Veteran financial services general counsel Stuart Alderoty took the legal reins at Ripple Labs Inc. in January, diving into a payments and blockchain industry that often still lacks strong regulatory clarity.

Six months into the job, Alderoty has worked with global regulators and settled into the financial technology sphere. Corporate Counsel spoke with the San Francisco-based general counsel about his relationship with regulators, the state of regulatory clarity worldwide, and his shift from traditional financial services. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.