Former Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein joins Securitize as COO

As an analyst with extensive experience in the digital asset space, I find Michael Sonnenshein’s appointment as COO of Securitize both intriguing and promising. His tenure at Grayscale Investments, where he was instrumental in launching the first publicly traded Bitcoin fund, speaks volumes about his expertise in this nascent yet rapidly growing industry.

Previously serving as CEO at Grayscale Investments, Michael Sonnenshein, has been promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer at Securitize, a digital token issuance and management platform.

As per a recent announcement, Sonnenshein began working for the company on December 9, which was several months following his departure from the asset management firm in May 2024.

For several months now, Sonnenshein has been providing guidance to fintech and blockchain businesses. A glance at his LinkedIn profile reveals that he serves as an advisor for five companies including: Scholars of Finance, Stocktwits, Arch, Sodot, and Aptos Labs.

Barry Sonnenshein’s company, Grayscale Investments, is responsible for the first publicly traded Bitcoin (BTC) fund — the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC). This trust was transformed into an exchange-traded fund (ETF) in January, after receiving approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Back in August 2023, Grayscale successfully fought a court case against the SEC regarding the transformation of their trust into an ETF. Later on, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler acknowledged that the court’s decision was pivotal for the launch of the Bitcoin fund on Wall Street.

In his fresh position, Sonnenshein is tasked with nurturing connections with asset managers, while also handling marketing, sales, and distribution matters. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the company was searching for a leader proficient in traditional financial services and modern digital assets.

As a newly joined analyst at Securitize, I’m incredibly excited to be part of this dynamic team at such a transformative period for both our company and the tokenization sector. The demand for tokenization is enormous, and I can’t wait to contribute to its growth and success.

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2024-12-12 19:55