About Experience Impact Contact
Jason T. Arnold
Available for strategic advisory
🇺🇸 Chicago, IL  ·  Web3  ·  Digital Assets

Jason T.
Arnold

Director of Crypto & Digital Assets

Building at the intersection of blockchain ecosystems, institutional strategy, and emerging digital infrastructure — from pre-launch to $70B+ market cap.

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01 / About
Jason T. Arnold

Ecosystem strategist scaling Web3's most ambitious protocols.

I'm a blockchain ecosystem strategist and business development specialist with 8+ years of experience driving growth for top-tier crypto protocols and digital asset ventures. From pre-launch strategy to post-TGE ecosystem expansion, I've helped build and scale projects that collectively represent over $70B in peak market capitalization.

My work spans the full lifecycle — recruiting validators and infrastructure partners, forging strategic alliances with exchanges and market makers, and advising on go-to-market strategy for Layer 1/Layer 2 networks. I bring a rare combination of deep technical fluency (CS degree, patent research background) and high-level strategic thinking to every engagement.

0+ Years in Crypto
0+ Projects Recruited
$0B+ Peak Market Cap
$0B+ Peak TVL Managed
02 / Experience

Where I've Built

  • Led the development of a $100M–$500M crypto venture fund strategy, blending institutional venture capital with crypto-native trading to target 25–50% annual returns across market cycles.
  • Managed multi-strategy portfolio allocation across DeFi yield, venture investments, liquid trading, and opportunistic plays, while maintaining strict risk controls with less than 20% maximum drawdown.
  • Directed research and capital deployment in AI × Crypto, tokenized real-world assets, DeFi infrastructure, and restaking — sourcing 50+ venture opportunities annually with 5–10x target returns.
  • Implemented institutional-grade risk frameworks including VaR modeling, stress testing, multi-signature custody solutions, regulatory compliance protocols, and LP reporting infrastructure.
  • Building out a 15+ person cross-functional team of research analysts, DeFi specialists, on-chain data analysts, and AI researchers, while establishing strategic partnerships with leading blockchain ecosystems, protocols, and industry service providers.
Venture CapitalPortfolio ManagementDeFiAI × CryptoRisk Frameworks
  • Incorporated THORChain's SPV-intended digital asset company operations and initiated negotiations for an upcoming NASDAQ listing (process currently underway).
  • Directed development of THORChain's new App Layer, a flagship ecosystem expansion that launched during tenure.
  • Personally raised ~$30M of the total $55M ecosystem development fund, leading all capital outreach, LP negotiations, and fundraising strategy.
  • Managed and led negotiations for major team and project acquisitions, liquidity strategies, and cross-functional initiatives to enhance THORChain's cross-chain DeFi presence and financial sustainability.
Cross-Chain DeFiFundraisingApp LayerNASDAQ$55M Fund
  • Supported development of special projects and raised exogenous funding to accelerate ecosystem growth.
  • Introduced leadership to prominent KOLs and leading projects for potential deployment on Sei.
  • Vetted projects and teams, negotiated and executed partnership agreements, and managed liquidity deployment and growth initiatives.
  • Represented Sei at public engagements and industry events, elevating the protocol's profile across the broader blockchain community.
Layer 1Ecosystem GrowthPartnershipsCommunity
  • Coordinated all deal flow for the US market and managed global investor relationships including VCs, LPs, and market makers.
  • Vetted project teams to determine viability and priority; administered grant allocations to pre-vetted and approved projects.
  • Established accelerator and incubator partnerships to funnel high-quality builders into the NEAR ecosystem.
  • Led development of the wallet-agnostic standard for NEAR's universal wallet selector.
  • Initiated the raise for a novel $50M Ecosystem Fund to invest in the NEAR ecosystem and foster growth across the US market.
Layer 1US Market ExpansionGrants$50M FundWallet Standards

Strategy, Growth & Partnerships

  • Actively participated in ecosystem strategy, managed product development and cohesion across the ecosystem, and advised TFL on strategic planning and partnerships.
  • Coordinated with other ecosystems and large DeFi protocols to increase UST adoption and development on Terra L1.
  • Worked with Terraform Capital and the Hackathon Team to allocate funds for new Terra-native projects and promote building on Terra.
  • Successfully recruited 100+ new projects to build on Terra and onboarded nearly 20+ enterprise-level institutions for UST integration and adoption.
  • Structured landmark partnerships including a $40M MLB Washington Nationals sponsorship and a $200M treasury swap with the Avalanche Foundation.

