Former Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein joins Securitize

Blockchain firm Securitize has appointed Michael Sonnenshein as Chief Operating Officer, a key role alongside CEO and co-founder Carlos Domingo.

Former Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein assumed his new position at Securitize, an asset tokenization specialist, effective December 9, according to a press statement issued on Dec. 12.

Sonnenshein stated that his decision to join Securitize comes amid heightened demand for tokenization from both institutional investors and retail consumers. He aims to address capital market inefficiencies and standardize investor interaction with tokenized products on decentralized networks.

Securitize has enabled $1 billion in on-chain tokenized assets, bringing products like BlackRock’s BUIDL money market to Ethereum and backing synthetic dollar protocols like Ethena Labs.

There is a massive demand for tokenization, and I am thrilled to join Securitize at such a pivotal moment for the company and the industry. Carlos and the exceptional team at Securitize have demonstrated incredible leadership in enabling the growth of tokenization projects.

Michael Sonnenshein, new Securitize COO

Sonnenshein joined Grayscale in 2014, becoming CEO in 2021. During his tenure, he guided the asset manager through complex regulatory environments, spearheading crypto product fund issuance across various jurisdictions. Before leaving Grayscale, he led significant legal and industry efforts to counter the SEC’s adversarial stance on digital assets.

Michael Sonneshein led Grayscale to a crucial court victory against the Securities and Exchange Commission, paving the way for what’s now a $113 billion Wall Street asset class. Grayscale’s former boss resigned in May 2024, a few months after the U.S. SEC finally approved spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds in January.

Securitize anticipates Sonnenshein will strengthen the firm’s position as a real-world asset tokenization leader, remarked CEO Carlos Domingo.

Michael is a trailblazer whose strategic vision and ability to navigate complex regulatory landscapes have helped pave the way for establishing digital assets as a mainstream investment class.

Carlos Domingo, Securitize CEO