Daniel Kim: From Banking to DeFi and Maple Finance

Daniel Kim's Journey into Crypto

Daniel Kim, who previously worked at companies like BNP Paribas and State Street, transitioned into the crypto industry in 2016 by joining Gemini Exchange. He was responsible for creating services for institutional clients.

Later, he joined itBit (now Paxos), where he played a key role in acquiring the New York Trust Charter, allowing itBit to operate as a regulated financial entity.

Maple Finance and Lending Innovations

In 2021, Daniel became the Head of Capital Markets at Maple Finance, a DeFi platform offering unsecured loans. Under his leadership, the company expanded to the Solana blockchain.

Volta and Digital Asset Security

In 2024, Daniel co-founded Volta Circuit, a digital asset security system using multi-signature technology. The project quickly gained market trust and secured $4.1 million in seed funding.

Future of BTC in DeFi

Daniel sees potential in using Bitcoin within the DeFi ecosystem, particularly through derivatives and Lightning Bitcoin, which could reduce risks and enhance liquidity.