BTC Markets CEO hunt ends with Dobbins promotion

Binaya Dahal

Editorial Intern, Financial Newswire

6 February 2026

Australian cryptocurrency exchange BTC Markets has named Lucas Dobbins as its new Chief Executive Officer and Board Director, concluding an extended leadership hunt following Caroline Bowler’s resignation in May last year after five years in the role.  

The digital asset exchange used by 362,000 traders and facilitating over $28 billion in total trading volume announced Dobbins would move into the top job from his previous position as Chief Technology Officer.

Dobbins, who co-founded a software consultancy before joining BTC Markets, has nearly two decades of experience designing and operating secure, high-availability systems across broadcast media, finance and digital assets.

Since joining the company in 2018 as a Frontend Engineer, Dobbins has led a full rebuild of the exchange’s technology stack, strengthened operational controls, and supported the business through periods of rapid market growth, volatility and increasing regulatory scrutiny.

Upon appointment, Dobbins said he will focus on positioning BTC Markets at the intersection of always-on digital asset markets and the standards expected of traditional financial infrastructures.

“Digital asset markets are moving into a more structured and accountable phase. Exchanges need to be engineered for resilience, transparency and long-term trust,” Dobbins said.

“My focus is on building products and partnerships that can operate 24/7, at scale, within the regulatory frameworks that are now taking shape in Australia.”

Along with Dobbins, the firm also welcomed Paul Stonham into the role of Chief Commercial Officer, while announcing former CEO Bowler will remain with the company as a non-executive director.

Stonham, who has held senior leadership roles at the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and other global financial institutions, will oversee client growth, partnerships, pricing strategy and margin governance.

He said the company was in a great position to deliver as it has built a strong foundation through multiple market cycles.

“As regulatory expectations become clearer, there’s a real opportunity to deepen institutional engagement and deliver products that meet the standards clients are accustomed to in other parts of the financial system,” Stonham said.