BVNK, a London-based crypto-to-fiat platform and global payments firm, has announced the appointment of Stelios Eleftheriou as the Business Development Director for CFD & iGaming.
From NAGA Pay to Parimatch and Beyond
Bringing a wealth of experience to the role, Eleftheriou previously served as the Managing Director at NAGA Pay for over a year and held the position of CEO at Parimatch for an impressive five years. His leadership extends to BullBinary, where he served as the CEO for over a year.
In a recent LinkedIn post, Eleftheriou shared his excitement about the new role: “I’m happy to share that I have started a new position as Business Development Director at BVNK! BVNK is a next-generation payments platform for businesses, bridging traditional and digital finance for fast & secure cross-border payments. I’m excited to join the wonderful team at BVNK and be a part of their revolutionary payments journey!”
Eleftheriou boasts a remarkable educational background, having earned a Master of Science (MSc) in Management Information Systems (E-Commerce) from California State University. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (Management Information Systems) from the same university.
BVNK Unveils APAC Expansion Plans
Earlier, Finance Magnates reported that BVNK had revealed its strategic plans for expanding operations in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The company appointed Anthony Man as the new Regional General Manager and established a founding team in Singapore, marking a step in its growth strategy, according to a statement released by BVNK.
In May, BVNK initiated the process of obtaining a Major Payment Institution license, laying the groundwork for its operations in the APAC region. This move was part of a broader plan to secure licenses in 15 markets within the next year. To oversee the expansion efforts, Chris Harmse, the Co-Founder of BVNK, has temporarily relocated to Singapore. Man, the new BVNK Managing Director for the region, previously served as the VP of Sales and New Business at CurrencyCloud.
Jesse Hemson-Struthers, the Chief Executive Officer at BVNK, expressed optimism about the expansion plans, highlighting Singapore's strategic advantages. He emphasized the country's strategic location, vibrant fintech ecosystem, and forward-thinking regulatory environment as key factors contributing to BVNK's decision.
BVNK secured an Electronic Money Institution license in the UK in 2022 through the acquisition of System Pay Services. This acquisition empowered BVNK to offer e-money, e-wallets, and multi-currency accounts for businesses under the approval of the Financial Conduct Authority.
BVNK's capabilities extend globally, allowing users to send, receive, and convert currencies across more than 60 countries. Leveraging blockchain technology, the company enables merchants to incorporate stablecoins in payment settlements.
With a presence in the UK, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, BVNK obtained a virtual asset service provider license in Spain in 2022 to further expand its reach in Europe. This licensing followed a $40 million series funding round led by Tiger Global, with Base Capital Partners, Raba, and Kingsway among other notable investors.