# Antony Lewis

> Antony Lewis is an author, investor, and blockchain expert, known for his book, 'The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains,' and roles at R3 and Temasek. He is a p...

- Canonical URL: https://iq.wiki/wiki/antony-lewis
- Categories: People in crypto
- Tags: Founder, Speaker
- Created: 2026-01-21T17:58:31.038Z
- Last updated: 2026-01-21T17:58:31.038Z
- Source: IQ.wiki — the world's largest blockchain and crypto encyclopedia (https://iq.wiki)

---

**Antony Lewis** is the author of the book *The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains* and the founder of the blog *Bits on Blocks*. Lewis's career includes roles in traditional finance, early [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) exchanges, enterprise [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) research at [R3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/r3), and leading the [digital asset](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets) investment team at Singapore's state-owned investment firm, Temasek. [\[1\]](#cite-id-AWEcmfAhV9oMXfpz) [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG)​

## Education

Antony Lewis attended the University of Cambridge, where he matriculated at Gonville & Caius College. [\[3\]](#cite-id-vjNvJVDGIjrloWSV) [\[4\]](#cite-id-CeMPtHusPzqxAQsp) Sources vary on the specifics of his degree, with some indicating a Master of Engineering and others a Master of Arts in Natural Sciences with a focus on Chemistry or Physics. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) [\[5\]](#cite-id-mlEa7Fg008YlmejC) His blog notes that he graduated with a Master of Engineering (MEng) from Cambridge. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) Prior to university, he served in the Royal Navy as a sponsored student. [\[6\]](#cite-id-HcSzx8FE0kZU677Q)

## Career

Lewis began his career in traditional finance before transitioning to the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) and [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) industry in 2013. His work has spanned FX trading, technology management, enterprise blockchain research, and venture capital. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG)​

### Early Career in Traditional Finance

After graduating, Lewis started his career as a strategy consultant at OC\&C Strategy Consultants in London. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) In 2007, he joined Barclays Capital, where he worked as a G10 spot foreign exchange (FX) trader. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) [\[7\]](#cite-id-z57DhfnabEDxVkjU)​

In 2010, Lewis joined Credit Suisse and relocated from London to Singapore. [\[8\]](#cite-id-jPiIz9pdeBM4DZTb) At Credit Suisse, he served as a Vice President and IT Project Manager for the FX Front Office, leading a team of software developers for the bank's electronic trading and risk management systems. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) It was during his time at Credit Suisse that he developed a deep interest in [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin), experimenting with mining and exploring the underlying technology. [\[1\]](#cite-id-AWEcmfAhV9oMXfpz)​

### Transition to Cryptocurrency

In 2013, Lewis left traditional finance to join the [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) industry professionally. [\[8\]](#cite-id-jPiIz9pdeBM4DZTb) He became the Director of Business Development for Asia at itBit, a venture capital-funded [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) exchange based in Singapore. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) As one of the first employees in the Singapore office, he was instrumental in establishing the company's presence in the region. [\[1\]](#cite-id-AWEcmfAhV9oMXfpz) The company later received a trust charter from the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) and rebranded to Paxos. [\[6\]](#cite-id-HcSzx8FE0kZU677Q)​

During this period, Lewis also took on a significant role in the local industry, serving as the founding President of the Association of [Cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) and [Blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) Enterprises and Start-ups Singapore (ACCESS) from 2014 to 2016. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) After departing itBit in 2015, he worked as an independent blockchain consultant and launched his educational blog, "Bits on Blocks," to explain blockchain concepts to a business audience. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG)​

### Enterprise Blockchain at R3

In April 2016, Lewis joined [R3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/r3), an enterprise blockchain software consortium. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) As Director of Research, he was based in Singapore and led research initiatives, focusing on the applications of [distributed ledger technology](https://iq.wiki/wiki/distributed-ledger-technology-dlt) (DLT) for financial institutions. [\[6\]](#cite-id-HcSzx8FE0kZU677Q) His work involved educating banks, regulators, and central banks on DLT, enterprise [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) applications like [R3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/r3)'s Corda platform, tokenized assets, and [Central Bank Digital Currencies](https://iq.wiki/wiki/central-bank-digital-currency-cbdc) (CBDCs). [\[7\]](#cite-id-z57DhfnabEDxVkjU) He held several director-level roles at [R3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/r3) over a period of approximately five years, departing in late 2021. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG)​

### Venture Capital at Temasek

Lewis joined Temasek, Singapore's state-owned investment company, in September 2021 as Director on the [Blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) & [DLT](https://iq.wiki/wiki/distributed-ledger-technology-dlt) Investments team. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) He led the "Blockchain Pod," a specialized team responsible for shaping the firm's investment strategy in digital assets, [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3), [decentralized finance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) (DeFi), and the [metaverse](https://iq.wiki/wiki/metaverse). [\[9\]](#cite-id-thF6gIaoO7PdJh1b) [\[5\]](#cite-id-mlEa7Fg008YlmejC)​

