James Pinch Joins KuCoin as Managing Director for Australia

Veteran trading industry executive James Pinch has taken on a new role as Managing Director Australia at KuCoin Exchange, marking another step in the crypto exchange's expansion into regulated markets.

Pinch is a familiar name in Australia's FX and CFDs sector, having held senior operational and compliance positions across several major brokers. His career includes tenures at CMC Markets, Vantage, Invast Global (now 26 Degrees), OneRoyal, Ruizean Group, IFS Markets, and Mitrade, where he served as Responsible Manager Australia between 2019 and 2021.

Before joining KuCoin, Pinch was part of the Risk and Compliance Committee at crypto trading platform OKX in Australia, where he also acted as Responsible Manager until his departure late last year.

Founded in China in 2017 and now headquartered in Seychelles, KuCoin has grown into one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume. The platform has been making steady moves to expand its footprint in compliant jurisdictions, particularly as regulatory expectations for digital asset operators continue to tighten globally.

Pinch's appointment is aligned with KuCoin's efforts to strengthen its governance and local management in Australia—a market known for its strict oversight of derivatives and digital asset trading platforms. The exchange has not publicly disclosed its licensing status in the country, but the hire signals intent to align operations more closely with regional compliance standards.