The Shift Begins: Early Movers Embrace the Blockchain Movement

2019 marked a significant turning point as elite executives from traditional sectors, such as finance and law, began migrating to the promising lands of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Despite the chilling winds of a bear market, many decided to leap from the comfort of known giants into the unpredictable yet thrilling world of cryptos.

Key Hires: The New Blockchain Players

As companies scrambled to fortify their teams with industry veterans, several noteworthy hires emerged:

• David Labhart: Former SEC attorney who joined Tron to tackle regulatory compliance.
• Christian Noyer: The French central bank’s ex-governor who brought decades of financial wisdom to Setl.
• Stuart Alderoty: Legal eagle from HSBC assisting Ripple with legal challenges.
• Marco Lim: Pulled from Goldman Sachs to lead marketing for MaiCapital.
• Kyle Unterseher: Former Wells Fargo exec joining ErisX for business development.

Spring Awakening: A Change in Temperature for Crypto

As the winter thawed and optimism surged, an influx of experienced professionals sought refuge in the blockchain sector:

• Mike Blandina, an engineer from PayPal and Google, became the CPO of Bakkt.
• Chris Tyrer transitioned from Barclays to Fidelity Digital Assets to spearhead digital asset projects.
• Nick Carmi, a veteran trader, made waves at BitGo to strengthen ties with traditional finance.

Summer Surge: The Crypto Boom Expands

With crypto markets reaching new heights, seasoned professionals found the allure of blockchain irresistible. Some highlights include:

• Gin Chao: A former executive with corporate roots at NBA joining Binance.
• Rick Santorum: A political crossover into the crypto realm with Cathio.
• Oren Blonstein: Yet another tech guru moving from Tora to Huobi.

Fall Frenzy: The Crypto Talent Pool Deepens

Even as temperatures dipped, the trend of talent pouring into crypto showed no signs of slowing. New recruits included:

• Noah Perlman: Former Morgan Stanley exec taking the role of CCO at Gemini.
• Derek Gobel: A legal expert from BNP Paribas, embarking on a journey with BitMEX.
• Howard Surloff: A long-time BlackRock member, now General Counsel for Blockchain.com.

2020 and Beyond: The Migration Continues

As the year wrapped up, the trend persisted: professionals from all walks of traditional finance continued to jump ship. Each departure, each fresh face in the crypto ecosystem hinted at a profound transformation—not just of careers but of entire industries. In the face of market volatility, one thing became increasingly clear: crypto is where the smart money is heading.