Shakepay Welcomes Eric Richmond as New General Counsel and Head of Business Development

Montreal, Quebec (February 29, 2024):  Shakepay, Canada’s leading bitcoin and money app, is thrilled to announce the hiring of Eric Richmond as the company’s new General Counsel and Head of Business Development.

This strategic addition to the Shakepay leadership team marks a significant milestone in the company's ongoing mission to give Canadians their fair shake at a better banking experience and making bitcoin accessible to everyone in the country.

Eric Richmond brings to Shakepay a wealth of experience in the financial technology and cryptocurrency sectors, most notably his recent role as President of Coinsquare Ltd., where he spearheaded initiatives that significantly advanced the cryptocurrency landscape in Canada. He also brings a wealth of knowledge from his successful tenure as the founder of Tetra Trust, Canada’s first trust company licensed to custody digital assets. 

Richmond’s expertise in legal, regulatory, and business development strategies will be instrumental in guiding Shakepay through its next phase of growth, and help drive the company’s expansion efforts and innovation in other financial products and services.

Shakepay is experiencing unprecedented growth, with over 1 million customers leveraging the platform to engage with bitcoin and, most recently, several other staple everyday payment products – direct deposit, bill pay and e-transfers.  

This growth is coupled with its proactive approach to regulation. Richmond will be assisting Shakepay in its pursuit of membership with the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) and application to be registered as a Payment Service Provider (PSP) under the Retail Payments Activities Act (RPAA).

"Eric's track record of leadership and innovation in fintech and the bitcoin space aligns perfectly with Shakepay's vision for the future," said Jean Amiouny, CEO of Shakepay. "We are excited to have him on board. His insights and experience will be invaluable as we continue to develop new ways for Canadians to engage with their Canadian dollars and bitcoin in a secure and easy way."

As General Counsel, Richmond will oversee Shakepay's legal, public policy and regulatory affairs functions. His role as Head of Business Development will involve forging strategic partnerships and identifying opportunities to enhance Shakepay's new financial product offerings and further establish the company as a leader in the bitcoin and payments space.

"I am honoured to join the Shakepay team and contribute to a mission that makes it easy for Canadians to interact with their bitcoin and hard-earned money," said Eric Richmond. "The potential for Shakepay to transform the payments space is immense, and I look forward to leveraging my experience to ensure we continue to lead this change while delivering value and security to our users across Canada."

About Eric Richmond

Eric Richmond is Shakepay’s new General Counsel and Head of Business Development. He will lead the legal, public policy, and regulatory affairs functions at Shakepay and will also be tasked with forging strategic partnerships, exploring new markets, and seeking out opportunities to further the financial product offerings at Shakepay. 

Eric comes to Shakepay bringing significant experience in financial services, as well as the cryptocurrency sector. Prior to joining Shakepay, he was the President at Coinsquare, a leading Canadian cryptocurrency exchange. He is also a founder of Tetra Trust Company - Canada’s first digital asset trust company and custodian. Eric played a key leadership role in Coinsquare and Tetra’s strategic partnerships, and has an in-depth knowledge of the principles, applications and current developments relating to blockchain technologies across multiple jurisdictions.

Prior to Coinsquare, Eric was a lawyer at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, where he advised clients on a variety of corporate and capital markets transactions, as well as corporate governance and securities regulatory matters. 

About Shakepay

Shakepay is building a money app that allows Canadians to pay their friends, buy and earn bitcoin, and send money effortlessly.

Rooted in principles of financial inclusion and its mission to usher in the Bitcoin Golden Age, Shakepay is trusted by more than one million Canadians from every background — college students to retirees — giving them more control over their money and helping them improve their financial future. 

Headquartered in Montreal, Shakepay is backed by renowned venture capitalists with a funding of $44M, is registered as a Money Service Business with FINTRAC and is the first Quebec-based CTP to become registered with all provincial and territorial securities regulators as a Restricted Dealer.

For media inquiries, please contact: press@shakepay.com