{"id":"nikolai-mushegian","version":1,"language":"en","title":"Nikolai Mushegian","hidden":false,"content":"**Nikolai Mushegian** was a [blockchain ](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain)architect, entrepreneur, [cryptocurrency ](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency)expert, and technical Angel Investor, in [Web 3.0 ](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3)and protocols. He played a significant role in the early development of the [MakerDAO, ](https://iq.wiki/wiki/makerdao)a [decentralized finance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) (DeFi) protocol. Nikolai also contributed to the design of the first Maker/DAI contract system and was a technical partner in the first iteration of the [Balancer](https://iq.wiki/wiki/balancer), which is an automated market maker. He was also often referred to as the \"DAI architect\" within the crypto community. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-5n0fvwno266)[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-lbz2hi9kq6)[\\[3\\]](#cite-id-6qlx9sitqrh)[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-p0e9izn4l6)[\\[8\\]](#cite-id-0lu4whkj1ndb)  \n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](tu0Q9ZDrJT4)$$  \n  \n# Early Life and Education  \n  \nNikolai Mushegian's parents were Russian immigrants who moved to the United States for better job opportunities. Nikolai grew up in Kansas, United States, with his siblings and parents, but moved to Florida to pursue his profession and business. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-lbz2hi9kq6)  \n  \nNikolai attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and gained a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Mathematics in 2014. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-5n0fvwno266)[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-lbz2hi9kq6)  \n  \n# Career  \n  \nNikolai began his career as a software engineering intern at Apple between May and August 2013 where he helped the company improve tools for operating system performance analysis. He also served as a core developer at [Bitshares](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitshares), a [proof-of-stake](https://iq.wiki/wiki/proof-of-stake) [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) network, from May 2014 to February 2015. Nikolai also worked for Google as a software engineer from June to August 2015 and moved on to become the CEO of Dapphub between October 2015 and January 2018. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-5n0fvwno266)[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-p0e9izn4l6)  \n  \nMushegian contributed to the advancement of various [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) projects, gaining recognition for his instrumental role in designing decentralized financial platforms and [stablecoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/stablecoin) systems within the realm of blockchain technology.[\\[9\\]](#cite-id-jmwb63dgabl)  \n  \nHe partnered with [MakerDAO](https://iq.wiki/wiki/makerdao) founder [Rune Christensen](https://iq.wiki/wiki/rune-christensen) as the original technical collaborator for the project. During the period from 2015 to 2018, he actively contributed to the protocol and the development of the decentralized stablecoin [DAI](https://iq.wiki/wiki/dai), as indicated on his personal website. [\\[9\\]](#cite-id-jmwb63dgabl)  \n  \nHe also played a role in the establishment of projects like the automated market maker [Balancer](https://iq.wiki/wiki/balancer) and Reflexer's RAI, which is a [stablecoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/stablecoin) backed by [ether](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ether-eth) and based on DAI's framework. He also worked on a cryptocurrency project named Rico, which aimed to establish a free-floating decentralized stablecoin system. The project's objective was to position itself as a \"spiritual successor of DAI\" and adhere to DAI's original vision without making any concessions in its design and implementation. [\\[9\\]](#cite-id-jmwb63dgabl)  \n  \n# Achievements  \n  \nNikolai was involved in multiple blockchain projects, and among his successful efforts was the development of best practices for earned value management programming as a component of DApps. The aforementioned features consisted of DSProxy delegate call-based dynamic atomic composition, DSNote generic logging utility, DSAuth flexible authorization pattern, [WETH](https://iq.wiki/wiki/weth-wrapped-eth), and the contract with the highest Ether balance. [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-p0e9izn4l6)  \n  \n# Investments towards DeFi Research  \n  \nNikolai Mushegian gave his alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), 3,200 [MKR tokens](https://iq.wiki/wiki/mkr), which are valued at around $1.38 million as of June 2023. Mushegian expressed his intention to establish a research program focused on [Decentralised Finance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi) (DeFi) protocols and [decentralized applications](https://iq.wiki/wiki/decentralized-application) (DApps) through his donation. The allocated funds were meant to sponsor the research of Master's and Ph.D. students.