Head of Grants (Terraform Labs & Luna Foundation Guard)

  • Designed and launched two novel grants programs: one for Terraform Labs (infrastructure grants — Project Dawn) and one for the Luna Foundation Guard (LFG) covering community growth, research, education, and unique projects.
  • Actively negotiated grant agreement terms to prioritize capital efficiency and maximize project output across the $4B+ treasury.
  • At its peak, LFG held $3.1B in reserves (primarily Bitcoin) with a target of $10B to back UST.

Technical Product Manager — Anchor Protocol

  • Led Anchor team to implement new tokenomics (Anchor V2), an improved liquidation queue, and novel backend operational and investment strategies.
  • Grew Anchor's TVL from under $4B to over $12B+ at the time of promotion — ultimately reaching $20B+, making it the largest TVL across all chains at that time.
$70B+ Market Cap$20B+ TVLAnchor ProtocolGrantsBD & Partnerships
  • Managed full-scope patent prosecution from drafting to grant for Fortune 100 companies across blockchain, P2P payment platforms, AI/ML, autonomous vehicles, healthcare technology, and digital privacy.
  • Actively participated in strategic product planning, product cohesion analyses, and IP management for technology clients.
  • Managed client correspondence and advisory decisions with engineering teams regarding comprehensive science and engineering matters.
  • Researched deep market trends and advised clients on product development decisions, strategic roadmap targets, and go-to-market strategies to best achieve mass-market adoption.
Patent LawBlockchain IPFintechAI & MLFortune 100
  • Drafted and prosecuted patent applications for Fortune 100 clients across AI, blockchain/DLT, software, cloud computing, and mechanical products.
  • Developed deep expertise in blockchain and cryptographic distributed ledger patent strategy, building the foundational technical knowledge applied throughout later career in crypto.
Patent ProsecutionBlockchainAIFortune 100
03 / Impact

Career Highlights

$70B+ Peak Market Cap

Contributed to ecosystem growth across protocols that collectively achieved over $70 billion in peak market capitalization.

$20B+ TVL Ecosystem

Recruited and managed ecosystem partners powering over $20 billion in total value locked across DeFi protocols.

100+ Projects Recruited

Onboarded over 100 projects spanning DeFi, wallets, aggregators, and infrastructure providers into major blockchain ecosystems.

Global Ecosystem Leadership

Led ecosystem strategy across Americas for multiple top-20 blockchain protocols, operating from Chicago, Miami, NYC, San Francisco, and Singapore.

Published Researcher

Co-authored peer-reviewed papers published at ACM SIGCSE 2016 and IEEE RESPECT 2015 on CS education and diversity in computing.

16+ Academic Awards

President of Upsilon Pi Epsilon (CS Honor Society), 3.74 GPA at Marquette University, Dean's List, and multiple scholarships.

04 / Expertise

Core Competencies

Ecosystem Development
Business Development
DeFi Strategy
Layer 1 / Layer 2
Token Economics
Validator Relations
Exchange Listings
Market Making
Go-to-Market Strategy
Institutional Partnerships
Venture & Investments
Cross-Chain Infrastructure
Patent & IP Strategy
Developer Ecosystem
Grant Programs
Crypto Fund Allocation
05 / Contact

Let's Build Together

Looking for a strategic partner to scale your protocol, grow your ecosystem, or navigate the crypto landscape? Let's talk.

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