WisdomTree, Inc. (NYSE:WT), a global financial innovator, today announced the appointment of John Whelan as Head of Strategy, Digital Assets.

Whelan brings nearly a decade of leadership in blockchain and digital assets from Banco Santander’s Corporate and Investment Bank, where he served as Managing Director of Digital Assets after building and leading the bank’s blockchain lab from 2016. He previously founded a Silicon Valley-backed blockchain startup focused on institutional credit ratings.

“John is joining WisdomTree at an exciting time for our digital assets business,” said Jonathan Steinberg, WisdomTree Founder and CEO. “As we continue to scale our digital assets business globally, John’s experience makes him an exceptional addition to our digital assets leadership team. WisdomTree is a leader in defining what the future looks like for financial infrastructure, and John will play a central role in that continued mission.”

Whelan will report to Will Peck, Head of Digital Assets at WisdomTree, and be a part of the Digital Assets Leadership team. Based in the U.S., John will lead business-unit strategy and drive key strategic initiatives, including oversight of strategic investment activities. He will collaborate closely with Business Development and Product teams on partnerships and product strategy, with a particular focus on deepening relationships with financial institutions and crypto firms and expanding WisdomTree’s footprint across Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Drawing on deep expertise in stablecoins, cryptocurrency and global banking, Whelan will play a central role in helping WisdomTree drive AUM and wallet growth as the firm continues to scale its digital assets business.

“John’s experience and background in traditional banking and digital assets are precisely what we’re looking for as we accelerate the growth of WisdomTree digital assets across global markets,” said Will Peck, Head of Digital Assets at WisdomTree. “He understands the strategic and commercial realities of bringing onchain finance into institutions, and I’m excited to have him join our team and deepen our partnerships and expand our reach with financial institutions and crypto firms around the world.”

“I am honored to take on this role at such an exciting time for WisdomTree and the digital assets space,” said Whelan. “WisdomTree has built something genuinely differentiated in the digital assets ecosystem, and I’m thrilled to now be driving that mission alongside the team.”