Xapo – European IT recruitment across a variety of senior and technical roles for a leading digital banking company

Nikoloz Khotcholava

Last updated on January 8, 2026 | 11 min read

Introduction

Xapo Bank, a Gibraltar-based Bitcoin-enabled bank integrating traditional finance with cryptocurrency, needed to scale European teams to protect delivery timelines and platform reliability. Operating in a high-security, compliance-driven setting, the bank relies on AWS, Kubernetes, Node.js, React, Swift, and Python across web and mobile. Teams spanned backend, frontend, mobile, DevOps, QA, and design.

Internal hiring stalled as strict vetting and cross-border coordination slowed progress, and few candidates passed cryptography and API tasks. DevsData LLC targeted specialists with hands-on experience in the technologies Xapo uses, delivered the first shortlist in six business days, and secured 17 specialists in six months.

Client overview

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Gibraltar, Xapo Bank is a private bank focused on secure digital banking and crypto integration. It runs a regulated banking app that combines USD accounts with blockchain payments for clients worldwide.

Key services and areas of specialization:

• USD accounts with blockchain payment functionality.
• Custody with daily interest on USD and Bitcoin.
• Wealth management and in-app stock trading for European users.

Xapo serves customers across Europe and operates globally with a remote-first model. Reported annual revenue is $16.8 million as of May 2025. The platform continues to expand features while maintaining regulated banking standards. Operations span multiple time zones, with client support available worldwide.

Project scope and objectives

Xapo Bank turned to DevsData LLC once its internal recruitment cycles stalled. Internal teams faced slow cross-country coordination, complex cryptography, and API tasks that few candidates passed, leaving senior technical positions in Europe unfilled. The client required a process that delivered screened candidates who could meet strict technical and compliance benchmarks.

The scope included Backend and Frontend Engineers, Mobile Developers, DevOps Experts, QA Staff, Product Managers, and Design Professionals. Each role was tied to core technologies such as AWS, Kubernetes, Node.js, React, Swift, and Python. Candidates were expected to understand security demands in digital finance while also contributing to daily product delivery. These hires were placed within critical teams responsible for system resilience and the pace of new releases.

Objectives centered on shortening the time to hire and improving candidate quality compared with earlier cycles. Xapo expected swift shortlists, reliable evaluations, and hires who could integrate into distributed teams without delay. The project also aimed to establish a sustainable recruitment model for future expansion, ensuring the client could maintain delivery capacity while operating in a highly regulated environment.

Challenges and constraints

Xapo Bank’s recruitment obstacles went beyond the usual difficulty of finding qualified engineers. The intersection of regulated finance, distributed collaboration, and specialized blockchain knowledge created friction in hiring at multiple stages. Each constraint threatened to extend timelines that were already stretching delivery capacity. The table below shows how DevsData LLC addressed these problems with targeted interventions.

These constraints show why Xapo Bank needed a recruitment partner with both technical vetting capability and compliance knowledge. DevsData LLC’s process restored hiring momentum while ensuring new joiners could meet Xapo’s technical and compliance requirements.

Strategic recruitment approach

DevsData LLC searched Central and Eastern Europe for candidates. These hubs were selected because they consistently produce Engineers with strong experience in AWS and Kubernetes and a history of contributing to regulated finance projects. Concentrating on these hubs reduced time spent searching unproductive markets and surfaced candidates already familiar with regulated finance.

The sourcing effort drew on DevsData LLC’s private database of more than 65000 professionals and was reinforced by targeted outreach through industry networks. Recruiters monitored FinTech and blockchain communities, tracking which sources delivered qualified candidates to inform their outreach. This iterative tracking allowed the pipeline to stay consistent despite fluctuating candidate availability.

Candidates worked through coding assignments in Node.js, React, Swift, and Python, then tackled scenario tasks focused on cryptography and API security. Recruiters reworked these tasks to reflect practical conditions rather than theoretical skills, which improved pass rates. They also shared preparation guidelines that helped candidates understand what Xapo’s environment required, reducing late-stage withdrawals. Structured interviews evaluated collaboration style and problem-solving under pressure. Remote-readiness checks included asynchronous communication simulations, ensuring that those who advanced could adapt to Xapo’s distributed model. Each stage was measured against strict criteria so that only a narrow set of qualified applicants reached the client.

“This was one of the most complex searches we managed. Beyond technical skill, we had to confirm readiness for compliance-heavy workflows and distributed collaboration. Every checkpoint was treated as both a filter and an alignment step, which is why the final hires delivered value almost immediately.” – L. Mamulashvili, Recruitment Specialist at DevsData LLC

Results and impact

Over a six-month period, DevsData LLC completed the recruitment of 17 specialists across engineering, product, and design. These outcomes shortened the backlog of open vacancies and restored stability to delivery pipelines in Xapo Bank’s regulated digital banking environment.

The new hires contributed to:

• Timely execution of planned releases, allowing sprints to progress without disruption.
• Reinforcement of backend and mobile systems through added DevOps and QA Staff.
• Expanded time zone coverage across Europe, enabling smoother collaboration with Gibraltar headquarters.
• Redistribution of workloads that lifted team morale in post-onboarding surveys.
• Strengthening of security-sensitive functions by adding Engineers with cryptography and API knowledge.
• Clearer role ownership within product and design teams, reducing the context switching burden on senior contributors.

These hires gave Xapo enough qualified staff across engineering, product, and design teams to scale services without compromising compliance or delivery schedules. The client recognized the process as accurate, timely, and well-aligned with its operating requirements.

Conclusion

Xapo Bank faced persistent hiring challenges that slowed product development and placed compliance at risk. Open vacancies across technical and product teams created delivery delays and forced existing staff to stretch beyond sustainable levels. For a digital bank combining regulated finance with blockchain-based services, the absence of qualified specialists threatened to impact both customer trust and the institution’s long-term growth trajectory.

DevsData LLC addressed this situation with a recruitment process designed for accuracy and speed. A regional focus on European hubs, rigorous technical testing, and explicit checks for remote-readiness enabled the client to fill 17 roles in under six months. The average cycle time settled at 32.4 days. New joiners adapted quickly and contributed directly to projects tied to security, product expansion, and system resilience, helping Xapo restore stability across its distributed teams.

This engagement showed that DevsData LLC can fill senior security-focused roles in a regulated banking setting on tight timelines. Similar precision appeared in placements for LayerZero Inc. (three Web3 specialists in 27 days), Pi Network (crypto-native engineers in under a month), and Cookie3 (Head of AI in two weeks). By combining targeted sourcing with detailed evaluations, the firm has repeatedly delivered outcomes that align with both immediate hiring needs and long-term strategic goals. Companies seeking Engineers, DevOps Professionals, or Product Managers for complex digital platforms can rely on DevsData LLC to provide results that balance speed with precision.

For more information or to discuss upcoming projects, contact general@devsdata.com or visit www.devsdata.com.

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Nikoloz Khotcholava Copywriter and Marketer

Nika Khotcholava is a dedicated copywriter with four years of experience crafting engaging content across various platforms. His background in social media management has sharpened his ability to communicate ideas effectively and collaborate closely with designers to bring creative visions to life. Nika thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys learning something new every day.

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