Ethereum Institutional, an independent non-profit, has named former Coinbase research executive David Duong as its Head of US. He will lead outreach to American financial institutions exploring Ethereum. The group's funders have clear interests in Ethereum succeeding, which may invite scrutiny.
Ethereum Institutional named David Duong as its Head of US on October 19, 2026. He will lead the group's outreach to American financial institutions that are weighing what Ethereum can do for them.
Duong brings Coinbase and bank research experience
Duong is the former Global Head of Investment Research at Coinbase. He also has more than 20 years of institutional markets research experience, including roles at HSBC and Deutsche Bank.
He will be based in New York City. His mandate is to steer engagement with US institutions exploring Ethereum, with a focus on tokenization, stablecoins, and on-chain infrastructure.
A non-profit set up in July
This independent non-profit was established on July 1, 2026. Its creation marks a strategic separation from the Ethereum Foundation, and its stated goal is to offer financial institutions a neutral platform for engaging with Ethereum.
The group says it has built more than 500 institutional relationships. Its work spans educational outreach, market intelligence, marketing activities, standard-setting, and industry events planned in New York, London, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Backers include Bitmine Immersion Technologies, SharpLink, and Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin. David Walsh serves as Executive Director, and the board includes Thomas Lee and Joseph Chalom.
Funders' interests may draw scrutiny
Duong's appointment landed alongside the launch of JPM Coin on Ethereum L1, the network's base layer. He is also expected to play a central role in how the organization frames macroeconomic conditions affecting crypto markets.
However, Bitmine Immersion Technologies, SharpLink, and Lubin all have clear interests in Ethereum succeeding. That aligns incentives but may invite scrutiny from institutions wary of advocacy dressed as education.
Source: Crypto Briefing
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