Salman Banaei
Salman Banaei is currently serving as the General Counsel for Plume Network, a blockchain initiative focused on the tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs). His extensive career in both public service and the private sector has made him a key figure in navigating the complex intersection of traditional financial systems and emerging digital assets. [1] [7] [9]
Education
Salman Banaei started his academic journey with a focus on philosophy, earning a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in 2002. He then pursued a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law, graduating in 2007 on a merit scholarship. Complementing his legal education, Banaei obtained a Master of Science in Mineral and Energy Economics from the Colorado School of Mines and a postgraduate diploma in Petroleum Economics and Management from the École Nationale Supérieure du Pétrole et des Moteurs (IFP School) in 2008. [1] [9]
Career
Early Career
In 2005, Salman Banaei worked as a Summer Associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP in the Denver metropolitan area, which served as a basis for later work with digital assets.
Public Sector Contributions
Banaei began his public sector career at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), where he worked between 2009 and 2013 in several legal and regulatory positions. His roles included Economist/Attorney-Advisor in the Division of Market Oversight and later Senior Counsel and Policy Advisor to Commissioner Bart Chilton. During this period, he participated in matters related to derivatives market regulation following the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act after the Global Financial Crisis. In 2010, he received the Chairman Gary Gensler Staff Excellence Award.
From January 2013 to January 2019, Banaei also served as Commodities and Derivatives Law Subject Matter Expert and Lecturer at the University of Colorado Denver Business School.
From September 2013 to April 2014, Banaei served as Senior Counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright.
Private Sector and Blockchain Industry
In 2014, Banaei joined IHS Markit as Executive Director. During his tenure at the company, he held positions including Co-Head of Regulatory Affairs, Co-Head of Blockchain, and Head of Blockchain.
Between 2018 and 2021, Banaei served as a member of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Market Risk Advisory Committee.
From 2019 to 2021, he was also a member of the Financial Services Regulatory Sandbox and Innovation Council for the Government of the District of Columbia.
Between October 2021 and May 2022, Banaei worked as Co-Head of Public Policy at Chainalysis. His work included policy-related matters connected to digital assets and financial regulation.
From May 2022 to January 2024, Banaei served as Assistant General Counsel and Head of Policy at Uniswap Labs. In this role, he advised on legal, regulatory, and policy matters related to digital assets and financial services, and participated in industry and policy discussions.
In 2024, Banaei joined the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as Senior Special Counsel. His responsibilities included oversight of national securities exchanges, securities-based swap execution facilities, and alternative trading systems. He also provided legal and policy guidance on matters involving equities, options, fixed income markets, securities-based swaps, and digital assets.
Since April 2025, Banaei has served as General Counsel at Plume. His responsibilities have included legal and regulatory matters related to tokenized real-world assets and digital asset licensing. During his tenure, the company obtained a Class M Digital Asset Business Licence from the Bermuda Monetary Authority. Plume has also entered partnerships with organizations including Apollo Global Management and Paxos in connection with blockchain-based financial infrastructure initiatives.
Banaei has participated in discussions related to digital asset regulation and tokenized securities in the United States. He has testified before the U.S. House Financial Services Committee on matters involving blockchain-based financial systems, regulatory frameworks, and investor protection. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]