Caitlin Barnett
Caitlin Barnett is an American legal and compliance professional with expertise in the cryptocurrency and traditional finance sectors. She is the Director of Regulation and Compliance at the blockchain data platform Chainalysis, where she advises financial institutions on digital asset compliance and hosts the company's "Public Key" podcast. [1] [2]
Education
Caitlin Barnett earned a Juris Doctor from the Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 2010. She previously completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at Fairfield University in 2007. [9]
Career
Caitlin Barnett began her career in traditional finance, where she developed a foundation in legal and regulatory compliance through roles at major financial institutions. She served as Assistant Vice President and Senior Counsel at JPMorgan Chase & Co., focusing on risk management and compliance functions, before joining Commerzbank AG as Assistant Vice President and Senior AML Investigator. In these positions, she worked extensively with anti-money laundering (AML) frameworks and compliance standards such as the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), gaining experience that would later inform her transition into the digital asset sector.
Barnett entered the cryptocurrency industry as Deputy Chief Compliance Officer at Gemini Trust Company, LLC, a digital asset exchange and custodian. During her tenure, she played a key role in the development and launch of the Gemini Dollar (GUSD)—one of the first regulated stablecoins approved by the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) in 2018. Her work at Gemini positioned her at the forefront of integrating regulatory oversight with blockchain innovation.
Following this, she became U.S. Chief Compliance Officer at Bitstamp USA, Inc., where she oversaw the company’s BSA/AML compliance program and maintained relationships with federal and state regulators. In March 2021, Barnett joined Chainalysis Inc. as Director of Regulation and Compliance. In this role, she draws on her combined experience from traditional finance and crypto exchanges to advise institutions on building compliance frameworks that support digital asset adoption. She also contributes to policy engagement and regulatory dialogue, helping bridge the gap between industry participants and government agencies in shaping the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency compliance. [3] [2] [9]
Public Appearances and Media.
Barnett is an active participant in industry discussions and media, where she shares her expertise on cryptocurrency regulation and compliance. She is the host of "Public Key," an official podcast produced by Chainalysis that explores topics at the intersection of digital assets, financial crime, and regulation. [1]
In addition to her podcasting role, Barnett is a frequent speaker at financial technology and cryptocurrency conferences. She was featured as a speaker at the Money20/20 US event, where she led a session titled "Speaking Stablecoins to Banks." This presentation focused on bridging the knowledge gap between the traditional banking sector and the world of stablecoins, addressing compliance concerns and strategies for safe adoption by established financial institutions. Her public engagements focus on educating stakeholders and fostering collaboration between the crypto industry and regulators. [2]
In March 2025, Caitlin Barnett appeared in a CoinDesk Studios feature titled “Chainalysis on Reshaping Crypto's Compliance Narrative.” In the segment, Barnett discussed how 2025 marked a turning point for cryptocurrency adoption, highlighting the growing interest of traditional financial institutions in blockchain integration. She noted that as illicit activity in the crypto space declined and regulatory frameworks became clearer, the convergence of traditional finance and digital assets was redefining the future of financial compliance and innovation.