Cryptocurrency exchange Bitget has hired Hon Ng as its first chief legal officer to support the company’s global growth ambitions.

Ng was previously general counsel at rival crypto exchange Binance, which he quit in July last year along with two other senior executives. At Bitget, he will tap into that experience to help the company adhere to regulatory requirements worldwide, as well as deepen dialogue with regulators, gain operating licenses in new markets and strengthen its compliance culture.

Seychelles-based Bitget enables investors to trade cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and other digital assets.

Gracy Chen, Bitget CEO, said: “Hon Ng’s extensive experience in digital and Web3-related legal and compliance affairs, as well as his outstanding track record of solving complex corporate-level issues and scaling businesses, have singled him out as the ideal candidate for the position of chief legal officer at Bitget.”

She added: “The presence of such talent and experience as his, combined with our steadfast determination to adhere to our core values, is what gives our exchange a distinctive edge in terms of legal compliance.”

Ng was GC at Binance for just under three years, originally joining from Uber in Hong Kong where he spent almost six years, first as legal director and then director of business development. He previously worked in private practice at Latham & Watkins and White & Case, having trained at Herbert Smith Freehills in London.

Ng also has a number of outside roles in the football community, currently serving on the Hong Kong Football Association’s international affairs committee, as well as the legal committees of the Asian Football Confederation and East Asian Football Federation.

Ng said: “The regulatory environment in digital assets is rapidly evolving. I am delighted to be able to bring my extensive experience to help the group navigate this complex regulatory landscape and support Bitget’s continued growth.

“This is an exciting opportunity for me to be working with incredibly talented people and to continue to be able to enhance the industry’s culture of compliance, working side-by-side with regulators, in order to contribute meaningfully to the sustainability of the digital assets ecosystem.”

Binance replaced Ng with Eleanor Hughes, who originally joined the company in 2021 from Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom as a senior legal counsel and head of regulatory.