Vanguard has opened the search for a Head of Digital Assets, creating a leadership position that will oversee the company’s strategy for cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based financial technology.
The position, listed within Vanguard Personal Wealth, calls on an executive to develop the company’s digital asset vision, identify business opportunities and lead execution across the product, technology, operations, legal and compliance teams. The candidate will also advise senior management on evolving digital asset markets, represent Vanguard in discussions with regulators and industry groups, and help shape the company’s long-term approach.
It also highlights other areas of the ecosystem, including tokenization, stablecoins, digital wallets, custody, blockchain-enabled settlement, and operating models, as areas the executive will evaluate, as well as determining whether Vanguard should develop new capabilities internally, partner with third parties, or delay entry into certain parts of the market.
This research marks another step in Vanguard’s gradual transition into digital assets after years of resistance to the sector. The asset manager, which oversees around $10 trillion, has remained one of crypto’s biggest institutional skeptics, while peers such as BlackRock, Fidelity and Franklin Templeton have rolled out spot Bitcoin ETFs and other blockchain initiatives.
