Digital Asset Cyber and Fraud Risk Specialist - Vice President

The Wealth Management (WM) Chief Data Office (CDO) sits within the WM Risk organization and strives to find the right balance between risk management and business enablement. WM CDO’s mission is to: prevent unauthorized access to or misuse of client sensitive data and assets; abide by relevant privacy laws and regulations; effectively retain, retrieve, and protect information and records at the Firm; and mitigate risks caused by inaccurate, untimely, or incomplete WM data. The WM Application Security Team within WM CDO works to ensure that our clients’ sensitive data and assets are protected and that appropriate controls are applied across technology assets, including emerging digital asset capabilities. Role Description The WM Application Security Team seeks a Vice President to support digital asset risk management across cyber and fraud domains. This individual will help assess and enhance the control environment for enterprise digital asset custody technologies, including wallet architecture, key protection, secure signing mechanisms, and transaction policy controls designed to prevent unauthorized or unwanted transactions. The successful candidate will bring hands-on knowledge of enterprise custody operating models and specific familiarity with Fireblocks implementation, including workspace configuration, policy design, approval workflows, and supporting control considerations. In addition to serving as a digital asset cyber risk officer, this role will partner closely with fraud, product, operations, technology, and business stakeholders to identify and assess blockchain- and crypto-specific fraud scenarios across custody, transfer, and tokenized asset use cases. The individual should be comfortable reviewing technology architecture diagrams and process flows, understanding the fraud and cyber implications of tokenized assets, and translating complex technical concepts into clear risk guidance for senior stakeholders while balancing risk remediation against business objectives. Key responsibilities include: · Leading the risk assessment and control review of enterprise digital asset custody capabilities, including Fireblocks, wallet architecture, account structures, governance, and operating processes · Serving as a subject matter expert on key protection and secure signing mechanisms, including MPC- and HSM-based models, key generation and storage, rotation and recovery practices, and privileged access controls · Evaluating transaction policy controls designed to prevent unauthorized or unwanted transactions, including approval workflows, allowlisting, velocity or value thresholds, segregation of duties, and exception handling · Partnering with cyber, fraud, product, operations, and engineering stakeholders to identify blockchain- and crypto-specific fraud typologies and define preventive and detective controls · Reviewing technology architecture diagrams, data flows, and integration patterns to identify cyber, fraud, and control design risks across digital asset platforms and supporting services · Assessing the risk implications of tokenized asset products and processes, including issuance, custody, transfer, redemption, settlement, and on-chain or off-chain dependencies · Supporting new product, platform change, and third-party risk reviews for digital asset and tokenization initiatives, ensuring alignment to the WM business risk appetite · Defining and tracking metrics related to control coverage, policy exceptions, incidents, fraud trends, remediation progress, and residual risk · Liaising with Morgan Stanley’s central cybersecurity, fraud, and risk organizations to interpret requirements and apply them effectively within the WM environment · Clearly communicating risks, recommendations, and decisions to technology, business, and risk stakeholders Qualifications: · 7-10 years of relevant experience in cybersecurity, fraud risk, operational risk, technology risk, or digital asset risk management · Experience with enterprise digital asset custody or wallet technologies and strong familiarity with Fireblocks implementation and associated governance or control frameworks · Strong knowledge of key protection and secure signing mechanisms, including MPC, HSMs, key lifecycle management, approval workflows, and transaction signing controls · Understanding of transaction policy frameworks used to prevent unauthorized or unwanted digital asset movements, including allowlists, thresholds, dual controls, and exception management · Knowledge of blockchain- and crypto-specific fraud considerations, including account takeover, beneficiary or address manipulation, social engineering, scam exposure, and blockchain transaction finality · Ability to interpret technology architecture diagrams, application flows, and system interfaces and identify the implications for cyber and fraud risk · General knowledge of the tokenization ecosystem and risks associated with tokenized assets, smart contracts, issuers, service providers, and on-chain or off-chain operating models · Solid foundation in cybersecurity principles, including architecture risk identification, vulnerability management, secure SDLC concepts, and control design assessment · Ability to partner with stakeholders and drive complex initiatives to completion in a large matrixed organization · Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly at all levels within the organization · Exceptional critical thinking, problem-solving, and research skills, with the ability to independently manage multiple simultaneous workstreams and exhibit strong attention to detail Preferred Qualifications · Experience supporting digital asset, tokenization, or blockchain-related programs within a financial services environment · Experience working with fraud strategy, investigations, transaction monitoring, or controls for payment or digital asset transaction flows · Familiarity with blockchain analytics, wallet screening, sanctions controls, or other tools used to monitor digital asset activity in complex enterprise environments · Experience with scripting, automation, or data analysis tools such as Python, SQL, or similar technologies WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM MORGAN STANLEY: At Morgan Stanley, we raise, manage and allocate capital for our clients – helping them reach their goals. We do it in a way that’s differentiated – and we’ve done that for 90 years. Our values - putting clients first, doing the right thing, leading with exceptional ideas, committing to diversity and inclusion, and giving back - aren’t just beliefs, they guide the decisions we make every day to do what's best for our clients, communities and more than 80,000 employees in 1,200 offices across 42 countries. At Morgan Stanley, you’ll find an opportunity to work alongside the best and the brightest, in an environment where you are supported and empowered. Our teams are relentless collaborators and creative thinkers, fueled by their diverse backgrounds and experiences. We are proud to support our employees and their families at every point along their work-life journey, offering some of the most attractive and comprehensive employee benefits and perks in the industry. There’s also ample opportunity to move about the business for those who show passion and grit in their work. To learn more about our offices across the globe, please copy and paste https://www.morganstanley.com/about-us/global-offices​ into your browser. Expected base pay rates for the role will be between $110,000 and $190,000 per year at the commencement of employment. However, base pay if hired will be determined on an individualized basis and is only part of the total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, incentive compensation, discretionary bonuses, other short and long-term incentive packages, and other Morgan Stanley sponsored benefit programs. Morgan Stanley is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workforce that is diverse in experience and background. Our recruiting efforts reflect our strong commitment to a culture of inclusion, where individuals are hired, developed, and advanced based on their skills and talents. Our workforce reflects a broad cross-section of the global communities in which we operate, bringing a variety of backgrounds, talents, perspectives, and experiences. For more information, please visit: https://www.morganstanley.com/people-opportunities/eeo.