WisdomTree CEO: Blockchain Could Disrupt Financial Industry Like ETFs Did

Jonathan Steinberg says the ‘right regulation’ is needed to allow blockchain’s benefits

October 7, 2021 08:00 am

WisdomTree CEO Jonathan Steinberg

Blockchain technology can disrupt traditional financial services the way that ETFs have disturbed mutual funds, WisdomTree CEO Jonathan Steinberg said during an interview at Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit last month.

Newsletter

Subscribe to Blockworks Daily

“I do believe that this will prove to be the next wrapper that will transform not just asset management, but all of financial services,” he noted.

Steinberg said that current regulatory issues around crypto will have to be solved in order to mainstream the space.

Though WisdomTree currently offers several exchange traded products in Europe that invest in cryptocurrencies, it awaits approval from the SEC for its proposed bitcoin ETF in the US.

“The SEC is starting to understand that not approving a bitcoin [exchange traded product] is forcing investors into inferior structures and it is having negative consequences,” he noted.

Watch the full interview below and watch all of the panel videos from DAS here.

Are you a UK or EU reader that can’t get enough investor-focused content on digital assets? Join us in London on November 15th and 16th for the Digital Asset Summit (DAS) London. Use code ARTICLE for £75 off your ticket. Buy it now.

Tags

Newsletter

Blockworks Daily

Upcoming Events

Digital Asset Summit 2025

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 18 - 20, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

buy tickets learn more

Permissionless IV

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

buy tickets learn more

Digital Asset Summit 2025

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

buy tickets learn more

recent research

Research

Solana Validator and Staking Landscape

The Solana validator landscape has changed drastically over the past year. The chain now has 1,332 active validators with 380.9 million SOL staked (63.9% of supply) as of February 2025. Validator revenue had diversified beyond inflationary rewards (still making up 55%) to include Jito tips (30%), priority fees (24%), and base fees (<1%), in January, especially with the increased activity on Solana. Since then, issuance has become dominant again (76%), while Jito tips (14%), priority fees (9%), and base fees (less than 1%) have reduced in share of February 2025. There has been a strong shift towards non-inflationary revenue sources, which have become more central to validator economics as priority fees and off-chain blockspace auctions gain traction. Client diversity has also improved drastically, with implementations such as Agave, Jito-Solana, and Frankendancer already in use, and upcoming clients like Firedancer and Sig expected to further strengthen resilience and reduce reliance on a single codebase.

by Boccaccio