Lawrence Chu is the founder and chairman of the private investment company BlackPine Group, the co-founder and chairman of the licensed digital asset manager Venture Smart Financial Holdings (VSFG), and a co-founder of the blockchain investment firm Kenetic. Chu is also a prominent patron of the arts through The Chu Foundation and is actively involved in policy and ecosystem development for Web3 in Hong Kong. ^{[1] [2]}​

Education

Chu attended the University of Chicago, where he graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) in Economics. ^{[1] [3]} He is also a graduate of the inaugural class of the Young Global Leaders (YGL) executive education program at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business (CKGSB). ^[4]

Career

Early Career in Finance

Chu began his career in finance in 2001, working in the technology and mergers & acquisitions investment banking groups at UBS Warburg in London and Hong Kong. ^{[3] [5]} He then joined Goldman Sachs, where he worked as a proprietary trader in Tokyo and Hong Kong from 2001 to 2004. ^{[1] [4]} Between 2003 and 2006, he also served as the Group Executive Director for his family's watch and clock manufacturing business, the Piauhard Group, which served as a foundation for later work in the cryptocurrency industry. ^[6]​

His career continued with a role as a strategy executive in the Chairman’s office at EMI Music. ^[3] He later returned to UBS Investment Bank, serving as a Vice President from 2007 to 2009, where he worked as a portfolio manager at UBS O’Connor and ran the equity principal strategies group in Hong Kong. ^{[1] [4]} From 2006 to 2011, he also held the position of Managing Director and Head of the Private Equity and Special Situations division at CLSA Capital Partners, where he was a member of the investment committee for all funds. ^[7]​

BlackPine Group

In 2009, Chu founded BlackPine Group (also known as BlackPine Private Equity Partners), a private investment company and pan-Asian investment group where he serves as Chairman. ^{[1] [3]} The firm focuses on backing entrepreneurs and businesses in what it terms "transformative industries," with a focus on cross-border opportunities in Greater China. ^{[8] [5]} BlackPine's investment areas include blockchain, artificial intelligence, alternative protein, eSports, and new economy sectors such as carbon neutrality and space exploration. ^[3]​

Notable investments made by BlackPine include:

• GoGoX (formerly GoGoVan), which became Hong Kong's first "unicorn" startup with BlackPine as the lead investor. ^[9]
• Uber, where the firm was an early investor.
• Casetify, a tech accessories brand.
• Animoca Brands, a digital entertainment and blockchain gaming company.
• Prenetics, a genomics and diagnostic testing company.
• Other investments include Just Egg, Fnatic, SpaceX, City Super Group, and Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN). ^{[2] [6] [4] [7]}

Kenetic

Chu co-founded Kenetic in January 2016, a prominent blockchain and digital asset investment, advisory, and trading firm based in Hong Kong. ^{[1] [2]} He serves as the firm's Co-Chairman. ^[7] Kenetic is regarded as one of Asia’s earliest and most active institutional investors in the blockchain sector, building, advising, and investing in projects driving the technology's development. The firm also operates an institutional-grade OTC trading desk, a lending desk, and a proprietary trading division. ^{[1] [7]}​

As of early 2025, Kenetic's portfolio included over 200 companies. Notable investments include Ripple, BlockFi, Matter Labs, Blockdaemon, Metaplex, and Abra. Kenetic was also a founding shareholder of Diginex, which later listed on Nasdaq as EQONEX. ^{[1] [7]}​

Venture Smart Financial Holdings (VSFG)

Chu is a co-founder and the Chairman of Venture Smart Financial Holdings Ltd (VSFG), a Hong Kong-based digital asset financial services group established in 2016. ^{[1] [6]} VSFG is licensed by Hong Kong's Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) for Type 1 (dealing in securities), Type 4 (advising on securities), and Type 9 (asset management) regulated activities. The group aims to bridge traditional finance with the digital asset ecosystem. ^{[10] [7]}​

Under Chu's leadership, VSFG achieved several industry firsts in Hong Kong:

