MIAMI, FL / ACCESS Newswire / February 10, 2026 / Athena Bitcoin Global (OTC PINK:ABIT) ("Athena" or the "Company"), a leading international operator of Bitcoin ATMs and digital asset fintech solutions, today announced that Carlos Carreño, Chief Operating Officer of Athena Bitcoin, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Financial & International Business Association (FIBA).

The Financial & International Business Association (FIBA) is a not-for-profit trade association serving the international financial community through globally recognized training and certification programs, industry-leading conferences, and a premier membership network supporting excellence across global banking, payments, compliance, and financial services. The organization plays a critical role in shaping regulatory dialogue, promoting best practices, and advancing collaboration across the international banking and financial services ecosystem.

"I'm honored to join the FIBA Board and contribute to advancing dialogue between traditional banking, fintech, and digital asset innovation on a global scale," said Carlos Carreño, Chief Operating Officer of Athena Bitcoin. "As financial services continue to evolve, collaboration across jurisdictions and sectors is essential to building resilient, inclusive financial systems. I look forward to working with FIBA's leadership to promote regulatory clarity, best practices, and responsible innovation across international markets."

As Chief Operating Officer at Athena Bitcoin, Carreño leads all operational aspects of one of the largest Bitcoin ATM networks in the world, overseeing the daily operations of more than 3,000 Bitcoin ATMs across 35 U.S. states and international markets including Argentina, Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Under his leadership, Athena has achieved unprecedented operational scalability while maintaining the rigorous compliance standards typically associated with traditional banking institutions, a rare combination in the rapidly evolving digital asset sector.

Carreño brings more than 30 years of distinguished experience spanning global banking institutions and fintech innovation. A recognized authority in financial crime and cross-jurisdictional regulatory compliance, he has held senior leadership roles at HSBC LATAM and Citibank, where he served as Global Head of Financial Crime Compliance for International Private Banking. In these roles, he guided multinational regulatory strategy across private wealth, consumer banking, and correspondent banking, architecting high-impact AML frameworks, advancing sanctions governance, and leading global investigations across the United States, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East.

At Athena Bitcoin, Carreño has been instrumental in bridging the precision of traditional banking with the innovation of fintech, ensuring both scalability and regulatory alignment in one of the most complex and highly scrutinized sectors in finance. His leadership has positioned Athena as a model for compliance excellence in the digital asset space, demonstrating that cutting-edge financial technology and world-class regulatory governance can coexist.

Carreño's election to FIBA's Board of Directors reflects his standing as a trusted leader in financial crime risk management and his proven ability to navigate high-risk products and markets through complex regulatory environments across multiple jurisdictions. His appointment underscores the continued convergence of traditional banking and digital assets, as well as Athena Bitcoin's commitment to operating with the highest standards of compliance, operational excellence, and global industry leadership.

About Athena Bitcoin Global

Athena Bitcoin Global operates an international network of Athena Bitcoin kiosks, which are freestanding kiosks that permit customers to buy or sell Bitcoin in exchange for fiat currencies. The Company places its machines in convenience stores, shopping centers, and other easily accessible locations in thirty-five U.S. states and territories, and in four countries in Central and South America. Athena Bitcoin Global's comprehensive fintech platform enables POS merchant payments powered by Athena Pay, and the Company provides safe, reliable, and personalized trading services through its Athena Plus services. To learn more, visit www.athenabitcoin.com or follow Athena Bitcoin Global on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About FIBA

The Financial & International Business Association (FIBA) is a not-for-profit trade association serving the international financial community through globally recognized training and certification programs, industry-leading conferences, and a premier membership network supporting excellence across global banking, payments, compliance, and financial services.

For more information, visit www.fiba.net.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release about future expectations, plans, and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to anticipated industry collaboration, organizational impact, and strategic initiatives. The words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including market conditions, regulatory developments, and organizational priorities. Athena Bitcoin Global specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact

Rachele Andrejczak
Director of Marketing, Athena Bitcoin, Inc.
rachele@athenabitcoin.com
(786) 347-6242

SOURCE: Athena Bitcoin Global