<p>Crypto exchange and custodian Gemini has hired former Circle compliance head, Blair Halliday, as its chief compliance officer and money-laundering reporting officer.</p> <p>Halliday will oversee Gemini's compliance program in the U.K. and Europe as the firm expands into these regions, according to an <a href="https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gemini-appoints-u-k-and-european-money-laundering-reporting-officer-878703053.html">announcement</a> Tuesday. Halliday will be based in London and report directly to Gemini's managing director of the U.K. and Europe, Julian Sawyer.</p> <p>The appointment comes days after the European Union’s Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (<a href="https://www.theblockcrypto.com/daily/51782/amld5-fills-regulatory-void-for-crypto-firms-but-state-by-state-rules-pose-challenges">AMLD5</a>) went into effect earlier this month. The directive requires crypto firms in the region to comply with know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money-laundering (AML) procedures.</p> <p>At Circle, Halliday was head of compliance for the firm's EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region.</p> <p>Europe is an “emerging region” for Gemini, the firm said. "As we build our team, Gemini is primed for significant growth in Europe this year,” said Sawyer, who <a href="https://www.theblockcrypto.com/linked/49248/starling-bank-co-founder-julian-sawyer-joins-gemini-as-managing-director-of-the-uk-and-europe">joined</a> last month and was formerly COO of Starling Bank.</p> <p>Gemini's European operations are currently on a <a href="https://getstarted.gemini.com/europe/">waitlist</a>. The firm employs over 250 employees across the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Australia, per Tuesday’s announcement.</p>