OKX taps former Thunes exec as chief compliance officer

Crypto exchange OKX has appointed Jonathan Brockmeier, a former compliance officer at fintech firm Thunes, as its new Chief Compliance Officer.

Editor’s note: This article was updated to reflect that OKX is not headquartered in the Seychelles. OKX is a global company with regional hubs in San José, Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong. We apologize for the earlier error.

OKX announced the leadership change on April 24, confirming that Brockmeier is officially stepping into the role. He replaces Vanessa Zhang, who is departing the company, according to OKX founder Star Xu.

Brockmeier previously helped establish the Americas Compliance Department at Singapore-based payments platform Thunes. He also held a compliance leadership role at global payments firm Zepz.

Commenting on the appointment, Xu stated:

“Jonathan brings an exceptional track record in global regulatory leadership, deep expertise in financial compliance, and a clear vision for building a world-class compliance organization. I’m confident his experience and perspective will be instrumental as we enter our next phase of growth and continue setting the standard for trust, transparency, and accountability in our industry.”

OKX’s new hire joins the company days after the exchange announced its re-entry into the United States market. 

The exchange had previously exited the U.S. before reaching a settlement with regulators. Now, OKX plans to operate a U.S. entity headquartered in San Jose, California, rolling out access to OKX U.S. and its native OKX Wallet in phases.

As Chief Compliance Officer, Brockmeier will oversee regulatory compliance, risk management, governance, and help navigate OKX’s broader market expansion.

“At OKX, we view compliance as not just a necessity — but a core part of how we operate and innovate responsibly. With Jonathan on board, I’m confident we’ll continue to lead by example, strengthen our global relationships with regulators, and reinforce the integrity of everything we build,” Star noted.

Earlier this month, Malta’s financial regulator ordered OKX to pay €1.1 million fine over non-compliance with the country’s anti-money laundering guidelines.

In March, the Thai Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against the exchange, alleging OKX violated the law by operating without a license.

OKX is a global technology company with regional hubs in San José, Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong, and more than 1,000 employees across nine offices. The company holds licenses in the U.S., UAE, EEA, Singapore, Australia, and other jurisdictions.