# David Olsson

> David Olsson is a financial-services executive and Chief Commercial Officer of EDX Markets, with previous institutional distribution roles at BlockFi and Kraken and a background in prime brokerage and equity derivatives at global banks.

- Canonical URL: https://iq.wiki/wiki/david-olsson
- Categories: People in crypto
- Tags: Investor, Speaker
- Created: 2026-09-10T23:15:11.935Z
- Last updated: 2026-09-10T23:24:36.341Z
- Source: IQ.wiki — the world's largest blockchain and crypto encyclopedia (https://iq.wiki)

---

**David Olsson** is the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of [EDX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/edx) Markets, an institutional [digital asset](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets) exchange, since October 2025.[[1]](#cite-id-qy7vidhdum) His career spans more than two decades across proprietary trading, prime brokerage, equity derivatives and structured products at global banks, followed by senior institutional distribution roles at the [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) firms BlockFi and [Kraken](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kraken).[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig) Based in the United States, he is known for bringing traditional-finance sales and distribution practices to the institutional digital asset market.[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig)​

## Education

Olsson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Duke University.[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig)[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig) He also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Columbia Business School at Columbia University in New York.[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig)[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig)

## Career in Traditional Finance

Olsson began his career in proprietary trading at a hedge fund before moving into banking, where he managed structured financing and structured products desks at a series of banks and financial institutions.[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig) His work in this period concentrated on providing financing and structured product solutions to sophisticated institutional clients, a theme that would recur throughout his subsequent roles, which served as the basis for later work with [digital assets](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets).[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig)​

### Merrill Lynch

From March 2006 to September 2013, Olsson worked at Merrill Lynch as Director of Prime Brokerage and Equity Derivatives, a role he held for seven years and six months. He has stated that he led a team providing structured financing solutions and structured products to hedge funds, funds of funds, professional traders, sovereign wealth funds and private equity clients.[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig) According to his own account and a third-party conference profile, during his time at Bank of America Merrill Lynch he launched an "innovative managed account platform for fund-linked derivatives" that raised in excess of $1 billion in assets under management (AUM).[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig)​[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig) [EDX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/edx) Markets later summarized this period by stating that at Bank of America he managed "global financing and derivative distribution initiatives that scaled businesses and expanded institutional client bases worldwide."[[1]](#cite-id-qy7vidhdum)​

### Credit Suisse

Olsson joined Credit Suisse in October 2013 as a Director in Equity Derivatives, a position he held until September 2016. He has said he ran a desk focused on structured financing solutions and structured products for hedge funds, funds of funds, professional traders, sovereign wealth funds and private equity clients across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig) From September 2016 to May 2020, he served as Director for ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients within Credit Suisse's International Wealth Management division, where he has stated he "spearheaded an initiative with private equity sponsors and hedge fund general partners (GPs) to provide sophisticated investors with financing and structured product solutions."[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig) His later profiles describe this work as spearheading UHNW sophisticated private client coverage.[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig)​

## Digital Asset Career

Olsson transitioned from traditional banking into the [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) industry in 2020, taking senior distribution roles at two firms serving institutional and high-net-worth clients. He has described his motivation as bringing "the rigour of traditional finance to digital assets and introduc\[ing] best-in-class solutions to discerning Institutional and UHNW clients."[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig)​

### BlockFi

Between May 2020 and September 2022, Olsson was Senior Vice President and Global Head of Institutional Distribution at BlockFi, a [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) financial services firm, working from London. He has stated that he ran distribution globally for the firm's institutional and private clients and referenced BlockFi Prime, the company's institutional service offering.[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig) [EDX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/edx) Markets characterized this as Olsson serving in a senior role at BlockFi prior to [Kraken](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kraken), and a separate profile describes him as having been Global Head of Distribution at BlockFi.[[1]](#cite-id-qy7vidhdum)​[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig)​

### Kraken
Olsson joined the [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) exchange [Kraken](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kraken) in September 2022 as Global Head of Prime Financing and OTC (over-the-counter) Sales, a role he held until January 2024. He then became [Kraken](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kraken)'s Global Head of Institutional Sales from January 2024 to September 2025, managing the firm's client engagement and, in his own words, the introduction of new products and services to institutional and UHNW clients.[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig)​[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig) [EDX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/edx) Markets stated that as Global Head of Institutional Sales he "oversaw the firm's client engagement and global institutional growth strategy," and identified Kraken as his most recent role before joining [EDX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/edx).[[1]](#cite-id-qy7vidhdum)​

