Regulatory and compliance counsel for Bitcoin businesses.
I'm Joonas Ilmasti. Lawyer and economist, based in Helsinki. Formerly Chief Compliance Officer at LocalBitcoins. Today I advise exchanges, custodians, and institutional investors on MiCA, AML, and the rest of crypto's rulebook.
Selected work
Where I've worked. Ten years in Bitcoin regulatory practice.
- 01
Independent advisory
ActiveRegulatory strategy, compliance program design, and investment analysis for crypto-asset businesses and institutional investors.
FounderSince 2022FounderSince 2022 - 02
LocalBitcoins
Closed 2023Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel at the world's largest P2P bitcoin trading platform. Founded and led the compliance and AML investigations teams.
CCO, General Counsel2017–2022CCO, General Counsel2017–2022 - 03
Speaking & writing
Keynotes and panels on cryptoasset regulation, MiCA, AML/CFT, and the economics of permissionless money. For industry and academic audiences.
RecurringOngoingRecurringOngoing - 04
Fondia
Legal counsel on technology law, regulatory matters, and cross-border compliance for clients in fintech and emerging tech.
CounselEarlierCounselEarlier
From the blog
Writing on Bitcoin regulation and compliance. Mostly about what's actually changing under MiCA.
MiCA and the Bitcoin-only business
What Europe's crypto rulebook actually changes for operators who only care about one asset.
Five years of running compliance at LocalBitcoins
What I learned building an AML program at the world's largest P2P Bitcoin marketplace.
Why Bitcoin-only, still
After a decade in the industry, why I keep narrowing rather than broadening.