OKX Appoints Marcus Hughes to Lead Global Government Relations

Cryptocurrency exchange OKX has appointed Marcus Hughes as its new vice president and global head of government relations. Hughes brings over two decades of experience in scaling regulated businesses, having previously served as the global head of regulatory strategy at Kraken and as the international general counsel at Coinbase [1].

Hughes’ new role at OKX is expected to focus on navigating the increasingly complex and rapidly evolving regulatory landscape for digital assets. In a blog post, the exchange noted that over 50 jurisdictions proposed or enacted new crypto regulations in 2024 alone, including comprehensive frameworks like Europe’s Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) and more fragmented approaches in other regions [1].

The hiring comes as OKX continues to expand its global compliance and regulatory strategy, particularly in key markets like the United States. Hughes emphasized the importance of “clear, balanced regulation” in unlocking the potential of digital assets and expressed his commitment to working with policymakers worldwide to foster innovation and build trust [1].

In addition to his roles at Kraken and Coinbase, Hughes also serves as a venture partner with the U.S. venture capital fund Sentinel Global, indicating a continued engagement with the broader blockchain and crypto ecosystem [1].

OKX’s move to appoint Hughes underscores the growing importance of regulatory expertise in the crypto industry, as major exchanges seek to align with global policy developments while maintaining a strong compliance-first culture [1].

Source: [1] [OKX Hires Former Kraken Regulatory Strategist Marcus Hughes](https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/08/19/okx-hires-former-kraken-regulatory-strategist-marcus-hughes)