The team's strategy involved making direct investments into [digital asset](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets) companies and investing in venture funds specializing in the sector. [\[10\]](#cite-id-ZCFwNsEpCSb58qhV) During his tenure, Temasek made notable investments in companies including [Animoca Brands](https://iq.wiki/wiki/animoca), Amber Group, [Immutable X](https://iq.wiki/wiki/immutable-x), ConsenSys, and the [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) exchange [FTX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ftx). [\[4\]](#cite-id-CeMPtHusPzqxAQsp) [\[3\]](#cite-id-vjNvJVDGIjrloWSV) [\[11\]](#cite-id-xihMOSw6zsv0QEkN) Lewis's tenure coincided with the high-profile collapse of FTX, a significant event for Temasek and its [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) investment division. He departed from Temasek in 2023. [\[5\]](#cite-id-mlEa7Fg008YlmejC)​

## Publications and Public Engagements

### Book: The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains

In 2018, Lewis authored the book *The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains: An Introduction to Cryptocurrencies and the Technology that Powers Them*. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) The book is an introductory guide aimed at explaining the fundamental concepts of [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) and [cryptocurrencies](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) to a non-technical audience. [\[1\]](#cite-id-AWEcmfAhV9oMXfpz) It became an Amazon bestseller and has been adopted as a textbook in several universities worldwide. The book has been translated into multiple languages, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Turkish, and Vietnamese. [\[4\]](#cite-id-CeMPtHusPzqxAQsp)​

### Blog and Speaking

Lewis is the founder and primary author of the blog "Bits on Blocks" (bitsonblocks.net), which he started around 2015 to provide clear and accessible articles on [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology for a business-focused audience. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) He is also a frequent public speaker and a recognized thought leader in the industry, presenting at major global finance and technology conferences. These include Money 20/20, [Consensus](https://iq.wiki/wiki/consensus-by-coindesk), [TOKEN2049](https://iq.wiki/wiki/token2049), CFC St. Moritz, and events hosted by Blockworks and the Asian Development Bank. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) [\[8\]](#cite-id-jPiIz9pdeBM4DZTb)​

In a speech at the [Ethereum Community Conference](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum-community-conference-ethcc) in July 2022, Lewis discussed Temasek's investment strategy, stating that the firm continued to invest in both individual companies and funds "through the cycle." He also addressed the challenge of educating a large organization about digital assets, noting the internal journey of "convincing the organization, and convincing management and everyone around that coins aren’t just a massive Ponzi and scam." [\[11\]](#cite-id-xihMOSw6zsv0QEkN)​

## Temasek FTX Investment Controversy

During Lewis's tenure as the director of Temasek's [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) investment team, the firm made a significant investment in the cryptocurrency exchange [FTX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ftx). Between October 2021 and January 2022, Temasek invested a total of $275 million in FTX International and FTX US across two funding rounds. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) [\[4\]](#cite-id-CeMPtHusPzqxAQsp) The investment followed an eight-month due diligence process conducted by Temasek from February to October 2021. [\[11\]](#cite-id-xihMOSw6zsv0QEkN)​

In his July 2022 speech, Lewis identified FTX and FTX US as his team's "first direct investment" in the [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) space. [\[11\]](#cite-id-xihMOSw6zsv0QEkN) In November 2022, FTX collapsed into bankruptcy amid revelations of widespread fraud and mismanagement. Temasek subsequently announced its decision to write down its entire $275 million investment to zero. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG)​

The investment loss drew significant public scrutiny regarding the quality of Temasek's due diligence process, which failed to identify critical red flags, such as [FTX's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ftx) lack of a functioning accounting department or proper corporate controls. [\[11\]](#cite-id-xihMOSw6zsv0QEkN)​

In May 2023, following an internal review, Temasek's chairman announced that the company had reduced the compensation for the senior management and the investment team responsible for the [FTX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ftx) investment to reflect collective accountability for the financial loss and reputational damage. [\[12\]](#cite-id-Sbax8ptxm2rWl8vX) [\[8\]](#cite-id-jPiIz9pdeBM4DZTb) While official reports did not name Lewis individually, he was the director of the team that led the investment during this period. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG) Lewis's departure from Temasek occurred in 2023, following the collapse and the firm's internal review. [\[5\]](#cite-id-mlEa7Fg008YlmejC)​

## Awards and Recognition

Lewis has been recognized on several occasions as a leading figure in the Asian financial technology and [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) sectors.

* **Asia’s Top 100 FinTech Influencers** (2015, 2016) by FinTech Asia. [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG)
* **Top 8 Blockchain Influencer in Asia** (2017) by BlockShow. [\[7\]](#cite-id-z57DhfnabEDxVkjU)
* **Top 30 Singapore FinTech Influencer** by Fintechnews Singapore. [\[7\]](#cite-id-z57DhfnabEDxVkjU)
* **Board Member**, Singapore FinTech Festival (appointed November 2022). [\[2\]](#cite-id-qsiPivVluWJDLHiG)