• It became one of the first virtual asset fund managers approved by the SFC. ^[1]
• In June 2020, VSFG launched Hong Kong's first SFC-approved cryptocurrency fund. ^{[4] [7]}
• The firm received an upgraded license from the SFC, allowing it to manage funds with up to 100% virtual assets. ^[1]
• In April 2024, VSFG launched one of Hong Kong's first spot-Bitcoin and spot-Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in partnership with Harvest Global Investments. ^{[2] [7]}
• It also became the first virtual asset manager in Hong Kong approved to provide services for Security Tokens (STOs). ^[1]

In July 2023, VSFG announced a strategic partnership with the Dubai-based digital asset manager ValeoXI to connect the Hong Kong and Middle East digital asset markets for institutional investors. ^[6] Regarding the launch of spot crypto ETFs, Chu stated in April 2024, "Our goal with the VSFG and Harvest partnership is to not only promote the growth of the Bitcoin ETF but also to set a new standard for the digital asset industry in Hong Kong, driving the city's ambition to become a leading global crypto hub." ^[2]​

International Digital Asset (IDA)

In January 2024, Chu co-founded International Digital Asset (IDA) and serves as its Chief Executive Officer. ^[9] IDA is a company focused on the stablecoin business and the tokenization of real-world assets (RWA). ^[8]​

Government and Industry Roles

Chu holds several key positions in industry organizations and governmental bodies, contributing to policy and ecosystem development for digital finance in Hong Kong.

In July 2023, he was appointed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government as a non-official member of its Task Force on Promoting Web3 Development. ^[8] He is also the Founding Vice-Chair of Web3 Harbour, an industry association focused on advancing the Web3 ecosystem in Hong Kong. ^[8]​

Additionally, Chu is the co-chair of the FinTech and Web3 Committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong (AmCham HK) and co-chair of the Venture Committee at the Hong Kong Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HKVCA). ^[10] He is also a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) and The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce. ^[3]​

Philanthropy and Arts Patronage

Chu is an active philanthropist and art collector, primarily through The Chu Foundation, which he co-founded in 2015 with his wife, Natalie Chu. ^{[1] [9]}​

The Chu Foundation

The Chu Foundation is a Hong Kong-based non-profit organization dedicated to fostering creativity and supporting initiatives in the arts, education, and medical care. ^[1] Its mission is to empower the next generation of creative talent, foster cross-disciplinary collaboration, and support the welfare of people in Hong Kong. ^[2] The foundation has partnered with major global and local institutions, including Tate, M+ Museum, Serpentine Galleries, and Design Trust. ^[6] A notable project supported by the foundation was Samson Young's "Songs for Disaster Relief World Tour," which represented Hong Kong at the 57th Venice Biennale. ^[7]​

Board and Patronage Roles

Chu's involvement in the global arts community includes numerous board and committee roles:

• Tate (London): Serves on the International Council and the Asia-Pacific Acquisitions Committee. ^{[1] [2]}
• Para Site (Hong Kong): Sits on the board of Hong Kong's leading contemporary art space and is a former Co-Chair. ^{[1] [4]}
• M+ Museum (Hong Kong): A Founding Patron of the museum. ^[1]
• AFIELD: Serves as a Founding Patron and board member. ^{[1] [2]}
• Design Trust (Hong Kong): Serves on the board. ^[1]
• Smart Museum of Art (University of Chicago): Sits on the Board of Governors. ^[2]
• Asia Art Archive: Serves on the Board of Trustees. ^[4]
• Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), Beijing: Serves as a Patron of the UCCA Council. ^[2]
• Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Venice): Serves as a Patron. ^[11]

University of Chicago Involvement

Chu maintains close ties with his alma mater, the University of Chicago. In May 2023, he was appointed to the university's Board of Trustees. ^[9] He has also served on the Alumni Board of Governors and the Advisory Council for the Francis and Rose Yuen Campus in Hong Kong, for which he was a founding donor. ^{[1] [9]} Additionally, he is a council member for the university's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. ^[2]

Awards and Recognition

Chu's work in finance and technology has earned him several accolades. He was named to Tatler Asia's list of "Asia's Most Influential" in 2021, 2022, and 2023 for his impact on finance and blockchain investment. ^[1] He has also been recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. ^[4]