Former BlackRock executive and now co-CEO of Sharplink, Joseph Chalom, asserts that Ethereum is evolving into the central infrastructure of the global financial system, combining trust, security, and liquidity.
With twenty years at BlackRock, Chalom believes Ethereum surpasses being just a blockchain and embodies a programmable platform capable of driving the finance of the future beyond Bitcoin’s model.
Sharplink relies on over $3 billion of staked ETH, with restaking and regulated custody strategies, to offer stable and institutional returns without the excessive risks of DeFi.
From BlackRock to Sharplink: Trust in a Reliable Infrastructure
After two decades at BlackRock, where he played a crucial role in the rise of the Aladdin management system, Chalom understands the demands of financial giants. He oversaw support for Circle, the launch of the renowned IBIT ETF, and investments in tokenization through Securitize.
Chalom stresses that Ethereum is not just a cryptocurrency platform but a multifunctional tool capable of handling transactions, loans, exchanges, NFTs, and intricate applications. While Bitcoin remains an excellent reserve asset, Ethereum offers a programmable infrastructure tailored for the future of finance.
A Productive Asset Attracting Institutional Interest
Ethereum’s strength lies in its ability to generate returns, unlike Bitcoin, often dubbed ‘digital gold’ but unproductive. Ether (ETH) yields around 3% annually through proof-of-stake. ‘It’s a productive asset, and this productivity can be redistributed to shareholders,’ explains Chalom. With over $3 billion in staked ETH at Sharplink, exploring restaking strategies through partnerships with Consensys, Linea, and EigenLayer to unlock further yields while upholding regulated custody security.
Decentralized Finance Without Unbridled Risk?
Sharplink aims to demonstrate the possibility of offering DeFi-worthy returns without bearing extreme risks. By immobilizing a portion of capital without short-term withdrawal constraints, the company can provide attractive and stable returns. ‘If you’re willing to lock your capital, you can become the ‘L’ of total value locked,’ summarizes Chalom. In essence, these new institutional players bring what decentralized finance has lacked: a solid, capitalized foundation compliant with financial market regulations.
Ethereum, the New Rails of Global Finance
For Chalom, Sharplink represents not a break from BlackRock but a logical continuation: bridging traditional finance with the crypto ecosystem.
For decades, we’ve built rails filled with intermediaries. Ethereum allows us to rebuild them faster, more cost-effectively, and with superior security.
In his view, the divide between DeFi and TradFi is destined to vanish. ‘Over time, we won’t distinguish between decentralized or traditional finance. It will simply be called finance. And Ethereum will be the underlying infrastructure.’