[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-p0e9izn4l6)[\\[6\\]](#cite-id-uyxiezovdyj)  \nAccording to him:  \n  \n> \"I am very concerned about the increasing rent-seeking behavior from some of the big players in this space, and also from existing banks and tech giants.\"  \n  \n# Death  \n  \nNikolai Mushegian was found dead on October 29, 2022, in Puerto Rico where he was discovered by a surfer off Ashford Beach, fully clothed and carrying his wallet. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-6qlx9sitqrh)[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-lbz2hi9kq6)[\\[7\\]](#cite-id-lqyk6dmxpgl)  \n  \nAbout four hours before his death, Nikolai tweeted:  \n  \n> \"CIA and Mossad and and elite are running some kind of sex trafficking entrapment blackmail ring out of Puerto Rico and Caribbean Islands. They are going to frame me with a laptop planted by my ex gf who was a spy. They will torture me to death.\" [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-zk8xr58e6oh)  \n  \nDespite the shady circumstances surrounding his death, his family said they do not suspect any foul play in his death, which was unrelated to the tweet. Sources claimed that he was a 'paranoid' and 'troubled young millionaire' with a history of mental health problems. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-lbz2hi9kq6)[\\[7\\]](#cite-id-lqyk6dmxpgl)  \n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](Ei_CBf_iqhU)$$","summary":"Nikolai Mushegian is a blockchain architect and entrepreneur known for his significant contributions to the MakerDAO, a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol.","categories":[{"id":"people","title":"People in crypto"}],"promoted":0,"tags":[{"id":"Founders"},{"id":"PeopleInDeFi"}],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[{\"id\":\"5n0fvwno266\",\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolai-mushegian-a8276423/\",\"description\":\"Nikolai Mushegan Linkedin\",\"timestamp\":1686654621889},{\"id\":\"lbz2hi9kq6\",\"url\":\"https://www.newsunzip.com/wiki/nikolai-mushegian/#Nikolai_Mushegian_Wiki_Biography_Education\",\"description\":\"Nikolai Mushegian Biography and Education\",\"timestamp\":1686656330461},{\"id\":\"6qlx9sitqrh\",\"url\":\"https://tadviser.com/index.php/Person:Nikolai_Mushegian\",\"description\":\"Nikolai Mushegian Biography and Death\",\"timestamp\":1686657226030},{\"id\":\"p0e9izn4l6\",\"url\":\"https://everipedia.org/wiki/lang_en/nikolai-mushegian\",\"description\":\"Nikolai Mushegian \",\"timestamp\":1686657423602},{\"id\":\"zk8xr58e6oh\",\"url\":\"https://twitter.com/delete_shitcoin/status/1585918718088970241\",\"description\":\"Nikolai Mushegian last post before his death\",\"timestamp\":1686659233816},{\"id\":\"uyxiezovdyj\",\"url\":\"https://nikolai.fyi/\",\"description\":\"Nikolai Mushegian Website\",\"timestamp\":1686660171774},{\"id\":\"lqyk6dmxpgl\",\"url\":\"https://nypost.com/2022/11/09/drowning-death-of-crypto-visionary-fuels-conspiracy-theories/\",\"description\":\"Drowning death of Nikolai Mushegian fuels conspiracy theories\",\"timestamp\":1686661260283},{\"id\":\"0lu4whkj1ndb\",\"url\":\"https://cryptopotato.com/makerdao-co-founder-nikolai-mushegian-found-dead-in-puerto-rico/\",\"description\":\"MakerDAO Co-Founder Nikolai Mushegian Found Dead in Puerto Rico\",\"timestamp\":1688746464004},{\"id\":\"jmwb63dgabl\",\"url\":\"https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/11/01/early-makerdao-developer-and-stablecoin-pioneer-found-dead-in-puerto-rico/\",\"description\":\"Early MakerDAO Developer and Stablecoin Pioneer Found Dead in Puerto Rico\",\"timestamp\":1693204071611}]"},{"id":"website","value":"https://nikolai.fyi/"},{"id":"twitter_profile","value":"https://twitter.com/delete_shitcoin?s=20"},{"id":"linkedin_profile","value":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolai-mushegian-a8276423/"},{"id":"github_profile","value":"https://github.com/nmushegian"},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"QmYSdURhKxTUjVQTaTcgDE76qDDqZ1muVwvqhpmCF66vH5"}],"user":{"id":"0x6753061a4cffbc0A617e57E956A298D88702a94B"},"author":{"id":"0x8eBEb49FEFC02bd8C053F588F58A85e72E4cF9C9","profile":{"username":"Tobiloba_Ogunwusi","avatar":""}},"media":[{"name":"tu0Q9ZDrJT4","id":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tu0Q9ZDrJT4","size":"0","type":null,"source":"YOUTUBE"},{"name":"Ei_CBf_iqhU","id":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei_CBf_iqhU","size":"0","type":null,"source":"YOUTUBE"}],"views":157,"events":[{"title":"Joined Google","description":"Nikolai joined Google as a Software Engineer","type":"DEFAULT","date":"2015-06","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolai-mushegian-a8276423/"},{"title":"Became CEO of DappHub","description":"Nikolai was the CEO of DappHub located in Miami","type":"DEFAULT","date":"2015-10","link":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolai-mushegian-a8276423/"},{"title":"Nikolai Mushegian died in October 2022","description":"Nikolai Mushegian was reported dead on October 28 2022","type":"DEFAULT","date":"2022-10","link":"https://tadviser.com/index.php/Person:Nikolai_Mushegian"}],"ipfs":"QmYSdURhKxTUjVQTaTcgDE76qDDqZ1muVwvqhpmCF66vH5","transactionHash":"0x65636e7be1c4042f3502bd1fb47c502d3a5839f50deba2fd9471fa2323ccdc9c","created":"2023-06-13T13:03:16.038Z","updated":"2023-09-29T17:03:17.293Z","images":[{"id":"QmZ2mkwxB7miqim4LRPX2CYfcYmtRMPy4PcUqA4b4nhMM2","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"linkedWikis":{"blockchains":["mkr"]}}