SVP, Institutional Finance – Digital Assets

Western Alliance Bank • Phoenix, AZ

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The SVP, Institutional Finance – Digital Assets is responsible for leading and growing Western Alliance Bank's institutional digital asset banking franchise, with primary responsibility for originating and managing institutional deposit and lending relationships across the digital asset ecosystem. This role serves as a senior relationship and business development leader, focused on driving growth of the Bank's 24/7 instant settlement network (VenueX), institutional deposit platform, and digital asset lending products. The ideal candidate possesses deep experience serving institutional clients such as digital asset exchanges, market makers, custodians, fintechs, payment firms, stablecoin issuers, and other participants in the digital asset economy. The role partners closely with Product, Credit, Treasury, Risk, Operations, FCC, and Executive Leadership to expand client adoption, deepen relationships, and deliver integrated banking solutions.

Requirements

• 8+ years of related experience.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• Advanced knowledge of general banking operations, including deposit operations, loan administration, treasury management and/or other commercial banking products and services.
• Advanced knowledge of applicable regulatory and legal compliance obligations, rules and regulations, industry standards and practices.
• Advanced knowledge in all facets of relationship management.
• Advanced organizational and time management skills.
• Advanced speaking and writing communication skills.
• May require up to 50% travel.

Nice To Haves

• Experience serving digital asset exchanges, custodians, market makers, fintechs, or stablecoin issuers.
• Familiarity with real-time payments, RTP, FedNow, APIs, and 24/7 settlement infrastructure.
• Experience with digital asset-secured lending products.
• Existing network of institutional digital asset industry relationships

Responsibilities

• Originate, manage, and expand institutional banking relationships within the digital asset, fintech, and emerging payments sectors.
• Serve as senior relationship lead for key clients, acting as the primary point of contact across deposits, payments, settlement, and lending products.
• Develop and execute client acquisition strategies to accelerate growth of institutional deposits and transaction volumes.
• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with exchanges, custodians, market makers, OTC trading firms, stablecoin companies, fintech platforms, institutional investors, and ecosystem partners.
• Represent Western Alliance Bank at industry conferences, client events, and strategic partner meetings.
• Drive adoption and utilization of the Bank's 24/7 instant settlement network across existing and prospective clients.
• Identify and execute opportunities to expand network participation, transaction volume, and ecosystem connectivity.
• Partner with Product Management to gather client feedback and shape future network capabilities, APIs, and participant features.
• Develop strategic partnerships that strengthen network effects and enhance the value proposition for members.
• Collaborate with Treasury and Operations teams to support scalable growth of real-time payment and settlement activity
• Lead business development efforts for bitcoin-backed and other approved digital asset-secured lending products.
• Partner with Credit, Portfolio Management, and Risk teams to structure lending facilities that meet client needs while adhering to established risk parameters.
• Identify lending opportunities among existing deposit and settlement clients to deepen relationships and increase wallet share.
• Assist in underwriting discussions, client due diligence, transaction structuring, and credit approval processes.
• Monitor portfolio trends and market developments impacting digital asset lending opportunities.
• Collaborate with Product Management to identify new banking, payments, lending, custody, and wallet opportunities within the digital asset ecosystem.
• Provide market intelligence regarding competitor offerings, client demand, and emerging industry trends.
• Support commercialization efforts for institutional and retail digital asset wallet products, tokenization initiatives, and future on-chain banking capabilities.
• Contribute to product roadmap development and go-to-market strategies
• Ensure all client relationships align with approved risk appetite, onboarding standards, and compliance requirements.
• Partner closely with FCC, Legal, Risk, and Compliance teams throughout client onboarding and relationship management.
• Support regulatory examinations, audits, and internal reviews relating to digital asset business activities.
• Maintain strong adherence to Bank policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.

Benefits

• Competitive salaries
• Ownership stake in the company
• Medical and dental insurance
• Time off
• Great 401k matching program
• Tuition assistance program
• Employee volunteer program
• Wellness program
• Opportunity to bolster business knowledge, learning the ins and outs of how successful companies operate and manage their finances, giving you invaluable hands-on experience to help grow your career!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive