Marinade Labs has announced that Zalika Headley will join the company as General Counsel. Headley brings over ten years of legal and compliance experience across the public and private sectors. Her background includes service at the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) and leadership roles in digital asset compliance at BlockFi. This appointment marks a significant step in Marinade's strategy to deepen its institutional capabilities and regulatory posture as the staking provider expands its offerings within the Solana ecosystem.
Headley’s Professional Experience
Headley steps into the role with a broad legal portfolio. At BlockFi, she served as Associate General Counsel and Anti-Money Laundering Officer. She advised on regulatory and compliance matters across multiple jurisdictions and worked directly with financial regulators in the United States, United Kingdom, and Singapore. Her work supported cross-border product launches and licensing efforts, as well as responses to complex legal inquiries.
Earlier in her career, Headley worked as Counsel at the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), where she oversaw the chartering process for digital asset custodians and contributed to the department's cryptocurrency policy. She worked directly with BitLicense applicants, evaluated new digital asset product proposals, and collaborated with federal and state regulators to address emerging fintech and blockchain issues. Prior roles at PwC and JPMorgan Chase provided her with experience in anti-money laundering compliance, financial supervision, and regulatory gap analysis within large financial institutions.
“Bridging the Gap Between DeFi and Institutional Adoption”
Marinade Co-Founder and CEO Michael Repetný had nothing but kind words and optimism about the appointment. "Bringing Zalika onboard reflects Marinade’s commitment to building the most robust and compliant staking infrastructure for institutions," he said. "Her deep experience across digital asset regulation, licensing, and enterprise risk management will be instrumental as we continue bridging the gap between decentralized finance and institutional adoption."
Headley expressed her enthusiasm for the new role. "Marinade is at the forefront of building next-generation staking infrastructure with a clear focus on compliance, security, and decentralization," she said. "I’m excited to join this exceptional team and expand its suite of institutional-grade staking solutions, enabling more institutions to engage confidently with the Solana ecosystem."
Positioning for Institutional Growth on Solana
Headley’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Marinade. With the recent launch of Marinade Select, a compliance-first staking marketplace designed for institutional investors, and strategic partnerships with BitGo, Copper, and Zodia, Marinade is actively expanding its product offering while driving institutional adoption on Solana.
Marinade Select was also the first staking provider named in a Solana ETF filing and serves as the exclusive staking provider for the Canary Marinade Solana ETF.
With Solana gaining traction among institutional investors, the addition of a seasoned legal and compliance leader reinforces Marinade's position as a trusted platform for secure and regulatory-aligned staking. The company sees a growing need for institutional-grade infrastructure as funds, custodians, and other enterprise players seek exposure to Solana's staking economy.
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