“People can take away your things, but they can’t take away your education and knowledge.” These wise words of her mother became a guidepost for Stasi Cook, Director of Global Risk & Regulatory Compliance at MoonPay, serving as a foundation for her pursuit of purpose in a world of incessant change.
Her inclination toward the field of risk and regulatory compliance was not a coincidence but rather a passion cultivated from a young age. At just three or four years old, Stasi would play “lawyer,” handing out her mother’s business cards and inviting friends to present their problems for resolution. Practicing law was first her dream, but her first professional role as a Compliance Analyst at a hedge fund was where she discovered her true calling. She hasn’t looked back since.
At the Edge of Innovation
Today, as Director of Global Risk & Regulatory Compliance at MoonPay, Stasi operates at the high-stakes crossroads of fintech and global regulation. “Crypto sits at the forefront of technology and innovation, naturally drawing regulatory attention and driving new frameworks,” she explains. For her, compliance has evolved from a reactive function to one that is proactive, strategic, and deeply embedded in product development.
MoonPay’s global footprint introduces complexity, necessitating ongoing calibration to international regulations. But Stasi sees this as a creative challenge, not a constraint. Their commitment is twofold: first, ensuring that regulators understand compliance is a top priority; and second, assuring customers that they are engaging with a secure and resilient business.
The Human Element of Leadership
Stasi stresses that empathy, compassion, and genuine curiosity about others are not soft skills, but essential leadership qualities. Recognized among the ‘Top 10 Most Influential People in Risk and Compliance to Follow in 2025,’ Stasi brings a clear-eyed, future-aware perspective to what today’s compliance leaders truly need: human connection. At MoonPay, people are the greatest asset, not just part of the process.
Shaping Culture, Not Just Policy
You will not find Stasi’s most meaningful win at MoonPay tucked inside a compliance manual. Rather, it lives in the company’s culture. By nurturing cross-functional relationships and opening up clear lines of communication, she’s reshaped how compliance is perceived across the business, transforming what once was a procedural checkpoint into a collaborative partner that supports innovation and scalability. Besides smoothed internal processes, this cultural reset has created space for honest conversations, faster alignment, and a more integrated approach to mitigating complexity.
Balancing Regulation with Agility
Balancing regulation with innovation isn’t a checkbox exercise – it requires a clear understanding of both the technology’s design and its intended outcomes. Stasi brings together product leads, engineers, legal advisors, and regulators to find common ground, transforming the compliance process into a team sport.
While each product comes with its own challenges and context, Stasi zeroes in on that overlap between innovation and regulation to create practical, compliant solutions that maintain compliance while enabling the business to grow with confidence.
The Manager Who Let Stasi Soar
A good mentor creates a safe space for the mentees to test ideas, ask questions, and fail without fear, building the skills and knowledge to take proactive, meaningful steps. Stasi’s story is a testament to exactly that.
One early mentor shaped the way she leads today. It wasn’t flashy, but it left a mark. A former manager gave her lasting support: trust, space, and guidance. He let her build documentation and programs from scratch, stepping in only to help her align with the business. That rare mix of freedom and feedback sparked her confidence and creativity. His mantra was simple: “I gave her the runway, and she ran with it.”
That experience now drives Stasi’s leadership style. She gives her team room to explore, create, and test, then fine-tune based on outcomes. The result is consistent growth for people and programs alike.
Redefining Success on Her Own Terms
As a female executive, Stasi attributes much of her success to a focus on personal growth and self-awareness. Over the years, however, she has released the pressure to be perfect and instead embraced the idea of lifelong learning. Staying open to feedback, owning her mistakes, and seeking guidance before it’s needed are essential. Her husband once told her to, “Stop relying on others to define your success,” and she took those words to heart. Instead of waiting for someone to map her career or advocate for her development, Stasi chose to lead that process herself, a mindset shift that has contributed to both her professional achievements and personal sense of purpose.
A Mother, A Leader, A Problem-Solver
Motherhood sits at the heart of Stasi’s life, not as a counterweight to her career but as a driving force behind how she shows up in both roles. Instead of framing work and parenting as opposing forces, Stasi treats them as shifting ecosystems that demand attention in different ways at different times. There are seasons when her job commands sharper focus, and others when her child’s needs take center stage. Accepting these fluctuations without guilt, Stasi draws strength from a support system of understanding leadership at MoonPay and a spouse who backs her drive without question.
The pace may be unpredictable, but the purpose behind it remains crystal clear.
Future-Proofing the Industry
Keeping pace with global regulation in a high-velocity industry takes more than knowing the rules. Stasi and her team rely on constant engagement with regulators, anticipating what’s next, and holding regular cross-functional discussions. However, the process alone doesn’t cut it. Relationships remain the sharpest tool in their kit.
For Stasi, vigilance means ensuring systems are tested, well-documented, and used responsibly. Her team isn’t just managing risk; they are mitigating it. Open channels across teams allow MoonPay to adapt quickly and confidently, and as AI becomes more embedded in fintech infrastructure, the compliance function is expanding its role in ethical assurance. MoonPay’s compliance team is setting the pace for what responsible fintech looks like.
The Ethics Engine Behind Fintech’s AI Surge
In a world increasingly shaped by automation and AI, risk and compliance serve as the second line of defense, the essential ‘check the checker’ function. Stasi underscores the heightened necessity of their role as technology accelerates beyond traditional controls, citing examples where AI prompts can produce inconsistent results due to hallucinations. A core part of MoonPay’s compliance team work involves thorough testing, comprehensive documentation, and the responsible deployment of these sophisticated tools. Their vigilance ensures that the pursuit of innovation remains firmly aligned with principles of safety, ethical conduct, and accountability.
The Translator’s Edge
Saying “we’re compliant” is no longer enough. Today, the credibility of an organization rests on its ability to communicate intent and integrity. As fintech barrels ahead, regulation lags behind, and compliance professionals are being called in not just as enforcers, but interpreters. Stasi sees the future of compliance in its ability to translate complex technologies into regulatory logic that resonates with both policymakers and business leaders. Saying “we’re compliant” is no longer enough. Leaders must be able to show how, explain why, and ensure it aligns with the evolving expectations of a global market. Those designing the future are the ones who strive to be fully compliant, and this intent must be clearly communicated and demonstrated.
Advice for the Next Generation
“Figure out who you are. Then do it with purpose.”- Dolly Parton.
For Stasi, that purpose begins with one’s skillset. She sees it not as a checklist, but as the bedrock of any meaningful career. The more you invest in building and refining your abilities, the stronger that base becomes.
As these skills mature, one’s clarity sharpens. For Stasi, that’s what dexterity looks like. “Mastery means you’re not just competent, but exceptional in your chosen area.”
From there, growth begins to follow. People notice. Opportunities, whether they come in the form of promotions, new projects, leadership roles, or career shifts, tend to find those who consistently deliver. In Stasi’s view, a well-earned reputation built on proven skills does the talking, clearing paths that might otherwise remain closed.
Dispelling the “Department of No” Myth
If Stasi could change one misconception about compliance in tech, it would be the outdated idea that they’re the “department of no.” In her view, compliance and innovation aren’t at odds; they’re aligned. Both aim to bring great products to market, safely and responsibly.
She stresses the value of collaborating with compliance early in the product lifecycle. Asking tough questions, testing assumptions, and providing clear feedback aren’t roadblocks; they’re essential to building strong systems.
Stasi concludes by stating that compliance is not about blocking innovation. It’s about enabling it, thoughtfully and ethically.
As she remarks, “The more we work together, the stronger and more resilient our solutions become.”
