{"id":"yu-hu","title":"Yu Hu","content":"**Yu Hu** is the founder and CEO of [Kaito AI](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai), a platform designed to improve information access in the [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) space. He started [Kaito](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai) in 2022 to address the challenges of navigating decentralized data. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-1) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-2)\n\n## Education\n\nYu graduated from the University of Cambridge with a B.A. in Economics in 2014. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-3)\n\n## Career\n\nYu is the founder and CEO of [Kaito AI](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai), a company focused on developing an AI-powered search engine for digital assets. He started [Kaito](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai) in 2022 after moving to Seattle and Singapore. Before founding [Kaito](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai), Yu worked at Citadel in London from 2017 to 2022, managing a long/short portfolio for European and U.S. equities. Before that, he worked as an investment banking analyst at Deutsche Bank from 2014 to 2017, where he was involved in M\\&A transactions, IPOs, and debt financings. Earlier in his career, Yu co-founded Babel Education in 2011 during his first year of university, an organization dedicated to international opportunities for teenagers in China. He also completed an internship at McKinsey & Company in 2013. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-3)\n\n### Kaito AI\n\nDuring a fireside chat with Palin Vichakul (SCB 10X), Yu shared his journey from working in traditional finance, including a role at Citadel, to venturing into the [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) space after discovering the challenges in researching [decentralized finance (DeFi)](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi). In 2021, he founded Kaito to create a search engine for [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3), which had become fragmented and difficult to navigate. The platform indexes a wide range of public and semi-public data sources, including social media, governance forums, and on-chain data, to provide users with comprehensive search capabilities. [Kaito's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai) offerings include a search engine for institutional use, sentiment analytics, and other tools designed to track [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency)-related discussions. Over time, the company adapted its technology to incorporate AI, particularly large language models, to enhance data processing and user interaction. [Kaito's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai) goal has been to democratize access to information in the [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) space, which is reflected in their innovative features and rapid growth. [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-4)\n\n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](tHCTJeuAc_c)$$\n\n## Security Incident\n\nOn March 15, 2025, the X accounts for both Kaito and Yu Hu were compromised. The hackers posted unfounded reports claiming \"irregular activity in multiple wallets linked to Kaito AI\" and warned that \"The funds are not safe.\" Following the incident, the price of Kaito's native token (KAITO) experienced a brief dip of nearly 10% before recovering. Yu Hu later confirmed he had regained control of his account and that the KAITO wallets were not compromised and remained secure. The malicious posts were deleted, and Kaito's team began an investigation into the security breach. [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-5)​\n\n## Interviews\n\n### About Kaito AI\n\nOn the When Shift Happens podcast, Yu discussed his experiences and insights gained from building the platform over three years. [Kaito AI](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai) aimed to create a more transparent and efficient way to distribute information and capital in [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency), addressing the challenges users face when accessing reliable data. Yu shared his journey of relocating from China to the UK and eventually settling in Singapore, emphasizing the importance of being in the right environment for entrepreneurial success. He reflected on his time at Citadel, where the competitive atmosphere and transparency shaped his understanding of the financial markets, which he found applicable to his current endeavors. Through his [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) trading experiences, Yu recognized inefficiencies in information access and trading practices, prompting his decision to develop a specialized search engine for the [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) community. [\\[6\\]](#cite-id-6)\n\n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](7tJkKTmKZX4)$$\n\n## Presentations\n\n### Web3 Search Engine\n\nAt [TOKEN2049](https://iq.wiki/wiki/token2049) Singapore 2023, Yu discussed the challenges of accessing information within the [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) space, highlighting its fragmented nature. He compared the current [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) information ecosystem to the pre-Google era, where data was siloed and difficult to navigate. [Kaito's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai) solution aimed to address this problem by building a search engine tailored to [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3), leveraging large language models to enhance user experience and efficiency. The company, founded in 2022, had launched its alpha and beta versions, targeting institutional users first with plans to release a retail-facing search engine the following year. Yu emphasized the need for a [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) search