Sharplink Appoints Former BlackRock Executive Amid Ethereum Treasury Expansion

According to Cointelegraph, Sharplink, a prominent public company with substantial Ether holdings, has appointed Joseph Chalom, a former senior executive at BlackRock, as its new co-CEO. This strategic move comes as the corporate race to expand Ether treasuries intensifies. Chalom, who officially joined Sharplink on July 24, will be tasked with developing and implementing the company's global strategy in public markets and Ethereum-based digital infrastructure. Chalom's transition to Sharplink coincides with BlackRock's iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) achieving a significant milestone, becoming the third fastest exchange-traded fund (ETF) in history to surpass $10 billion in assets. BlackRock, recognized as the largest crypto ETF provider globally, manages $95.7 billion in crypto assets. Chalom's extensive experience at BlackRock, where he served as managing director and head of strategic ecosystem partnership, involved overseeing digital assets, index and data relationships, and investments. His LinkedIn profile highlights his role in shaping BlackRock's strategy concerning digital assets. Sharplink's announcement also noted Chalom's involvement in BlackRock's ETHA launch in July 2024. Additionally, Chalom has held board positions at Securitize, a tokenized asset platform, and ClarityAI, an AI-based data analytics platform. Chalom expressed enthusiasm for Sharplink's strategic alignment with the Ethereum ecosystem, emphasizing its innovative approach to digital assets and financial technologies. The announcement from Sharplink follows closely on the heels of BitMine Immersion Technologies' disclosure of a significant Ether acquisition. BitMine, a Bitcoin mining firm, revealed plans to establish an Ethereum treasury on June 30 and recently purchased 566,776 ETH, valued at over $2 billion. This acquisition surpasses Sharplink's total Ether holdings of 360,807 ETH, which were announced as part of a $259 million ETH purchase last week. In addition to Chalom's appointment, Sharplink has enlisted Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin as board chairman, further solidifying its commitment to Ethereum-based initiatives. In response, BitMine appointed Tom Lee, Fundstrat founder and prominent crypto advocate, as board chairman in June. These developments underscore the competitive landscape as companies vie for dominance in the Ethereum treasury space.