Daniel Kim’s Transition from Traditional Banking to Crypto

Daniel Kim transitioned from traditional banking to crypto, leading Maple Finance and co-founding Volta to enhance institutional lending and security.

He sees Bitcoin’s role in DeFi growing, with BTC derivatives and Lightning Bitcoin improving institutional lending and liquidity in blockchain finance.

The world of finance is constantly changing, but few people have adapted as quickly as Daniel Kim. From his early days in traditional banking to now driving innovation in DeFi, Daniel’s path is one of flexibility, bravery, and forward thinking. With so much experience, he is currently leading the unsecured crypto lending revolution.

Daniel Kim: Seeing Beyond Traditional Banking

Daniel developed his talents in the traditional financial sector long before he entered the crypto space. Beginning his career at several prestigious companies, including BNP Paribas and State Street, he concentrated on fixed income capital markets.

His time at these firms helped him gain a strong awareness of how money flows, who manages it, and how to best utilize the financial system. However, traditional financial procedures often felt overly slow and rigid to him. Meanwhile, he began to notice innovation in the crypto space and started to see prospects beyond traditional banking.

From Banking to Blockchain Leadership

In 2016, Daniel made a life-altering decision, leaving the conveniences of banking to join Gemini Exchange, a crypto platform started by the Winklevoss twins. He took charge of creating services for institutional customers, focusing on digital asset trading and custody.

This move unlocked several doors for him. After Gemini, he joined itBit (now Paxos), where he played a key role in acquiring its New York Trust Charter, a significant achievement that allowed itBit to operate as a regulated financial entity—quite rare in the crypto space at that time.

However, the real challenge was just beginning as he wanted to contribute to the rapidly expanding crypto landscape.

Daniel Kim: Redefining Crypto Lending at Maple Finance

After several years working with various crypto firms, Daniel joined SFOX, a prime brokerage, where he developed an enhanced system for institutional investor liquidity. However, his ambitions extended further.

In 2021, he joined Maple Finance as Head of Capital Markets. More than just a DeFi platform, Maple Finance allows companies and institutions to borrow crypto loans without collateral—a significant departure from the norm where platforms require substantial collateral.

Under Daniel’s guidance, Maple Finance has continued to expand, including its move to the Solana blockchain after acquiring Avari, a Solana-based lending system. This expansion has broadened Maple Finance’s offerings and allowed it to support more projects within the growing blockchain ecosystem.

A New Standard for Digital Asset Protection

Not satisfied with merely establishing Maple Finance, Daniel continued to seek fresh methods to enhance industry security and efficiency. In 2024, he co-founded Volta Circuit with former SFOX CTO George Melika. Utilizing non-custodial multi-signature technology, Volta provides a digital asset security system designed to protect institutional investments.

Security remains a significant concern in the crypto space, especially for large investors handling substantial amounts of money. With Volta, Daniel aims to address this issue effectively. The project has quickly garnered market confidence and successfully obtained $4.1 million in seed funding to advance their technology.

Unlocking Institutional Potential with BTC

Currently, Daniel is closely monitoring trends in the crypto industry, particularly the increasing use of Bitcoin in the DeFi ecosystem. He anticipates that lending platforms will increasingly adopt Bitcoin derivatives as collateral, unlocking new opportunities for institutional investors.

Furthermore, he views Lightning Bitcoin (LBTC) as a crucial development that lowers counterparty risk and boosts liquidity. If this trend continues, Bitcoin could emerge as an essential component of the blockchain-based financial system.