TLDR
- SharpLink CEO Chalom aims to move the $700T traditional finance market onto a decentralized blockchain.
- Chalom believes decentralized finance could eliminate inefficiencies in traditional financial markets.
- SharpLink holds 838,000 ETH, worth $3.86 billion, and aims to accelerate institutional adoption of digital assets.
- Chalom’s ultimate goal is to help bring instant settlement and programmability to traditional finance.
At the Korea Blockchain Week 2025 Impact conference, SharpLink Gaming CEO Joseph Chalom made bold statements about the future of decentralized finance. He revealed that SharpLink’s vision extends beyond merely holding a significant portion of Ethereum (ETH). Instead, he aims to transition the $700 trillion traditional finance market onto the blockchain, emphasizing the vast potential of decentralized systems for transforming global finance.
Chalom explained that the traditional finance market, which operates with significant friction, has far greater opportunities for disruption compared to the $4 trillion cryptocurrency market. He pointed out that the focus should be on decentralizing the financial system and utilizing blockchain’s advantages, such as instant and atomic settlement.
Removing Time and Cost Friction in Finance
One of Chalom’s key points during his discussion was the importance of eliminating the time and cost inefficiencies that plague traditional financial markets. He argued that these inefficiencies create substantial risks for financial services, with the inability to settle transactions instantly being a major hurdle.
“Removing this friction is the greatest risk reduction in financial services history,” Chalom said, underscoring how crucial these changes could be for improving the overall financial ecosystem. His remarks point to a broader strategy where decentralized systems, including stablecoins and blockchain protocols, are designed to reduce the risk and cost of financial transactions, benefiting institutions and individuals alike.
Chalom envisions that treasury firms focused on Ethereum and other digital assets will play a pivotal role in this transformation. By activating stablecoin initiatives and institutional decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols within blockchain ecosystems, treasury firms can accelerate the transition to a more efficient and secure financial structure.
Rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DATs) in Institutional Finance
Digital asset treasuries (DATs) have emerged as one of the biggest trends in the cryptocurrency industry. These firms, which hold large amounts of digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, represent the increasing institutional acceptance of cryptocurrencies.
Companies like BitMine and SharpLink have positioned themselves as significant players in this space, holding massive reserves of ETH and contributing to the mainstream adoption of digital assets.
Chalom emphasized that SharpLink is not just about owning Ethereum but about creating a comprehensive ecosystem that supports blockchain-based financial products. The firm is committed to driving the adoption of Ethereum as a central asset within institutional finance and aims to build infrastructure that facilitates DeFi applications and protocols.
Navigating the Potential Bear Market
Despite the possibility of a bear market, Chalom and DeFi Development Corp’s Dan Kang, a fellow expert in treasury management, are confident that their firms are prepared to weather any downturn. They explained that the larger a treasury becomes, the more it can deploy on-chain, generating organic yield.
This model, which focuses on staking and institutional-grade DeFi services, offers a sustainable source of income for treasury firms even in uncertain market conditions.
Kang added that treasury firms like SharpLink can provide substantial shareholder value and yield generation without the risks typically associated with market downturns. He likened investing in a treasury vehicle to riding a speedboat, offering the ability to control the pace and direction of investments, unlike traditional financial vehicles that can feel like life rafts drifting aimlessly.
Path to Accelerating Institutional Adoption of Digital Assets
SharpLink is positioning itself as a major force in the future of decentralized finance, and Chalom is confident that Ethereum’s role in institutional adoption will continue to grow. By focusing on creating a more transparent, efficient, and decentralized financial ecosystem, Chalom believes that SharpLink will play a pivotal role in accelerating the use of blockchain technology in traditional finance.
Chalom’s ultimate goal is to not just hold Ethereum but to actively drive the institutionalization of digital assets.
His vision of reducing financial friction and enabling instant settlements could change the financial services landscape, offering a more secure and efficient way to operate on a global scale.
