Ari Paul: BlockTower Capital and the Cryptocurrency Opportunity

For many years, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies were regarded as little more than a nerdy curiosity by the financial world. But with the rise of Bitcoin and Ethereum, the process of cryptocurrencies becoming a recognized asset class has begun.

One person at the forefront of this transformation is Ari Paul. Previously a portfolio manager at the University of Chicago’s $8 billion endowment, he recently left to start the cryptocurrency hedge fund BlockTower Capital. He joined us for an insightful conversation about one of the biggest trends in the industry.

Topics covered in this episode:

• Ari’s background as a portfolio manager at the University of Chicago
• The difficulties of investing in cryptocurrency for a large endowment
• Why he started the cryptocurrency hedge fund BlockTower Capital
• How to construct a cryptocurrency portfolio
• The hedge fund vs the VC model in the cryptocurrency space
• Why cryptocurrencies represent an exceptional investment opportunity
• The operational complexities of running a crypto hedge fund
• Why an avalanche of institutional money is entering the blockchain space

Episode links:

• The Cryptocurrency Investor Blog
• How to Think About Investing in Cryptocurrency: Why Exceptional Opportunities Exist
• How to Think About Investing in Cryptocurrency: What needs to exist
• Table Selection | The Cryptocurrency Investor
• The Wall Street Moment | The Cryptocurrency Investor
• BlockTower Capital
• Twitter - Ari Paul

This episode is hosted by Brian Fabian Crain and Meher Roy. Show notes and listening options: epicenter.tv/202