Alongside his exchange roles, Olsson has been a Principal at On Chain Asset Management, an on-chain digital asset investment manager serving institutional and high-net-worth clients, since November 2022.[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig)​

## EDX Markets

On October 6, 2025, [EDX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/edx) Markets announced Olsson's appointment as Chief Commercial Officer, a C-level position in which he leads the company's commercial strategy, marketing and global business development.[[1]](#cite-id-qy7vidhdum) [EDX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/edx) Markets, founded in 2022 and headquartered in Hoboken, New Jersey, with additional offices in Chicago and Jersey City and staff distributed across the United States and Singapore, describes itself as a [digital asset](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets) technology firm that combines an institutional-only trading venue with a central clearinghouse.[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig)​[[1]](#cite-id-qy7vidhdum) The exchange was established by a consortium of financial firms that includes Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Citadel and Virtu.[[3]](#cite-id-707eykmbig)​[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig)​

In the appointment announcement, Olsson said: "I am excited to join [EDX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/edx) at a pivotal time for digital asset markets, as institutions are preparing to engage at scale. Backed by some of the world's leading financial institutions, EDX has built a world-class foundation rooted in the security, efficiency and operational excellence that institutional participants expect. I look forward to working with the team to further advance EDX's growth and reinforce its position as the premier venue for digital asset trading."[[1]](#cite-id-qy7vidhdum) [Tony Acuña-Rohter](https://iq.wiki/wiki/tony-acuna-rohter), chief executive officer of EDX Markets, described Olsson's "deep expertise across institutional finance and digital assets" as "instrumental as we broaden our global footprint."[[1]](#cite-id-qy7vidhdum)​

In July 2026, Olsson shared a statement reporting that EDX Markets had closed a $76 million Series C funding round led by SBI Holdings.[[2]](#cite-id-1il9vuauig)​
## Interviews

#### Institutional Crypto Markets #01

On April 18, 2022, David Olsson, then Global Head of Institutional Distribution at BlockFi, was interviewed by [Cointelegraph](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cointelegraph) about institutional participation in [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) markets, developments in Europe, and factors affecting the sector's growth. During the interview, Olsson discussed BlockFi's international operations and the company's approach to serving institutional clients.

[YOUTUBE@VID](7Ckzo6b10ng)

Olsson described Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, as an area of interest for BlockFi's international operations, citing the region's financial services industry and availability of financial-sector professionals. He also discussed the company's establishment of an entity in Bermuda as part of its international structure and referred to regulatory considerations as a factor in its expansion into additional markets.

Regarding institutional participation, Olsson said that BlockFi had engaged with approximately 80% of the world's top 50 hedge funds. He stated that some traditional investment firms were examining [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) through investments in companies operating in the sector, while others were beginning to develop internal cryptocurrency capabilities. Olsson attributed part of this activity to differences in familiarity with [digital assets](https://iq.wiki/wiki/digital-assets) among professionals of different generations.

When discussing market conditions, Olsson presented his personal outlook on [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) and identified [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) and [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum) as two of the assets he considered relevant to the market at the time. He said he viewed Bitcoin as an instrument that could be used as protection against monetary inflation and cited the expected Ethereum network transition, known as the Merge, as a factor that could influence market activity. For the longer term, Olsson argued that cryptocurrency could be applied to financial services such as lending, borrowing, payments, and derivatives, including in regions where access to conventional financial services is limited.

Olsson also discussed institutional participation in relation to market performance and infrastructure. He cited a Fidelity study according to which 70% of institutions surveyed planned to invest in cryptocurrency within one year and 90% within five years. He identified regulatory requirements and market infrastructure as factors affecting institutional involvement, particularly in relation to [know-your-customer](https://iq.wiki/wiki/know-your-customer-kyc) (KYC) procedures, [anti-money laundering](https://iq.wiki/wiki/anti-money-laundering-aml) (AML) controls, financial transparency, and cybersecurity.

The interview also covered regulatory developments in the United States and Europe. Olsson referred to regulatory discussions and measures being considered at the time, including a U.S. executive order issued under President Joe Biden and proposed European [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) regulations. He stated that greater regulatory clarity could influence the participation of institutional investors in cryptocurrency markets. [\[4\]](#cite-id-RTximotn5XnfFn9i)