Circle Names Former CFTC Chair Heath Tarbert as Chief Legal Officer
In Brief
Heath Tarbet joins USDC issuer Circle from Citadel Securities.
Tarbert has held leadership positions in all three branches of the federal government and across key regulatory agencies.
Tarbet previously served as the 14th chairman and chief executive of the CFTC and vice chairman of the International Organization of Securities Commissions.
Circle Internet Financial, the global fintech firm and issuer of the stablecoin USDC, today announced the appointment of Heath Tarbert as chief legal officer and head of corporate affairs effective July 1, 2023.
Tarbert joins Circle from Citadel Securities, where he has been serving as chief legal officer for over two years. He succeeds Flavia Naves, general counsel at Circle, who announced that she will be parting ways with the firm earlier this year. During her time at Circle, Naves led the company’s global expansion and financing rounds.
Throughout his 20-year legal career, Tarbert has held leadership positions in all three branches of the federal government and across key regulatory agencies. He previously served as the 14th chairman and chief executive of the CFTC and vice chairman of the International Organization of Securities Commissions.
Prior to that, he was the assistant secretary of the U.S. Treasury for international markets. Simultaneously, he served as the G-7/G-20 deputy finance minister, a member of the Financial Stability Board, and the U.S. executive director of the World Bank Group.
During the early years of his career, Tarbert served as an attorney-adviser at the U.S. Department of Justice, Supreme Court law clerk, associate White House counsel and special counsel to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
“I’m thrilled by the opportunity to help Circle’s efforts to evolve the global financial system and encourage policymakers to establish sound rules for digital assets that provide clarity, coherence and protection for people and businesses,”
Tarbert said in a statement.
This new appointment comes as the crypto industry comes under increased regulatory scrutiny amidst SEC’s crackdown on Binance and Coinbase this week. Under Tarbet’s leadership as Circle’s legal head, the firm is set to gain a significant advantage in effectively navigating complex global regulatory challenges.
This week, Circle Singapore, an affiliate of Circle Internet Financial, was granted a Major Payment Institution (MPI) license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The license will allow Circle Singapore to offer digital payment token services, alongside cross-border money transfer services and domestic money transfer services in the city-state via its various products and services, including the Circle Account, which allows institutional customers access to USDC.
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About The Author
Cindy is a journalist at Metaverse Post, covering topics related to web3, NFT, metaverse and AI, with a focus on interviews with Web3 industry players. She has spoken to over 30 C-level execs and counting, bringing their valuable insights to readers. Originally from Singapore, Cindy is now based in Tbilisi, Georgia. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications & Media Studies from the University of South Australia and has a decade of experience in journalism and writing. Get in touch with her via cindy@mpost.io with press pitches, announcements and interview opportunities.
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Cindy is a journalist at Metaverse Post, covering topics related to web3, NFT, metaverse and AI, with a focus on interviews with Web3 industry players. She has spoken to over 30 C-level execs and counting, bringing their valuable insights to readers. Originally from Singapore, Cindy is now based in Tbilisi, Georgia. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications & Media Studies from the University of South Australia and has a decade of experience in journalism and writing. Get in touch with her via cindy@mpost.io with press pitches, announcements and interview opportunities.
