Breaking from the bank: how one Compliance leader found her place in Crypto w/ Tom Edwards & Dayna Bordin

When is the right moment to take a risk in your career?

For some, it’s when the market is stable and the path is clear. For others, like Dayna Bordin, it’s in the middle of the global financial crisis with a single suitcase and no job lined up.

In this edition of Behind the Controls, I sat down with Dayna, now MLRO at crypto trading firm GSR, to talk about her journey from PwC in Australia to Barclays, Santander, EY and finally into digital assets. We discussed the contrasts between banking and crypto, how to know when it’s time to take a leap, and the reality of building a career while raising two young children.

A suitcase, a financial crisis and a leap of faith

Dayna started her career in consulting at PwC before moving into industry, only to find herself at a crossroads in 2008.

“I dropped everything and got myself on a plane to London with the hopes of landing a job at probably the worst possible time in recent history. Everything I owned fit into one suitcase.”

Despite the chaos of the financial crisis, she secured multiple job offers and began at Barclays, working on financial crime issues at a time when the bank was under intense scrutiny. Later, she became one of the first voices driving financial crime transformation at Santander.

Her career has been far from linear. She has moved between consulting and industry roles several times, covering all three lines of defence along the way. That mix gave her a perspective not just on how compliance frameworks are built, but how they operate under pressure, from the inside and outside.

One of her boldest decisions was joining Exiger, a regtech start-up that was building its consulting practice from scratch. There, she combined entrepreneurship with high-stakes work, also serving as executive sponsor for HSBC’s money laundering and sanctions monitorship. It meant travelling globally, working with the US Department of Justice, the New York Fed, the FCA and other regulators - an experience she describes as one of the best of her career.

At each stage, she faced a choice: stay on a safe track or try something riskier.

“People thought I was mad taking a role in banking during the financial crisis. They thought I was mad moving into a regtech start-up. And then they thought I was mad again leaving a Big Four partnership for crypto. But those decisions have all been the best ones I’ve made.”

Why crypto, why now?

When Dayna joined GSR in late 2024, it wasn’t just about the products or the pace.

“It's incredibly rare that you get the opportunity to be at the coalface, shaping the future of an industry alongside policymakers and regulators. That was a huge pull.”

Her previous consulting work meant she had already supported crypto firms, but moving in-house gave her the chance to shape the sector directly. At GSR she works with the FCA and UK government, balancing innovation with consumer protection.

“The industry is still building. In some ways, it feels like you’re trying to build a house quickly without the full plans. But that’s also what makes it exciting.”

Much of her role involves regulators, from supporting the FCA on authorisation to contributing to government consultations.

“In crypto, you’re not just applying the rules - you’re helping write them.”

Her background in banking provides the structure needed in a maturing space. But not everyone has that foundation, so she often explains why moving early, even before competitors, matters for reputation and resilience.

Inside GSR, the culture mirrors that balance: fast-paced but with risk and control embedded from the top. And while her title is MLRO, her remit stretches far wider: governance, business advice and positioning the firm in an evolving industry.

Banking vs. crypto: worlds apart

What changes when you move from traditional finance to digital assets?

Dayna highlights three big differences:

• Agility: in banking, structures are fixed and change moves slowly. In crypto, products and policies can shift within weeks, which means constant adaptation is essential.
• Mindset: at GSR, the culture is highly collaborative, with people ready to roll up their sleeves and solve problems together. The pace and variety are part of the attraction.
• Governance: unlike banks, where established case studies and precedent guide decisions, crypto often requires being the first to set the standard. That means explaining why action is needed early, even before competitors move.

The flip side of agility is uncertainty. But for Dayna, that uncertainty is part of the appeal.

Parenting in a fast-paced industry

High-speed industries often come with a personal cost. Dayna is clear about her limits.

“For me, it was non-negotiable to leave the desk at 5pm to get the train home and see my boys before bed. I had that conversation early in the interview process.”

She believes too many professionals avoid stating what they need.

“People are hesitant to have those conversations. But if you don’t set expectations at the start, you risk stepping into a role that simply won’t work for you.”

It’s a principle she’s carried into mentoring others. In one case, she advised a candidate against a consulting role that required heavy travel because their partner was already in a demanding medical career and they had young children. “He thanked me later for being honest,” she recalls.

For Dayna, the lesson is simple: know your non-negotiables, say them out loud, and don’t apologise for it. That’s how you thrive in fast-moving industries without sacrificing what matters most.

Who thrives in digital assets?

Crypto isn’t for everyone. The work is broad, fast-moving and demands adaptability.

“If you enjoy doing one defined thing, you won’t enjoy crypto. But if you like variety and autonomy, you’ll probably love it.”

Dayna advises honesty when weighing up career moves.

“I’ve told candidates before: I don’t think this is right for you. It’s not about discouraging people, but about making sure the role fits their life stage and mindset.”

Full circle, open future

Will Dayna ever return to banking? She’s not ruling it out.

“It’s about the right role at the right time. I never thought I’d be working in digital assets, so who knows? The important thing is to stay open.”

Key takeaways

·        Taking risks can pay off if you’re clear on your non-negotiables.

·        Crypto offers autonomy, agility and influence that banking rarely can.

·        The biggest difference is mindset: adaptability beats precedent.

·        Parenting and high-paced roles can coexist if boundaries are set upfront.

Over to you

Would you make the leap from traditional finance into crypto or fintech? What would hold you back, and what would convince you to take the risk?

And for those balancing careers and families: how do you set boundaries that allow you to lead at work while still being present at home?

Drop your thoughts in the comments, I’d love to hear how you’re approaching these challenges.

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