Bittrex Global's boards of directors named Oliver Linch chief executive on June 27, 2022, promoting him from his role as the company's general counsel1. The appointment landed on June 27, 2022, the same day Stephen Stonberg stepped down after three years leading the company.
The second CEO appointment at Bittrex Global on the record since 2021
Every move CryptoLately has verified there, by the day it became public
Moves: The Moves Ledger, CryptoLately's record of verified leadership moves, Oct. 3, 2016 to Oct. 2, 2026.
Read the chart as a table
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Nov. 12, 2020 | Baron became Chief Compliance Officer. Jeff Baron was named Chief Compliance Officer of Bittrex Global |
| May 18, 2021 | Albright left as CEO. Tom Albright left as Chief Executive Officer of Bittrex Global |
| May 18, 2021 | Stonberg became Interim CEO. Stephen Stonberg was named Interim Chief Executive Officer of Bittrex Global |
| June 27, 2022 | Stonberg left as CEO. Stephen Stonberg left as Chief Executive Officer of Bittrex Global |
| June 27, 2022 | Linch became CEO. Oliver Linch was named Chief Executive Officer of Bittrex Global |
18 CEO appointments on the record in 2022
CEO appointments CryptoLately has verified, by year; 2026 through Oct. 2, 2026
- 2022: 18
- 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
Moves: The Moves Ledger, CryptoLately's record of verified leadership moves, Oct. 3, 2016 to Oct. 2, 2026.
Read the chart as a table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 8 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 18 |
| 2023 | 17 |
| 2024 | 26 |
| 2025 | 35 |
| 2026 | 18 |
The move
Bittrex Global's own release put the two facts side by side. “The Boards of Directors of Bittrex Global GmbH and Bittrex Global (Bermuda) Ltd. announce today that Stephen Stonberg has stepped down as CEO,” the release read. “The Boards have appointed the current General Counsel of Bittrex Global, Oliver Linch, as CEO to oversee the management of the companies”1. Bill Shihara, co-founder of Bittrex, explained the choice through Linch's legal record. “Oliver has over a decade of experience in the financial services sector, having advised major investment banks, brokers, exchanges and other financial institutions on regulatory matters across different regions including the US, UK, Middle East, and the European Union,” Shihara said. Shihara tied that background to the moment. “As we welcome increased regulatory oversight in our sector, individuals like Oliver will be key to bridging the gap between traditional finance and the world of digital assets,” he said.
Linch described his own plan for the role. “I look forward to continuing to champion Stephen's drive for innovation and high levels of customer service at Bittrex Global. The company constantly strives for the highest standards of regulatory and legal compliance, at the same time improving its product and service offering for our customers,” Linch said1. The Royal Gazette, reporting on July 6, confirmed Linch's prior title as "the current general counsel of Bittrex Global" before the promotion2.
Before and after at Bittrex Global
Linch moved from the company's legal seat to its top seat, a path separate from Stonberg's climb through finance and operations. Stonberg had spent three years in Bittrex Global's leadership, Shihara said1, the last 13 months as chief executive: first interim, from May 18, 2021, then permanent, until his exit on June 27, 2022. Linch inherited that record along with the regulatory questions Shihara named in the announcement: oversight, compliance, and the gap between traditional finance and digital assets.
What came next
Linch led Bittrex Global for roughly seventeen months. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Bittrex Global in 2023, and CoinDesk's Sandali Handagama reported that “Bittrex Global CEO Oliver Linch had told CoinDesk that it would fight the SEC charges 'vigorously'”3. Linch's exchange changed course before the end of 2023. Bittrex Global announced on Nov. 20, 2023, that it would wind down operations entirely, with trading set to stop on Dec. 4, 2023, Handagama wrote. Shihara's regulatory praise for Linch had come seventeen months before the exchange closed its doors.
Sources
- Bittrex Global, "Oliver Linch Appointed CEO of Bittrex Global as Stephen Stonberg Steps Down," PR Newswire, June 27, 2022, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oliver-linch-appointed-ceo-of-bittrex-global-as-stephen-stonberg-steps-down-301575813.html
- Business Staff, "Bittrex Global lawyer takes over as CEO," The Royal Gazette, July 6, 2022, https://www.royalgazette.com/international-business/business/article/20220706/bittrex-global-lawyer-takes-over-as-ceo/
- Sandali Handagama, "Crypto Exchange Bittrex Global to Shut Down," CoinDesk, November 21, 2023, https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxNUFdBWjRmalhvNUlob2NFbVVNZnZpQy1zZnJXb2pDYWxTOFlmTXFIR3hHQk52U3VEV2lPaU1pOXdOOVJwZUtPaUxoZDEyd1NCc242bmE2MkJCNllQVVFVMGZSWWU0Uy1sTWVydWFSZFFYU0pDMGNWMzd3ang1Z2FRcVp5b0R2ZW1taHhfdC1henZfZw?oc=5