The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has appointed Stephen Gregory as the chief executive officer (CEO) of its U.S. affiliate, Binance.US.

 

On Tuesday, March 11, Binance.US announced the appointment of compliance lawyer Stephen Gregory as CEO of the exchange. Stephen will take over from Norman Reed, who, according to the exchange, is stepping down to serve in an advisory role.

 

“I am honored to lead the Binance.US team as we write the next chapter for what we believe is the best platform for U.S. crypto investors to buy, trade, and earn digital assets,” Stephen said. “The Binance.US brand is extremely powerful, with a founder, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), who has continuously advocated for making the U.S. the crypto capital of the world,” he added.

 

Norman, the former Binance.US CEO, also expressed confidence in Stephen. “As we look to the next phase of growth for Binance.US, Stephen brings an entrepreneurial approach to leadership that I am confident will deliver for our customers in a meaningful way,” Norman said.

 

 

About Stephen Gregory

Stephen is a lawyer with nearly two decades of experience in the compliance industry. Before entering the crypto and fintech sectors, he worked in the U.S. Senate as a staff member for Senators Paul G. Kirk and Ted Kennedy and held roles at other government-affiliated agencies.

 

He later transitioned into private practice, working as a litigation and regulatory law expert for several law firms, including D'Ambrosio Brown LLP, McCormick & O'Brien LLP, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, and Gage Spencer & Fleming LLP.

 

Entering into Crypto

In 2016, Stephen entered the crypto industry as a compliance officer at Gemini, where he helped the exchange navigate regulations and secure licenses for its U.S. crypto operations.

 

He did, however, move up the ranks in the compliance industry, serving as Chief Compliance Officer at crypto exchange CEX.IO, where he led the company’s global compliance program and oversaw its regulatory frameworks, including Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) programs.

 

In 2021, Stephen joined Currency.com as CEO, where he led the exchange’s U.S. operations, oversaw regulatory strategy, and expanded its services in the United States before its acquisition by CXNEST Ltd in May 2025.

 

 

 

Crypto brokerage company Blockchain.com is expanding into Ghana after recording strong growth one year after entering the Nigerian market.

 

In a recent announcement, Owenize Odia, General Manager for Africa at Blockchain.com, said the company plans to expand into Ghana. 

 

According to the announcement, the move was driven by the company’s strong growth in Nigeria. Just one year after entering the market in early 2025, Blockchain.com reported more than a 700% increase in brokerage transaction volume, with Bitcoin, Tether, and Tron emerging as the most traded crypto assets in the region. 

 

The decision to fully launch into Ghana’s crypto market was also driven by the strong momentum in the country. According to Owenize, Blockchain.com recorded a 140% increase in the number of active users in Ghana and a 90% increase in transaction volumes even before the company officially entered the market. 

 

Crypto Adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is now the third-fastest-growing region globally for crypto adoption, according to a report by Chainalysis, after Asia-Pacific and Latin America. 

 

According to the report, about $205 billion was received by Sub-Saharan African countries between July 2024 and June 2025 in Sub-Saharan Africa, a 52% increase year over year, with Nigeria leading adoption in the region and accounting for about $92 billion of the total volume received within that period. Cross-border transfers, remittances, and stablecoin transactions accounted for most of these transactions.

 

Image credit: Chainalysis

 

About Blockchain.com

Founded in 2011 by Peter Smith, Benjamin Reeves, and Nicolas Cary, Blockchain.com is one of the oldest cryptocurrency platforms in the world. It offers a suite of crypto services, including non-custodial crypto storage, cryptocurrency trading, blockchain exploration, and the trading of tokenized U.S. stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs).

 

Since its founding, Blockchain.com has achieved several notable milestones, including:

• Creating nearly 94 million wallets for users.
• Serving customers in more than 100 countries.
• Processing over $1 trillion in total transaction volume, including more than $100 million in a single day. 

 

 

Florida lawmakers have cleared Senate Bill 314 (SB-314), a state-level stablecoin bill, with final approval now pending from the governor.

 

In a recent post on X, Samuel Armes, founder of the Florida Blockchain Association, said the Florida Senate had cleared Senate Bill 314 with a unanimous 37–0 vote. With this clearance, the bill now awaits final approval from Governor Ron DeSantis.

 

 

According to Armes, “the bill has now passed the Senate and the House and will be signed by DeSantis within the next 30 days.” Once signed by DeSantis, SB-314 will become law.

 

What is the Senate Bill (SB-314)? 

Introduced by Senator Bryan Burton on October 31, 2025, Senate Bill 314 (SB 314) creates a state regulatory framework for companies issuing stablecoins in Florida.

 

SB 314 was introduced to ensure clarity in how stablecoins are issued amid ongoing regulatory disparities, particularly at the state level.

 

By approving SB 314, the Florida Legislature aims to:

1. Provide regulatory clarity for crypto businesses operating in the state.

2. Prevent fraud and financial instability. The bill requires stablecoin issuers to hold actual reserves, protecting users’ funds.

3. Position Florida as a crypto-friendly hub, attracting both blockchain and fintech companies.

 

If SB-314 eventually gets signed into law, stablecoin companies would need Florida’s licensing and approval before they can operate.

 

And to get licensed, these companies would need to show proof of 1:1 reserves backing their stablecoins, have their reserves independently audited, and maintain clear redemption policies that allow users to convert stablecoins to dollars. 

 

Remember the TerraUSD collapse, one of the largest stablecoin failures in 2022, which resulted in losses exceeding $40 billion after the UST coin lost its dollar peg? The SB-314 bill aims to prevent similar events by requiring stablecoin issuers to have their reserves regularly audited.

 

 

The State of Crypto in Florida

Unlike some U.S. states that have imposed strict anti-crypto policies, Florida has positioned itself as one of the most crypto-friendly.

 

In January 2023, the Florida Senate amended the state's Money Services Business (MSB) law to include virtual currency, defining it at the state level and reducing regulatory ambiguity for crypto businesses.

 

In October 2025, the Florida Senate filed House Bill 183, concerning crypto investment authority, and House Bill 175, aimed at stablecoin registration flexibility. If signed into law, the bills would allow Florida’s Chief Financial Officer to allocate up to 10% of certain state funds into Bitcoin and other digital assets, while also easing compliance requirements for stablecoin issuers.