# Magnus Lai > Magnus Lai is a blockchain entrepreneur and engineer known as a co-founder and co-CEO of Kinetiq, where he works on liquid-staking infrastructure for Hyperliquid. - Canonical URL: https://iq.wiki/wiki/magnus-lai - Categories: People in crypto - Tags: Founder - Created: 2026-11-07T22:51:00.746Z - Last updated: 2026-11-07T22:51:00.746Z - Source: IQ.wiki — the world's largest blockchain and crypto encyclopedia (https://iq.wiki) --- **Magnus Lai** is the co-founder of [Kinetiq](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kinetiq), a [liquid-staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/liquid-staking) protocol for the [Hyperliquid](https://iq.wiki/wiki/hyperliquid) [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). Kinetiq was founded in November 2024 by Lai, Omnia, and Dalton Weeks.[\[1\]](#cite-id-76h3ndahn4)​[\[3\]](#cite-id-1wv3pi9gb8) He is a co-chief executive officer of Kinetiq, where his work includes developing a liquid-staking token for the network.[\[1\]](#cite-id-76h3ndahn4)​[\[2\]](#cite-id-0f7wfaixpm)​[\[3\]](#cite-id-1wv3pi9gb8)​ ## Early Career and Education Lai completed an electrical apprenticeship with Electrogroup Apprenticeships and Training from 2006 to 2010 and earned a Certificate III in Electrotechnology as an Electrical Fitter/Mechanic. He then worked as an electrical supervisor at Ansaldo STS from June 2010 to February 2013, overseeing upgrades, testing, and commissioning of locomotive subsystems for Rio Tinto. The work included fitting electronically controlled pneumatic brakes to locomotives and ore-car wagons, installing automatic train protection equipment, upgrading systems from L12000 to L15000, and installing New York Air Brake’s Driver’s Assist system.[\[3\]](#cite-id-1wv3pi9gb8)​ Lai studied Business/Engineering, Economics, and Electrical Engineering at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) from 2013 to 2019. While at QUT, he participated in Clenergy TeamArrow, a solar-car racing team. From February 2015 to May 2018, he was an electrical-engineering student and high-voltage electrical lead with the nonprofit TeamArrow Racing Association. The profile identifies Clenergy TeamArrow as Australia’s highest-ranked finisher in the 2015 Bridgestone [World](https://iq.wiki/wiki/world) Solar Challenge. In 2015, Lai also worked as an electrical-engineering intern at BMW Group’s MINI Plant Oxford.\[3] Before moving into blockchain-related work, Lai held roles with Wabtec Control Systems. He was a project supervisor there from January to December 2014, overseeing the unloading and installation of Evolution-series locomotives and their testing and commissioning for Rio Tinto’s iron-ore fleet. He later worked as a project engineer at the company from March 2016 to April 2018.[\[3\]](#cite-id-1wv3pi9gb8)​ ## Career #### Technical Training and Engineering Lai began his professional career in 2006 as an apprentice at Electro Group Apprenticeships and Training, where he remained until 2010, which served as a foundation for his later work with [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). From June 2010 to February 2013, he worked as an Electrical Supervisor at Ansaldo STS in Karratha, Western Australia. Between 2012 and 2013, he supervised the ECP Project, which involved upgrades, testing, and commissioning of subsystems on Rio Tinto's Dash 9 and Evolution series locomotives. The project included the installation of Wabtec's Electronically Controlled Pneumatic (ECP) braking system on locomotives and ore car wagons. Other work involved upgrading Ansaldo STS' Automatic Train Protection (ATP) units from L12000 to L15000 and installing New York Air Brake's Driver's Assist system. In January 2013, Lai began working as a consultant at Interlinked Capital, where he has continued to provide consulting services. From January to December 2014, he worked as a Project Supervisor at Wabtec Control Systems in Karratha, Western Australia. His work included locomotive unloading operations and the installation, testing, and commissioning of Evolution series locomotives being added to Rio Tinto's Iron Ore fleet. #### Solar Engineering In February 2015, Lai joined Clenergy TeamArrow as an Electrical Engineering Student and High Voltage (HV) Electrical Lead, remaining with the team until May 2018. Clenergy TeamArrow is an Australian solar racing team. In the 2015 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, it was the highest-ranked Australian team in the competition. #### Engineering Internship and Project Management From April to September 2015, Lai completed an Electrical Engineering internship at BMW Group UK Limited in the Greater Oxford Area. In March 2016, he joined Wabtec Control Systems as a Project Engineer in the Greater Brisbane Area, a position he held until April 2018. #### Blockchain and Web3 From October 2020 to March 2022, Lai was a founding member of ALL THINGS BLOCKCHAIN, a nonprofit association in Brisbane, Australia, which organized educational meetups and social events related to [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology. In September 2021, he began working as a consultant for Token Studios, remaining in the role until November 2023. In December 2021, Lai became a founding member of both Dinero Labs and Redacted Cartel. His involvement with both organizations continued until December 2023. In May 2022, Lai co-founded Protecc Labs, a company described in his profile as providing algorithmic liquidity for [non-fungible tokens](https://iq.wiki/wiki/non-fungible-token-nft) (NFTs). He remained involved with the company until March 2025. #### Kinetiq Research and Hyperliquid In November 2024, Lai became a founding member of [Kinetiq](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kinetiq) Research, a [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) services company founded by Lai, Omnia, and Dalton Weeks and managed by Kinetiq Research. Kinetiq develops [liquid-staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/liquid-staking) infrastructure for [Hyperliquid](https://iq.wiki/wiki/hyperliquid). Its protocol issues [kHYPE](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kinetiq-staked-hype-khype), a token representing HYPE deposited for staking. The protocol automatically stakes network rewards, while kHYPE holders can transfer, trade, or use their tokens in compatible applications while maintaining access to [staking](https://iq.wiki/wiki/staking) rewards. Staking kHYPE also provides eligibility for Kinetiq kPoints. On August 8, 2025, Lai shared information reporting that the amount of HYPE staked through [kHYPE](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kinetiq-staked-hype-khype) had exceeded $1 billion. In a post shared on December 3, 2025, Lai described [Kinetiq's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kinetiq) expansion into infrastructure for HIP-3. The post introduced Launch as part of this development. On December 10, 2025, Lai reposted information about Markets, a perpetual futures platform powered by Kaiko. The platform was integrating a 24-hour oracle developed by Kaiko for institutional use, along with rates regulated by Kaiko. On December 17, 2025, [Anchorage Digital](https://iq.wiki/wiki/anchorage-digital) announced an integration with [Kinetiq](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kinetiq) that enables institutional clients to stake HYPE held with Anchorage Digital and receive [kHYPE](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kinetiq-staked-hype-khype) in their accounts. Lai commented that the integration would allow institutional participants to access the Hyperliquid ecosystem through Anchorage Digital's security, governance, and compliance infrastructure. [\[1\]](#cite-id-76h3ndahn4) [\[2\]](#cite-id-0f7wfaixpm) [\[3\]](#cite-id-1wv3pi9gb8)