Binance has appointed SB Seker as its new Head of Asia-Pacific (APAC), a strategic move that comes just two weeks after Australia's financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC ordered Binance Australia to undergo an independent audit. Seker brings over 20 years of cross-sector legal and regulatory experience, including roles as a litigator in Australia, a central banking lawyer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and most recently as Senior Vice President at Crypto.com overseeing global product development and regulatory matters.
The appointment follows AUSTRAC's August 2025 directive that gave Binance Australia 18 days to nominate external auditors due to "serious concerns" about anti-money laundering controls that could expose the platform to illicit money flows. The regulator cited inadequate independent reviews and high staff turnover as key issues.
Industry experts view the hiring as both strategic and timely. James Volpe, founding director of Web3 education firm uCubed, stated that "SB Seker's background positions him as someone consistently brought into complex environments to strengthen compliance and regulatory frameworks." He added that the appointment reinforces Binance's compliance strategy while signaling to regulators that the exchange is serious about meeting APAC standards.
Joni Pirovich, founder of Australian crypto law firm b'das*l, noted that "the hire of Seker could well mean that Binance recognizes the skills and experience needed for best cooperation with AUSTRAC and the auditor." She warned that AUSTRAC has a range of enforcement tools available depending on audit findings, including registration restrictions or, in the worst case, suspension or revocation of Binance's registration.
In his new role, Seker will oversee regional operations, drive market adoption across APAC, and strengthen engagement with policymakers. He stated: "I'm truly excited to join Binance to help shape a sustainable, innovative, and compliant future for the digital-asset ecosystem across the region."