# Xin Yan > A 2023 Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 honoree, USC graduate Xin Yan is co-founder and CEO of Sign Protocol, a Web3 verifiable attestation protocol. - Canonical URL: https://iq.wiki/wiki/xin-yan - Categories: People in crypto - Tags: DeFi, Developer, Founder - Created: 2026-03-13T05:39:13.307Z - Last updated: 2026-03-13T04:39:09.000Z - Source: IQ.wiki — the world's largest blockchain and crypto encyclopedia (https://iq.wiki) --- **Xin Yan** (闫欣) is a software engineer and entrepreneur, known as the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of [Sign](https://iq.wiki/wiki/sign) Protocol, a [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) company specializing in on-chain attestations. [\[1\]](#cite-id-PV08Ay2OBLzWi9DE) [\[2\]](#cite-id-tAteQOkbiwVfzqFq) Under his leadership, the company evolved from an electronic signature application, EthSign, into a foundational attestation protocol. Yan's work in the industry was recognized when he was named to the Forbes Asia "30 Under 30" list in 2023. [\[3\]](#cite-id-0rUjGQ6DfWrpg9kd) ## Education Yan attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he studied from 2018 to 2021. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. [\[2\]](#cite-id-tAteQOkbiwVfzqFq) [\[4\]](#cite-id-NX4qxDuUBQwlvMAY) His academic background in computer science, specifically with skills in [Solidity](https://iq.wiki/wiki/solidity), [smart contracts](https://iq.wiki/wiki/smart-contract), and [Ethereum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum), formed the technical foundation for his subsequent ventures in the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) space. [\[2\]](#cite-id-tAteQOkbiwVfzqFq)​ ## Career ### Early Career and Internships Before founding his own company, Xin Yan gained experience through several roles at major technology, finance, and [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) firms. His internships included a position as a Data Analyst at Tencent in the summer of 2018, a Software Engineer role at Bytedance in 2019, and a Summer Analyst position at CICC, a Chinese investment bank, also in 2019. [\[4\]](#cite-id-NX4qxDuUBQwlvMAY) [\[2\]](#cite-id-tAteQOkbiwVfzqFq)​ He transitioned to full-time roles within the cryptocurrency industry, working as a [Blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) Engineer at Huobi Group from July 2018 to June 2019. Following that, he served as a Senior Investment Manager and Blockchain Engineer at the venture capital firm Fundamental Labs from June 2019 to June 2020. These positions provided him with expertise in on-chain data analysis, smart contract design, and the underlying infrastructure of the [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) technology stack. [\[5\]](#cite-id-RdwWAtFDSsftRStq)​ ### Sign Protocol (formerly EthSign) In mid-2020, Yan co-founded EthSign with Potter Li and Jacky Wang (also cited as Jack Xu). [\[4\]](#cite-id-NX4qxDuUBQwlvMAY) [\[6\]](#cite-id-YcO0ok0mtSEmB5iW) The project was reportedly conceived in his dorm room at USC and grew from concepts developed at hackathons, where he and his co-founders had previously won awards. [\[2\]](#cite-id-tAteQOkbiwVfzqFq) The company was initially established to create a "[Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) version of DocuSign," a decentralized application for signing electronic agreements on the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). [\[3\]](#cite-id-0rUjGQ6DfWrpg9kd)​ As CEO, Yan has led the company's technical development, product strategy, community building, and fundraising efforts. [\[2\]](#cite-id-tAteQOkbiwVfzqFq) EthSign secured an initial seed round of 12 million seed and strategic funding round announced in March 2022, co-led by Sequoia Capital India (now Peak XV Partners) and Mirana Ventures. Other participants in the funding rounds included Founders Fund, [Circle](https://iq.wiki/wiki/circle) Ventures, [Animoca Brands](https://iq.wiki/wiki/animoca), Amber Group, and NGC Ventures. [\[4\]](#cite-id-NX4qxDuUBQwlvMAY) [\[3\]](#cite-id-0rUjGQ6DfWrpg9kd) By April 2024, the company's total funding was reported to be over $14 million. [\[3\]](#cite-id-0rUjGQ6DfWrpg9kd)​ Under Yan’s leadership, the company expanded its vision beyond e-signatures. On November 14, 2023, the project officially announced its rebranding to [Sign](https://iq.wiki/wiki/sign) Protocol. [\[3\]](#cite-id-0rUjGQ6DfWrpg9kd) This shift reflected a new focus on creating a universal, omnichain attestation protocol designed to serve as a foundational "attribution layer for the internet." [\[7\]](#cite-id-QrTRZ5zYMnJYdEjl) The core technology, Sign Protocol, was launched in early 2024 to facilitate on-chain proof and verifiable