Richard Galvin is an Australian investment professional who serves as the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and Executive Chairman of Digital Asset Capital Management (DACM). He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the digital asset company Bakkt. Galvin specializes in the institutional adoption of digital assets and focuses his investment strategy on the growth of the application layer of blockchain technology. ^[1]​

Education

Galvin attended Monash University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Econometrics and Quantitative Economics, graduating in 1996. ^[2]​

Career

Galvin began his career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs JBWere, where he worked from March 1996 to February 2010. During this period, he served as an Executive Director, focusing on capital markets and advisory roles within the firm. In April 2010, Galvin joined JPMorgan Chase & Co. as an Executive Director. He was later appointed Head of Equity and Derivative Capital Markets for Australia in July 2015, a role he held until July 2016, overseeing equity issuance and structured financing activities in the region.

In June 2017, Galvin became Executive Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Digital Asset Capital Management, a Sydney-based investment firm specializing in digital assets. Under his leadership, the firm launched and managed multiple funds, including a flagship digital asset fund, an early-stage venture fund focused on blockchain-related companies, and a market-neutral fund designed to capitalize on volatility and market inefficiencies. In November 2025, Galvin joined the Board of Directors of Bakkt, a publicly traded company operating in the digital assets sector. In this role, he contributes to corporate governance and strategic oversight for the company. ^[2]

Interviews

AI Bubble

In December 2025, Galvin was interviewed on the Tapping Into Crypto podcast at the Australian Crypto Convention in Sydney, where he discussed market trends and investment perspectives in cryptocurrency. He shared his transition from investment banking into crypto, drawing comparisons between the disruptive potential of digital assets and the rise of the internet. Galvin noted the crypto market’s broad reach, with approximately 600–700 million users, and highlighted how traditional financial institutions are increasingly adopting crypto for efficiency and integration. He emphasized the importance of a long-term investment perspective despite short-term volatility and expressed skepticism about claims of an AI bubble, likening it to the dot-com era. The conversation also focused on decentralized applications (DApps), where Galvin observed a disparity between market value and revenue, identifying them as a major growth opportunity. He explained that his firm evaluates DApps using traditional investment metrics, such as user activity and revenue, and highlighted the broader trend toward applications outperforming underlying protocols, particularly in areas like decentralized finance and trading. Throughout, he stressed the importance of rational, fundamentals-based decision-making in navigating the volatile crypto market. ^[4]  

Application Layers

In December 2025, Galvin appeared on the 51 Insights podcast to discuss his transition from traditional banking to cryptocurrency and draw parallels with the evolution of the internet. He shared insights on current market dynamics, noting that crypto is influenced by idiosyncratic factors such as reduced institutional participation and the potential weakening of traditional four-year price cycles due to a changing investor base. Galvin observed that altcoins have underperformed relative to their revenue and user growth, highlighting a disconnect between fundamentals and market valuations. He outlined DACM’s investment focus on the application layer of crypto, comparing this shift to the early internet’s move from protocols to high-value applications. The discussion included emerging application types, such as trading, lending, and social platforms, with a focus on undervalued networks like Solana. Galvin also addressed mainstream adoption, envisioning a future in which crypto applications are seamlessly integrated into financial processes, and identified regulatory clarity and continued growth in application revenues as key catalysts. Looking ahead, he predicted that by 2035, crypto would be fully embedded in financial systems, providing utility without requiring users to directly engage with the underlying technology. ^[3]

Cashflow Opportunities

In December 2025, Galvin hosted an episode of the DACM Insights podcast featuring Guy Young, founder of Ethena, focusing on institutional cryptocurrency markets and stablecoin innovation. During the discussion, Young outlined his background in distressed investing at Dreadfire and described his transition into crypto following the collapses of Luna and FTX. He explained how Ethena differentiates itself from established stablecoins such as Tether by offering yield-generating structures tailored to crypto capital markets. The conversation examined the size of the crypto futures market and its potential as a major source of cash flow, as well as the emerging division between payment-focused stablecoins and yield-bearing alternatives. Young discussed projections for stablecoin market growth and the increasing share of yield-based products. Additional topics included Ethena’s strategy for integrating with fintech platforms, risks associated with reliance on backend partners, macroeconomic drivers of demand for yield, and plans to develop white-label stablecoin solutions for blockchain networks and digital wallets. ^[7]

Panels

Global Markets and Crypto

In October 2025, Galvin participated in a panel discussion at TOKEN2049 Singapore alongside Irene Wu, Kelvin Koh of Spartan Group, Alan Du of PayPal Ventures, and Steve Lee of Neoclassic Capital, examining the relationship between global macroeconomic conditions and cryptocurrency markets. The panel analyzed the muted market response to a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut, noting declines in major assets such as Bitcoin and Ethereum despite expectations of a rally. Speakers discussed contributing factors to the sell-off, including shifting investor sentiment, decreased demand for digital asset treasury products, and mixed exchange-traded fund flows. The group also reviewed recent token launches, highlighting the importance of utility and sustainable revenue models for stablecoins. Perspectives were shared on stablecoin adoption, with emphasis on distribution strategies and partnerships as key drivers of growth. The panel considered broader market cycles, debating whether the sector was in an accumulation, expansion, or distribution phase, and noted signs of institutional caution and startup fatigue. Discussion also compared risk profiles between liquid and venture investments, with participants observing a current preference for liquid assets amid macroeconomic uncertainty. The session concluded with reflections on entrepreneurship, stressing the importance of applying artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies to solve practical, real-world problems. ^[6]