From BlackRock to SharpLink: Joseph Chalom on Institutional Crypto Adoption

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For this week’s Tuesday episode, I interviewed Joseph Chalom, CEO of SharpLink and former Head of Digital Assets at BlackRock.

Joseph shares how he went from leading BlackRock’s digital asset strategy to running one of the first publicly listed digital asset treasuries on Nasdaq. He explains what inspired him to leave BlackRock after 20 years, how institutional demand for Bitcoin and Ethereum has evolved and what makes a good DAT.

We dive deep into Ethereum’s role as the global settlement layer for finance, why tokenization is the next major market structure shift, and how SharpLink’s treasury model creates exposure to Ethereum, while actively managing yield through staking and DeFi.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro
01:06 – Life after 20 years at BlackRock & how his role at SharpLink began
02:47 – Building BlackRock’s digital asset division and early learnings
04:28 – Why institutional adoption took time: regulation & infrastructure gaps
05:53 – ETF demand, client-first strategy & product-market fit for crypto
07:55 – Who’s really driving today’s crypto markets investors vs traders
09:11 – Why Bitcoin, Ethereum, and stablecoins dominate institutional portfolios
10:39 – Ethereum as the programmable settlement layer for global finance
12:19 – Stablecoins, tokenization & the trillion-dollar opportunity ahead
13:24 – Institutions entering DeFi and why the rails are shifting fast
14:09 – What Ethereum’s consistency, security & liquidity mean for investors
15:25 – Tokenization: which assets should actually move onchain
17:00 – How stablecoins threaten bank margins but benefit the U.S. economy
18:34 – Treasury management & the opportunity for onchain balance sheets
19:34 – SharpLink’s mission: institutional access to Ethereum exposure
21:12 – Turning ETH into a productive asset through staking and DeFi
23:03 – Building an institutional team with trust & long-term credibility
25:22 – Market cycles, ETH accumulation & thesis-driven treasury strategy
27:48 – Managing a Nasdaq-listed crypto company responsibly
30:12 – Lessons from BlackRock: transparency, controls & investor trust
32:58 – The rise of other digital asset treasuries & what sets SharpLink apart
35:03 – Global expansion: insights from Korea, Singapore & Hong Kong
38:15 – How Asia’s retail energy outpaces Europe’s institutional caution
41:10 – What he learned from 70+ investor meetings across four continents
43:03 – Why DeFi collaboration matters more than competition
45:09 – Final advice: play the long game, manage risk, and lead with integrity

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Money and people moves

1. Trump picks SEC Crypto Task Force’s Mike Selig as CFTC chair

2. Arjun Chand joins LI FI protocol as head of narrative

3. Frank Corva to depart Bitcoin Magazine after being its White House and political correspondent

4. Carlos Garcia joins Fortune as its crypto reporting fellow

5. Fireblocks acquired Dynamic to expand its developer tooling

Talking points for the road

Crypto-focused headlines or research that caught my eye…and should catch yours, too.

1. Mt. Gox pushes back repayment deadline by another year (The Block)

2. Elon Musk's SpaceX Moves $133 Million Worth of Bitcoin (Decrypt)

3. Binance’s CZ Prepares for Second Act as Trump Wipes Slate Clean (Bloomberg)

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Please note that this content is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Any views shared should not be considered financial advice, nor should it be used to make investment decisions. Cryptocurrencies are high risk and you should consult a financial professional before making any financial decisions. Make sure you do your own research. We may have a direct or indirect financial interest in content mentioned in this newsletter.