data. [\[1\]](#cite-id-PV08Ay2OBLzWi9DE) Built on this new infrastructure, the company launched TokenTable in 2024, a tool for managing token vesting schedules, which became Sign's main source of income and served a majority of projects in the [TON](https://iq.wiki/wiki/the-open-network-toncoin) ecosystem that year. [\[1\]](#cite-id-PV08Ay2OBLzWi9DE) Additionally, the company developed on-chain verifiable ID systems for the nation of Sierra Leone and the pop-up city project ZuThailand. [\[1\]](#cite-id-PV08Ay2OBLzWi9DE)​ In addition to his role at [Sign](https://iq.wiki/wiki/sign), Yan became a Venture Partner at Tess Ventures in November 2022. [\[3\]](#cite-id-0rUjGQ6DfWrpg9kd)​ ## Views and Public Commentary Xin Yan is a public commentator on trends in the [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) industry, particularly concerning technology adoption and regulation. He has been featured in media, published articles, and has spoken at industry conferences. [\[7\]](#cite-id-QrTRZ5zYMnJYdEjl) [\[8\]](#cite-id-Fs8j3zy3xV31MjXL)​ ### On Web3 Adoption and Product Strategy Yan advocates for a product strategy focused on abstracting away the complexities of [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) to achieve mass adoption. He believes companies should focus on "selling functionality, experience, and service rather than underlying technology or standards." [\[1\]](#cite-id-PV08Ay2OBLzWi9DE) In his view, users do not need to know they are using blockchain technology to benefit from it. He has identified three primary barriers to Web3's growth: a lack of new or improved user experiences compared to Web2 alternatives, stagnant growth in the number of active crypto wallet users, and persistent regulatory hurdles. [\[1\]](#cite-id-PV08Ay2OBLzWi9DE)​ He has frequently stated that [Sign](https://iq.wiki/wiki/sign) Protocol's goal is to become a foundational layer for trust on the internet. In one interview, he stated: > "Verifiable information is the building block of our society, but we don’t have a universal and permissionless layer to secure and verify them in the digital world. What \[Chainlink] - () did for price information, \[Sign] - () Protocol will do for all information. We are building an attestation protocol that is the foundational verification and creditability layer of the new internet." [\[4\]](#cite-id-NX4qxDuUBQwlvMAY) ### On Cryptocurrency Regulation Yan has publicly commented on the importance of regulatory clarity for the [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) industry. In February 2026, he provided commentary on the delay of the "Clarity for Digital Tokens Act" in the United States, following a withdrawal of support from [Coinbase](https://iq.wiki/wiki/coinbase). [\[7\]](#cite-id-QrTRZ5zYMnJYdEjl) He characterized the global trend toward regulation, such as the [CLARITY Act](https://iq.wiki/wiki/clarity-act) and Europe's MiCA framework, as a positive shift from an "era of ignoring crypto" to an "era of engagement" by governments. [\[7\]](#cite-id-QrTRZ5zYMnJYdEjl)​ He expressed his belief that clear legal frameworks are essential for the adoption of [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology by traditional finance (TradFi) institutions and governments, arguing that "blockchain is the inevitable foundation for digital sovereignty." [\[7\]](#cite-id-QrTRZ5zYMnJYdEjl) Regarding the [CLARITY Act](https://iq.wiki/wiki/clarity-act) delay, he stated: > "The delay of the Clarity Act, sparked by Coinbase’s withdrawal of support, is a significant setback for the US crypto industry. This legislation was meant to provide a clear regulatory framework, which is desperately needed to foster innovation and protect consumers... At \[Sign] - (), we believe that clear, fair regulation is not a hindrance but a catalyst for growth." [\[2\]](#cite-id-tAteQOkbiwVfzqFq) ## Awards and Recognition In 2023, Xin Yan was named to the Forbes Asia "30 Under 30" list in the Finance & Venture Capital category for his work with EthSign. [\[3\]](#cite-id-0rUjGQ6DfWrpg9kd) An earlier report from 2022 also cited his inclusion on the list. [\[4\]](#cite-id-NX4qxDuUBQwlvMAY) Yan is also a speaker at industry events. He was a featured speaker at the PlasmaCon technology conference, where he presented on "Dapps on Plasma," and he was a scheduled speaker for the [TOKEN2049](https://iq.wiki/wiki/token2049) conference in Dubai in April 2024. [\[8\]](#cite-id-Fs8j3zy3xV31MjXL) [\[3\]](#cite-id-0rUjGQ6DfWrpg9kd) He also contributes written content to platforms like [Binance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/binance) Square and has been interviewed by media outlets such as Asharq News. [\[2\]](#cite-id-tAteQOkbiwVfzqFq) [\[4\]](#cite-id-NX4qxDuUBQwlvMAY)