Crypto lender Babel Finance appointed Edmond Lau, a former Citigroup vice president, as its chief financial officer, hoping he will keep the company on regulators’ good side.
- Lau, also a former managing director of Beijing-based VC firm Lingfeng Capital, will lead fundraising efforts and "provide strategic input" for Babel's business and regulatory compliance planning, according to a press release shared with CoinDesk.
- Lau will "unquestionably" boost the company's relationship with regulatory bodies, Babel co-founder and CEO Flex Yang said.
- Babel closed a $40 million Series A funding round in May, had lent $2 billion and counts $500 million in crypto assets under management, the press release said.
- Lau will also oversee M&A activities and partnerships.
- Babel Finance applied for a Type 9 asset management license in Hong Kong last November, but has yet to receive approval.
- Huobi Technology secured the license in August 2020, and launched dedicated crypto funds in April.
Disclosure
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.