Zechariah Kirscher
About Zechariah Kirscher
Zechariah “Zack” Kirscher, 38, is Vice President, Legal at RYVYL. He joined the company in May 2022 as Senior Counsel and was appointed VP of Legal Affairs in April 2023, following nearly a decade in private practice at Cooley LLP (Apr 2021–May 2022) and DLA Piper (US) (Sep 2015–Apr 2021). He holds a BA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a JD from Chicago-Kent College of Law; his background centers on representing banks, lenders, private funds, and companies in venture lending, which he now applies to RYVYL’s growth strategy . During his tenure, company revenues moved from $65.9M (FY 2023) to $56.0M (FY 2024) , while EBITDA and net loss improved (details below).*
Notable responsibilities: As General Counsel, Kirscher is a designated signatory (with the CFO) for the company’s Anchorage Digital Asset Account while Series C preferred is outstanding (Bitcoin/USDT/USDC custody), highlighting his operational control in regulated crypto custodial processes .
Company Performance During Kirscher’s Tenure
| Metric (USD) | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenues | $65,869,000 | $55,998,000 |
| EBITDA | $(9,749,000)* | $(7,282,000)* |
| Net Income (Loss) | $(53,101,000)* | $(26,825,000)* |
*Values retrieved from S&P Global.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| DLA Piper (US) | Attorney (venture lending practice) | Sep 2015–Apr 2021 | Represented banks, lenders, private funds; underwriting and documentation strength in growth/venture finance |
| Cooley LLP | Attorney (venture lending practice) | Apr 2021–May 2022 | Advised on venture lending transactions; enhanced risk-aware, growth-oriented legal frameworks |
| RYVYL | Senior Counsel → VP Legal | May 2022–Apr 2023 → Present | Built in-house legal capabilities; governance, financing, and compliance support for payment transformation strategy |
External Roles
No public company directorships or external board roles disclosed in the company’s proxy biographies for Kirscher .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | The company is a smaller reporting company and only discloses Named Executive Officers (NEOs); Kirscher is not an NEO . |
| Target Bonus (%) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed for non-NEOs . |
| Actual Bonus Paid ($) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed for non-NEOs . |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive Type | Metric(s) | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs/PSUs | Not disclosed | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stock Options | Not disclosed | — | — | — | — | — |
- The company maintains a 2023 Equity Incentive Plan (amended Oct 15, 2024); 5,098,262 shares reserved; 2,045,809 shares remained available as of Oct 31, 2025 .
- Equity award timing policy: no grants around material non-public information windows; equity grants tied to employment events .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Beneficial Ownership
| Metric | 2024 Proxy (Record date) | 2025 Proxy (Nov 13, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Common shares beneficially owned | 27,281 | 74,215 |
| Percent of class | <1% | <1% |
| Notes | Includes 26,666 fully vested options | Includes 53,334 fully vested options |
Options and Equity Detail
| Instrument | Status | Count | Strike | Expiration | Vesting Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock options | Fully vested (2024) | 26,666 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Stock options | Fully vested (2025) | 53,334 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| RSUs/RSAs | — | Not disclosed | — | — | — |
- Pledging/hedging: No specific pledging or hedging disclosures for Kirscher in reviewed filings; company Insider Trading Policy adopted Feb 15, 2024 .
- Trading plans: Company will provide and maintain a 10b5-1 plan for directors and employees .
Employment Terms
- Role/tenure: Joined RYVYL in May 2022; appointed VP Legal (VP of Legal Affairs) in April 2023 .
- Contract status: Company states executive employment is “at-will” and has not broadly entered into executive employment/compensation agreements beyond those disclosed; change-in-control payments are not provided to named executive officers . Kirscher-specific employment agreement is not disclosed.
- Insider policy: Insider Trading Policy adopted Feb 15, 2024; aims to promote compliance with insider trading laws and Nasdaq standards .
- 10b5-1 trading plan: Company provides and maintains plans for directors/employees; noted arrangements for an ex-director (Montoya) regarding grant tax payments until plan availability .
- Governance authority: Named as a signatory (with CFO) over the Anchorage Digital Asset Account for custody of digital assets tied to Series C preferred financing .
- Section 16 controls: Company sought POAs from Section 16 officers and is implementing equity software to improve timeliness of filings .
Investment Implications
- Compensation alignment visibility is limited: As a non-NEO, Kirscher’s cash compensation and incentive metrics (revenue/EBITDA/TSR) are not disclosed, constraining pay-for-performance analysis; investors must infer alignment from equity holdings and governance responsibilities .
- Skin-in-the-game modest but increasing: Beneficial ownership rose from 27,281 to 74,215 shares with fully vested options doubling to 53,334, suggesting increased equity alignment; however, ownership remains <1% of the float, limiting direct economic exposure .
- Governance and control signals: As General Counsel and crypto account signatory, Kirscher holds operational authority in sensitive treasury/custody workflows, a positive signal for compliance rigor—but also an area where controls must remain robust .
- Company fundamentals: FY 2024 revenue declined YoY while EBITDA and net loss improved, indicating progress on cost structure amid top-line pressure; compensation metrics tied to financial outcomes are not reported for Kirscher, weakening the ability to assess incentive-driven execution risk .*
*Values retrieved from S&P Global.