Biography:
Erik Voorhees was among the first wave of crypto entrepreneurs, believing Bitcoin to be a necessary technology to separate money and state and create a free society. Since 2014, he has been the CEO of Switzerland-based cryptocurrency exchange platform Shapeshift. Prior to Shapeshift, Voorhees headed marketing efforts at BitInstant, one of the first crypto exchange services founded by Charlie Shrem. Voorhees also co-founded Bitcoin wallet, payment processor and broker Coinapult.
Erik Voorhees’s 2019:
In January 2019, Shapeshift laid off one-third of its team, citing a confluence of reasons including a bear market and lack of product focus. In May, Voorhees came out to say that Bitcoin won’t achieve a trillion-dollar valuation without more hype cycle bubbles.
In July, the firm launched its new noncustodial crypto exchange platform designed to accommodate various cold storage wallets, including Shapeshift-owned KeepKey. In November, Shapeshift announced the launch of the FOX token to enable zero-fee trading on the platform.
What Cointelegraph expects for 2020:
The exchange landscape is difficult to navigate given the high cost of compliance and the shifting regulatory landscape. The dichotomy of custodial vs. noncustodial services has been a particular challenge with exchanges in the past, so we expect Shapeshift to remain nimble and adapt to the industry’s currents.
Advocate, Exchanges
University of Puget Sound
Being an early Bitcoin entrepreneur, espousing libertarianism, and founding crypto exchange platform
