Brandon Goh is a tech entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Treehouse Finance, a protocol focused on developing decentralized fixed-income infrastructure for digital assets. ^[1]

Education

Goh graduated from the University of Michigan and the University of Oxford. ^{[1] [5]}

Career

Goh began his career in traditional finance and consulting, working at institutions such as HSBC, Wells Fargo Securities, the United Nations, and Morgan Stanley. These roles provided him with experience in financial services, operations, and data-driven decision-making, which later informed his understanding of the structural and analytical limitations in decentralized finance (DeFi).

In 2021, he co-founded Treehouse Finance, a platform designed to enhance transparency and risk analysis within the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. The platform was created to address the scarcity of professional tools for tracking portfolio performance and assessing on-chain risk. Under his leadership as CEO, Treehouse developed tools that connect to user wallets, aggregate data across protocols, and present information such as profit and loss, yield performance, exposure, and impermanent loss. The platform is designed for both individual and institutional users, with an emphasis on usability and real-time analytics. ^[1]

Interviews

DeFi 2.0

In an episode of Bill It Up, Goh discussed his transition from traditional finance roles to the decentralized finance (DeFi) space. Goh, who had worked at Morgan Stanley, HSBC, and Wells Fargo, co-founded Treehouse to create a decentralized fixed income infrastructure for digital assets. He explained the vision behind Treehouse, likening it to a "beacon" amidst the complexities of the crypto world, and emphasized the importance of bridging traditional finance and DeFi. Goh outlined the company's offerings, including "tAssets," which are liquid staking tokens, and a decentralized benchmark rate called the "Decentralized Offered Rate" (DOR), designed to foster a fixed-income market in the crypto ecosystem. He also shared insights on the future of DeFi, underscoring the potential for integrating real-world assets and traditional financial practices, and highlighted the need for innovation to address regulatory challenges. The conversation concluded with advice for young graduates entering the tech industry, emphasizing the importance of curiosity and the ability to identify and engage with emerging trends. ^[6]

Fixed Income Layer

On The Defiant, Goh discussed Treehouse Finance's efforts to innovate within the fixed income sector of decentralized finance (DeFi) during an interview. Before Treehouse, Goh worked at Morgan Stanley, focusing on credit and interest rate derivatives, and was actively involved in the crypto space alongside peers who later founded successful crypto ventures. Treehouse aims to bridge traditional finance and DeFi by developing decentralized benchmarks, which are considered essential for institutional adoption of cryptocurrency. The company has created two main products: tAssets and a decentralized benchmark rate known as DOR, which aims to decentralize market data for fixed-income instruments. He emphasized the importance of establishing a robust fixed income market within DeFi, arguing that it could facilitate broader acceptance of crypto among institutional investors, similar to how traditional finance structured its interest rate derivatives market. The conversation concluded with Goh expressing his vision for Treehouse to become a foundational component of a mature decentralized finance (DeFi) environment. ^[2]

Treehouse Finance

On the Brave New Coin podcast, Goh discussed the evolution of Treehouse Finance and its efforts in the decentralized fixed income market during a podcast interview. He shared his background at Morgan Stanley, where he became interested in cryptocurrency, particularly after witnessing innovations like Uniswap. Initially starting as a data analytics platform for decentralized finance (DeFi), Treehouse evolved to focus on fixed income, recognizing its significance as a major asset class for institutions. Goh elaborated on Treehouse's two main products: tAssets, which democratizes interest rate arbitrage, and DOR, a decentralized offers mechanism inspired by traditional finance benchmarks. He expressed optimism about the future of Ethereum and DeFi, anticipating that fixed income will play a crucial role in attracting institutional interest. Throughout the discussion, he emphasized the importance of building trust and bridging traditional finance with DeFi to foster growth and innovation in new financial products within the space. ^[4]

Onchain Infrastructure

On the Proof of Coverage podcast discussing decentralized finance, Goh shared insights on building infrastructure for on-chain fixed-income products at Treehouse Finance. He reflected on his transition from traditional finance to cryptocurrency, driven by a desire for more innovative solutions in the fixed-income sector. The conversation highlighted the significant risks associated with rehypothecation in decentralized finance and underscored the importance of accurate benchmark rates for institutional participation. Goh explained the concept of tAssets, an initiative by Treehouse that combines liquid staking with an arbitrage strategy to provide users with enhanced yield opportunities. Additionally, he elaborated on the creation of a decentralized offer rate (DoR) mechanism, emphasizing the necessity for incentives to ensure accurate data reporting while addressing potential manipulation risks. The discussion encompassed the overarching need for reliable benchmarks in both traditional finance and decentralized ecosystems, positioning Treehouse as a key player in establishing this infrastructure. ^[7]

Liquid Staking Tokens

On the Cryptonews Podcast, Goh discussed his transition from traditional finance to the cryptocurrency sector, with a particular focus on the company's innovative initiatives in fixed-income solutions. Goh shared insights into his background, highlighting his experience at Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo before delving into the cryptocurrency realm, where he observed significant inefficiencies in the fixed-income market. He explained Treehouse's dual offerings: tAssets, which are liquid staking tokens designed to optimize yield through decentralized finance strategies, and Decentralized Offered Rates (DORs), aimed at establishing reliable benchmark rates for fixed income products within the crypto space. Goh emphasized the importance of democratizing access to these financial products and fostering an efficient market environment, while also expressing optimism about bridging traditional finance with the growing interest in decentralized finance among a broader audience. ^[3]

Presentations

ETH Yield Curve

In a keynote speech at Staking Summit Dubai, Goh discussed the potential integration of traditional finance concepts, specifically forward rates, into the rapidly evolving Ethereum staking market. He drew parallels between the current state of ETH staking and the simpler fixed income market of the 1970s, emphasizing the need for standardized benchmarks like LIBOR, which had transformed the banking industry. Goh introduced a new framework called decentralized offered rates (DOR), designed to bring principles from traditional finance into crypto staking, facilitating more predictable yield outcomes for users. He announced partnerships with major financial institutions to develop standardized products for institutional clients, highlighting the potential for a significant increase in trading volumes and new revenue streams within the staking ecosystem. ^[8]