Carlos Carreño, chief operating officer at Athena Bitcoin, said that companies in the digital asset sector must be directly involved in shaping anti-money laundering (AML), sanctions, fraud prevention, and regulatory standards as crypto policy is set in real time.
"The rules being written right now will govern global finance for the next decade. I intend to be in the room where it happens. Crypto is no longer a fringe conversation — it's a compliance imperative. AML, sanctions exposure, AI-driven fraud, digital asset regulation: these aren't future problems. They're today's. Thank you to the Athena team for the platform and the trust. Let's get to work," Carreńo stated on LinkedIn.
Carreño's comments come as industry leaders focus on compliance and regulatory engagement amid rapid changes in financial crime prevention and digital asset oversight.
Athena Bitcoin announced Feb. 10, 2026, that Carreño was elected to the board of directors of the Financial & International Business Association (FIBA), a trade group focused on international banking and compliance. The company said the appointment reflects his background in financial crime compliance and gives Athena a role in discussions shaping cross-border regulatory and anti-money laundering policy, according to AccessNewswire.
Carreño also participated in FIBA’s AML Conference held in Miami from March 23 to March 26, which brought together compliance leaders, regulators and industry practitioners. The event focused on emerging regulatory priorities, evolving compliance expectations and innovations in financial crime prevention, positioning it as a key forum for current cross-border compliance discussions according to FIBA.
On Jan. 29, 2026, the Cryptocurrency Anti-Fraud Education Association (CAFE) announced that Athena Bitcoin joined as a founding industry member alongside CoinFlip. The organization said Athena’s participation will support consumer safety programs, fraud trend research, public awareness campaigns and development of best practices for crypto ATM operations and customer service according to BlockTribune.
Athena Bitcoin says it operates as a registered money services business with a risk-based AML and know-your-customer program designed to comply with Bank Secrecy Act and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network requirements. The company says customers may be required to provide personal information and identification; service may be denied if compliance standards are not met; and complaint-handling along with anti-scam procedures are maintained as part of its consumer protection framework.
Carreño brings more than 30 years of experience in banking and fintech according to Athena Bitcoin. The company said he previously held senior roles at HSBC Latin America and Citibank—including leadership positions in global financial crime compliance within international private banking—and now oversees operations tied to Athena’s digital asset and bitcoin ATM business.
