Legal & Compliance Manager

About Kite

Kite is a stablecoin-native neobank reimagining cross-border finance. We help users hold digital dollars, move money across borders efficiently, and spend globally via local payment rails and cards.

About the Role

As a Legal & compliance manager, you’ll own legal foundations from 0→1 across licensing, operations, and partnerships.

You’ll work closely with founders, product, and external counsel to guide licensing roadmaps, KYC/AML requirements, and commercial agreements. You’ll support compliant rollout of features like cross-border payments, wallet custody, savings/yield, and local on-ramps/off-ramps. You'll also help shape the regulatory posture across Southeast Asia and beyond.

We’re looking for someone with 5 - 7 years of experience in financial services, digital assets, or fintech, especially in a regional or cross-border legal capacity. You should bring a hands-on mindset, deep familiarity with fintech regulations, and comfort operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.

What You’ll Own

• Managing regulatory relationships, filings, licenses, and audits
• Ensuring KYC, AML, e-money, and data protection compliance across jurisdictions
• Drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, partnerships, and vendor contracts
• Advising on user terms, privacy policy, and risk mitigation
• Coordinating with external counsel, regulators, and banking/payments partners

Top Legal KPIs You’ll Influence

• Time to Licensing: Speed and success in securing key licenses/approvals
• Compliance Risk Score: Internal risk reviews, audits passed, and remediation cycles
• Product Launch Velocity: Legal sign-off speed for launching new compliant features
• Contract Turnaround Time: Average time to close commercial/vendor agreements
• Jurisdictional Coverage: Legal enablement across priority SEA and global markets

Qualifications

• 5 - 7 years or more of legal experience in fintech, financial services, or digital assets
• Strong understanding of KYC/AML, e-money, payments, and consumer finance regulations
• Experience with multi-market licensing or similar frameworks
• Familiarity with stablecoins, custody, digital wallets, and fiat-to-crypto flows but not necessary
• Exceptional communication and contract negotiation skills
• Fluent in English (legal drafting and negotiation)Bonus: Experience dealing with regulators or legal frameworks across SEA

Compensation and benefits are aligned with the best industry standards