RYAN SELKIS is a well-known figure in the cryptocurrency world as the founder of the Messari crypto group and from his time as former managing director at CoinDesk.
But what’s the story behind Ryan Selkis and his journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur?
Who is Ryan Selkis?
Ryan Selkis was born in Albany, New York in the mid-1980s – and like most people who have ended up dominating the crypto sphere, he started out in the City.
Aged 18, in 2004 he joined Boston College where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in finance in 2008.
His first job was as an analyst for JPMorgan and an Associate at Summit Partners before he set up his own company: Good Benefits Inc.
Launched in 2011, the start-up designs specialised work environment programmes for businesses looking to replace their staff with more generous employment offers.
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It was in December 2013 that Selkis first turned his attention to Bitcoin. He founded TBI Consulting, a venture capital consulting company that bootstrapped projects, including the TBI Daily Newsletter.
At the same time he started blogging his thoughts on cryptocurrency under the pseudonym “Two-Bit Idiot” and also writing for CoinDesk using the pen name “Ryan Galt”.
As “Ryan Galt” he exposed the scandal behind the collapse of the MtGox exchange.
At the time the largest crypto exchange in the world, in September 2014 MtGox saw hackers steal 740,000 in Bitcoin from customers and 100,000 from the company itself.
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Selkis was the first to report on the scale of the losses and shared a leaked “crisis strategy plan” from MtGox. He warned the exchange was essentially bankrupt and that the hacking had gone “unnoticed for several years”.
Just 24 hours later, the company ceased trading and shut down its website.
Selkis’s next big moment came in 2016 when he bought CoinDesk and took on the role of managing director.
In the role, he arranged the biggest industry conference ever held at the time, with 2,600 people attending. The company’s income grew by 730 percent while he was in charge.
The entrepreneur spent just 18 months at the helm of CoinDesk before leaving to start a new venture. He stepped down from his role in July 2017 and in January 2018 launched Messari.
The company described itself as “the leading provider of crypto market intelligence products”. As CEO, Selkis is responsible for the company’s overall strategy and vision.
Messari has become one of the leading voices in crypto space, with its data, analysis, and forecasts acting as the foundation for several news stories.
Selkis serves as the face of the company, interacting with customers, partners, and investors but also making regular media appearances giving his views and insight into the state of the industry.