Breaking News: Seasoned Executive from BlackRock Takes on Co-CEO Role in Leading Ethereum Corporation
Joseph Chalom, a seasoned digital finance expert with over two decades of experience at BlackRock, has taken on a new role as Co-CEO at SharpLink Gaming. The company, now rebranded as an Ethereum treasury company, has become the leading corporate holder of Ethereum, surpassing the Ethereum Foundation.
Chalom's appointment comes at a time when SharpLink is aiming to leverage Ethereum to drive transformative change in the global digital economy, particularly within the online gaming sector. His extensive background in digital assets and fintech investments will be instrumental in achieving this goal.
At BlackRock, Chalom served as Managing Director and Head of Strategic Ecosystem Partnerships, where he played a key role in launching the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), the largest Ethereum exchange-traded product managing over $10 billion in assets. He also orchestrated partnerships with major financial institutions such as Nasdaq and Coinbase, and held leadership roles like interim Deputy COO and COO of BlackRock Solutions.
In his new role at SharpLink, Chalom will be sharing the CEO position with SharpLink cofounder and co-CEO Rob Phythian. Current CEO Phythian is transitioning to President and will remain on the Board, marking a leadership evolution designed to enhance SharpLink’s institutional growth and strategic partnerships.
Chalom's vision for SharpLink includes building a bridge between institutional capital and Ethereum-native yield, packaged in a single public equity. He aims to "activate" Ethereum, implying the use of the flagship token for native staking, restaking, and various yield strategies. Chalom has expressed his view that Ethereum is becoming the foundation of global finance.
However, the reasons for Chalom's departure from BlackRock and his plans for SharpLink beyond his role in the company are not yet clear. Similarly, the reasons for SharpLink's rebranding as an Ethereum treasury company and the role of ConsenSys CEO Joe Lubin in the company remain undisclosed.
Chalom's tenure at BlackRock also saw the introduction of BUILD, the leading tokenization fund. But no new information is provided about the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) or the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF that Chalom was responsible for launching at BlackRock.
Joseph Chalom's decision to join SharpLink as co-CEO has been described as a "massive" vote of confidence for Ethereum by ConsenSys CEO Joe Lubin. His appointment at SharpLink is set to further boost Ethereum's adoption as a treasury asset and drive innovations in digital finance.
[1] Barron's - SharpLink Gaming Rebrands as Ethereum Treasury Company, Appoints Joseph Chalom as Co-CEO [2] BusinessWire - SharpLink Gaming Announces Leadership Evolution, Appoints Joseph Chalom as Co-CEO [3] Yahoo Finance - Joseph Chalom Joins SharpLink Gaming as Co-CEO, Boosting Ethereum Adoption [4] The Block - Joseph Chalom Joins SharpLink Gaming as Co-CEO, Focused on Ethereum Adoption and Digital Finance Innovations
- Joseph Chalom, previously a digital finance expert at BlackRock, is now co-CEO at SharpLink Gaming, which has rebranded as an Ethereum treasury company.
- Chalom's vision for SharpLink includes using Ethereum for driving transformative change, particularly in the online gaming sector.
- His extensive background in digital assets and fintech investments will play a vital role in SharpLink's goal to leverage Ethereum for yield and strategic partnerships.
- Chalom plans to "activate" Ethereum through native staking, restaking, and various yield strategies, implying it will become the foundation of global finance.
- The iShares Ethereum Trust ETF, launched by Chalom at BlackRock, is expected to further boost Ethereum's adoption as a treasury asset and drive innovations in digital finance.
