Arthur Hayes

Arthur Hayes is a co-founder and former CEO of BitMEX, a cryptocurrency derivatives trading platform known for pioneering Bitcoin perpetual swap contracts. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Before entering the digital asset industry, Hayes worked as an equity derivatives trader at Deutsche Bank and Citigroup.

During his tenure at BitMEX, Hayes played an instrumental role in establishing the platform as a major entity in the cryptocurrency trading space, particularly known for offering high-leverage trading options. Under his leadership, BitMEX introduced innovative financial products tailored for digital asset traders, contributing to the growth of cryptocurrency derivatives markets.

Arthur Hayes's involvement in the industry has been marked by both innovation and controversy, particularly surrounding regulatory challenges faced by BitMEX. Hayes pleaded guilty to violating the US Bank Secrecy Act and received a sentence of six months of home detention as part of a two-year probationary period.

In addition to his work with BitMEX, Hayes has been an active commentator on macroeconomic trends and cryptocurrency markets, frequently sharing insights through various media outlets and conferences. His perspectives often focus on the intersection of traditional finance and emerging digital asset ecosystems.

After leaving BitMEX, Hayes has been involved in various projects and ventures. He currently manages a family office named Maelstrom and is actively engaged in advising several blockchain and AI-related projects, including the decentralized AI platform Ritual and the synthetic dollar protocol Ethena. He has been vocal about the potential of AI-powered DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) to revolutionize economic structures, particularly in the context of cryptocurrency.