutions like WBETH and BNSOL, as well as structured yield tools that fit into institutional strategies.
We’re also working directly with family offices, high-net-worth clients, and institutions to provide secure, compliant access to advanced investment tools. These efforts answer a growing demand for sophisticated products in a regulated environment.
What are your top UK priorities over the next year, and how do you see the UK’s crypto scene evolving?
Globally, crypto is at a critical juncture, with institutional uptake, clearer regulation, and real-world use cases all progressing in tandem. Developments like the CLARITY Act and Bitcoin ETF flows in the US show the sector maturing, with focus shifting from speculation to application.
In the UK, our goal is to be the leading digital asset platform. With regulatory momentum from the FSMA changes and recent FCA guidance, we expect increased institutional involvement.
We plan to expand access to institutional-grade products within the existing framework and continue investing in compliance talent and systems. With permissions in over 21 jurisdictions, we’re one of the most regulated exchanges globally.
The UK is likely to see closer ties between traditional finance and crypto, and more emphasis on compliant innovation, a direction we are actively supporting.