Joseph Chalom, former head of digital assets strategy at BlackRock BLK, has been named co-CEO of SharpLink Gaming, Inc. SBET, the world’s second-largest corporate holder of Ethereum ETH/USD, effective July 24.
Announced on July 25, the move underscores SharpLink’s ambition to lead in Ethereum-based decentralized finance (DeFi) and digital asset innovation.
Chalom will serve alongside current CEO Rob Phythian, who will transition to president over the next quarter while remaining on the company’s board.
SharpLink, a Minneapolis-based online gaming company with 360,807 ETH valued at approximately $1.34 billion as of July 20, 2025, is a prominent advocate for Ethereum adoption.
Chalom’s expertise, honed through launching BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust ETHA with over $10 billion in assets, positions him to drive SharpLink’s vision of bridging traditional finance and blockchain technology.
Joseph Lubin, SharpLink’s chairman and Ethereum co-founder, called Chalom’s appointment a “resounding validation” of the company’s ETH treasury strategy.
Chalom stated, “SharpLink’s commitment to the Ethereum ecosystem reflects a bold vision that resonates with my passion for digital assets and scaling innovative financial technologies. I’m thrilled to lead SharpLink into its next phase, harnessing Ethereum’s unique value proposition.”
Chalom’s transition mirrors a wave of high-profile executive moves within the crypto, blockchain, and Bitcoin BTC/USD mining sectors, as leaders with specialized expertise navigate the rapidly evolving digital asset landscape.
In May 2025, Chris Giancarlo, former chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), joined blockchain firm Ripple XRP/USD as a senior advisor.
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Giancarlo, known as “Crypto Dad” for his advocacy of digital assets during his CFTC tenure, was recruited to guide Ripple’s regulatory strategy amid its ongoing legal battles with the SEC.
His move highlighted Ripple’s push to strengthen its position in the global payments ecosystem using its XRP ledger.
Similarly, in February 2025, Caitlin Long, founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, a crypto-focused financial institution, transitioned to a strategic advisory role at Anchorage Digital, the first federally chartered crypto bank.
Long’s shift aimed to bolster Anchorage’s institutional custody services as it expanded into tokenized securities.
Her expertise in navigating regulatory frameworks for digital assets made her a key asset for Anchorage’s growth.
In the Bitcoin mining sector, Fred Thiel, former CEO of Marathon Digital Holdings MARA, moved to Core Scientific CORE as chairman in March 2025.
Thiel’s leadership at Marathon, which saw the company become one of the largest Bitcoin miners in North America, positioned him to guide Core Scientific’s post-bankruptcy expansion.
The transition reflected the growing consolidation in the mining industry as firms scale operations to meet rising institutional demand for Bitcoin.
These shifts underscore the demand for leaders with deep crypto and blockchain expertise, as companies compete to innovate in DeFi, tokenized assets, and digital infrastructure.
Chalom’s move to SharpLink aligns with this trend, leveraging his experience in forging BlackRock’s partnerships with Nasdaq, Coinbase COIN, and Circle CRCL to advance SharpLink’s Ethereum-centric strategy.
SharpLink’s Strategic Vision and Market OutlookSharpLink’s appointment of Chalom coincides with its meteoric rise, with its stock surging over 330% in the past six months, driven by its Ethereum holdings.
The company recently raised $413 million through its at-the-market (ATM) facility and amended its ATM Sales Agreement to increase the maximum offering from $1 billion to $6 billion.
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