engine capable of indexing both on-chain and off-chain data, envisioning a future where all information, including decentralized content, would be accessible through such a platform. [\\[7\\]](#cite-id-7)\n\n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](FfTNsu-aOEg)$$\n\n## Panels\n\n### Agentic Crypto Day\n\nAt [AltLayer’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/altlayer) Agentic Crypto Day, Yu participated in a panel alongside Daryl Lau ([LayerZero](https://iq.wiki/wiki/layerzero)), [Bread](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bread) ([MegaETH](https://iq.wiki/wiki/megaeth)), 0xWenMoon ([Arbitrum](https://iq.wiki/wiki/arbitrum)), and Andy ([Rollup](https://iq.wiki/wiki/rollup)). They shared their experiences and perspectives on their journeys within the [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) space, focusing on personal branding, the influence of platforms like [Kaito](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai), and the importance of engaging in meaningful conversations. They discussed the role of personal presence and brand building, emphasizing how [Kaito’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai) metrics helped quantify influence on platforms like Twitter. The conversation highlighted how building a presence requires more than just promoting one’s own projects—it involves interacting with a broader community and discussing diverse topics to grow influence. They also reflected on their individual experiences, from starting in [decentralized finance (DeFi)](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) to engaging in niche technical discussions, and how these efforts ultimately contributed to career advancements and recognition in the [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) ecosystem. [\\[8\\]](#cite-id-8)\n\n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](aTqhD5QQoKM)$$\n\n### Surfacing Signal from Noise\n\nAt [TOKEN2049](https://iq.wiki/wiki/token2049) Singapore 2024, Yu, [Alex Svanevik](https://iq.wiki/wiki/alex-svanevik) ([Nansen](https://iq.wiki/wiki/nansen)), Mats Julian Olsen ([Dune](https://iq.wiki/wiki/dune)), and Samantha Yap (YAP Global) discussed trends in [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) analytics. They highlighted the challenges of navigating a fragmented multi-chain environment and the increasing importance of curating data for investors and projects. Speakers noted a growing need for standardized metrics to track narratives and market trends. Singapore was recognized as an emerging crypto hub with diverse talent, while Asia’s role in the industry was expected to expand. The discussion also touched on major [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) narratives, with [real-world assets (RWA)](https://iq.wiki/wiki/real-world-assets-rwas) identified as a long-term growth area, given their potential to integrate external value into the ecosystem. [\\[9\\]](#cite-id-9)\n\n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](TJnz14mzJOY)$$\n\n### Decentralization & AI\n\nAt Southeast Asia [Blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) Week 2024 (SEABW2024), Yu, Dan Park ([Hashed](https://iq.wiki/wiki/hashed)), Sanjay Popli ([Cryptomind Group](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptomind-group)), Andy Lee (Mugen Interactive), and [Daniel Wang](https://iq.wiki/wiki/daniel-wang) ([Aethir](https://iq.wiki/wiki/aethir)) explored the convergence of AI and [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3), focusing on how decentralization could influence the AI sector within the [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) space. Panelists shared their insights on how AI and [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) could complement each other. They discussed challenges such as AI's centralized nature and data privacy issues, and how [blockchain’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) transparency and decentralization could address these concerns. The speakers also highlighted the potential for decentralized AI infrastructure, like [Kaito AI's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/kaitoai) search engine for the [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) industry, and [Aethir’s](https://iq.wiki/wiki/aethir) distributed cloud network. They emphasized how AI can improve information access, user onboarding, and enhance user experiences in [crypto](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency), while also offering solutions for latency-sensitive applications like cloud gaming. [\\[10\\]](#cite-id-10)\n\n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](hrKaIFj1B3E)$$\n\n## References\n\n
    \n
  1. Kaito AI. Official Website.
    2. \n
  2. Hu, Y. [@Punk9277]. X Profile.
    3. \n
  3. Hu, Y. LinkedIn Profile.
    4. \n
  4. SCB 10X. (2024, May 23). The Web3 Search Trailblazers: Inside Kaito's Quest to Democratize Information with AI [Video]. YouTube.
    5. \n
  5. The Block. (2025, March 15). X accounts of Kaito and founder Yu Hu hacked to spread unfounded reports of token supply issues.
    6. \n
  6. When Shift Happens. (2025, January 17). Kaito AI Founder: How To Get Rich With Crypto, AI And Content | E105 [Video]. YouTube.
    7. \n
  7. TOKEN2049. (2023, September 26). The Next-Gen Search Engine for Web3: Kaito - TOKEN2049 Singapore 2023 [Video]. YouTube.
    8. \n
  8. AltLayer. (2025, March 5). Yappers | Agentic Crypto Day [Video]. YouTube.
    9. \n
  9. TOKEN2049. (2024, September 20). Surfacing Signal From Noise: What We Learned from Running an Analytics Platform - TOKEN2049 S'pore 2024 [Video]. YouTube.
    10. \n
  10. Southeast Asia Blockchain Week. (2024, June 19). What decentralization can do to AI: Convergence between AI and Web3 | SEABW2024 [Video]. YouTube.","summary":"Yu Hu is the founder and CEO of Kaito AI, a platform launched in 2022 to enhance information access in the Web3 space. 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