Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange that was founded by the Winklevoss twins, has brought on a former New York Stock Exchange executive to take on the role of its first chief technology officer. The New York-based firm has hired Robert Cornish, a former chief information officer at the NYSE, to lead the technology team.
The move is the latest sign that crypto trading venues are aiming to move closer to the mainstream, at least to mollify regulators’ anxieties. With regulatory clampdowns looming every now and then, the operators have become forward-thinking and are taking a proactive approach.
In the same context, Gemini has recently hired Nasdaq’s SMARTS Market Surveillance, an industry benchmark technology used across Wall Street, to add more security and identify criminal trading behavior in its venue.
As for the Gemini’s creators, the twins are early investors in Bitcoin and have been highly bullish on its future value. They proposed an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that would track Bitcoin prices, allowing investors to gain exposure to bitcoin on a fully regulated venue. However, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) denied their application last year.
Cornish will immediately assume oversight for the deployment of Nasdaq’s technology, which will also conduct market analysis and oversee its cryptocurrency trading and settlement price for the Cboe’s Bitcoin futures.
He is the latest Wall Street expert to join a cryptocurrency firm as the digital phenomenon has attracted talents and supporters from all over the traditional finance sectors. Other departures included former Goldman Sachs executive Michael Bucella who took a business-development role with Connecticut-based cryptocurrency hedge fund BlockTower Capital.
Commenting on the appointment, Tyler Winklevoss, CEO of Gemini, said: “Rob is a tremendous addition to our team. He will ensure that Gemini continues to deliver the best platform experience to our customers as possible and set the standards of excellence for the cryptocurrency industry as a whole. Rob is globally recognized for his abilities in leading high-performing engineering teams, his expertise in exchange and matching-engine architecture, and running high-throughput platforms that are both secure and resilient.”
