How to Build a Crypto Exchange Team From Scratch: Lessons From 100+ Hires

Building a crypto exchange team from nothing is one of the most demanding hiring projects in financial services. Every function has to exist on day one of launch, regulators expect senior accountability from the start, and the first few hires shape everything that follows. This article draws on a project where we hired more than 100 people for a new exchange in 12 months.

The brief

The CEO, who managed a £12 billion fund, wanted to launch a crypto exchange. There was no team, no infrastructure and a tight timeline. Hiring was needed across engineering, compliance, operations, customer service, marketing and business development, all at once.

Step 1: Translate the vision into a hiring plan

Before any search began, we worked directly with the CEO to turn the business plan into a sequence of hires. Which roles unlock others? Which need to be in place before a licence application? Which can wait until launch?

The output was a hiring map with clear priorities. It stopped the team from hiring for urgency rather than impact.

Step 2: Get the first hire right

The first employee was the most important appointment. We needed someone who had set up an exchange at a granular level: matching, custody, liquidity, operations and vendor selection. That profile is rare, and most candidates have only seen one part of the build.

A strong first hire becomes a second interviewer for every technical role, and attracts others who want to work with them.

Step 3: Build the leadership team

With the first hire in place, we assembled the C suite. Senior leaders in compliance, technology and operations had to be credible with regulators, banking partners and future hires. Each leadership appointment then owned the build of their own function.

Step 4: Scale every function in parallel

Over 12 months, more than 100 people joined, including:

• 20 engineers across trading systems, infrastructure and security
• 10 compliance specialists
• 15 customer service staff
• Leadership, operations, marketing and business development hires

Hiring in parallel only works with structure. We ran one week sprint cycles and assigned dedicated recruiters to each function, so every search had a named owner and weekly accountability.

Lessons for anyone building an exchange team

1. Sequence matters more than speed. Hire the people who will hire others first.
2. Compliance cannot follow engineering. Regulators will judge the team before the product. Bring compliance leadership in early.
3. Specialise the search. An engineer search and a customer service search need different networks and different recruiters.
4. Short feedback loops. Weekly reviews with the CEO kept priorities current as the business changed.
5. Protect culture at volume. At 100 hires, a few poor appointments are hard to undo. Keep the bar consistent.

Frequently asked questions

How many people does a crypto exchange need at launch?

It depends on products and jurisdictions, but a regulated exchange with spot trading, custody and customer support typically needs a team well into double figures before launch.

Which roles should a new exchange hire first?

An experienced exchange builder, then leadership in technology, compliance and operations. These people define every later hire.

How long does it take to build an exchange team?

In this project, 12 months from first hire to a fully operational team of more than 100.

Read the full case study, or book a call to discuss your build.

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