{"id":"saeed-badreg","hidden":false,"ipfs":"QmRWyA2mWDTHk4v8R8SZ7j356PUsYbctp7zQ1VVpLCegB5","language":"en","transactionHash":"0x8113f87bf5d9f4116dde926cd563565635e879fdaef96ec0c0bac858a7c02d77","created":"2024-05-31T16:33:26.436Z","updated":"2024-06-24T14:12:06.644Z","title":"Saeed Badreg","summary":"Saeed Badreg is the CEO and co-founder of Wormhole, with a background in law and business, having previously worked at Tolemaeus and Jump Crypto.","content":"**Saeed Badreg** is the co-founder and CEO of [Wormhole](https://iq.wiki/wiki/wormhole) Labs, the core contributor company behind the [Wormhole](https://iq.wiki/wiki/wormhole) cross-chain interoperability protocol, which has processed over $70 billion in cumulative transaction volume across more than 40 [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) networks and supports institutional [tokenization](https://iq.wiki/wiki/tokenization) partners such as BlackRock, Apollo Global Management, and VanEck.[[5]](#cite-id-6xx9ccic3s)[[6]](#cite-id-ceeip86lhw)\n\n## Education\n \nBadreeg graduated with a B.A. in Law and Society from American University in 2012. He then earned a Primer MBA from DePaul University in 2015.[[2]](#cite-id-aefutyb0t0k) \n \n\n## Career\nBadreg was CEO of Tolemaeus, a mobile and web application developer, from May 2017 to August 2021. He then worked in strategic partnerships at Jump Trading LLC, a data and research-driven trading business, and later led strategic partnerships at Jump Crypto, the firm's [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) and [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) division, from August 2021 to August 2023.[[1]](#cite-id-jdqesw9yi0k) In 2023, after the [Wormhole](https://iq.wiki/wiki/wormhole) protocol was spun out of Jump Crypto with a $225 million funding round at a $2.5 billion valuation, Badreg co-founded Wormhole Labs to serve as a core contributor to the protocol.[[5]](#cite-id-6xx9ccic3s)[[3]](#cite-id-btuo4auquw7)\n\n### Wormhole\nIn 2023, Badreg co-founded [Wormhole](https://iq.wiki/wiki/wormhole) Labs with his coworkers, [Anthony Ramirez](https://iq.wiki/wiki/anthony-ramirez) and [Tony Jin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/tony-jin). Wormhole Labs is an independent technology company specializing in [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) interoperability and serves as a core contributor to the Wormhole protocol.[[6]](#cite-id-ceeip86lhw) It launched in November 2023 after the Wormhole protocol was spun out of Jump Crypto with a $225 million funding round at a $2.5 billion valuation from backers including [Coinbase Ventures](https://iq.wiki/wiki/coinbase), Brevan Howard, Jump Trading, Multicoin Capital, [ParaFi](https://iq.wiki/wiki/parafi-capital), Dialectic, Arrington Capital, and Borderless Capital.[[5]](#cite-id-6xx9ccic3s)[[3]](#cite-id-btuo4auquw7) The Wormhole protocol has processed over $70 billion in cumulative transaction volume across more than 40 blockchains and acts as interoperability infrastructure for institutional [tokenization](https://iq.wiki/wiki/tokenization) initiatives by firms including BlackRock, Apollo Global Management, and VanEck.[[5]](#cite-id-6xx9ccic3s) \n \n> “I hope the new funding will help the company push forward the relentless expansion of [blockchains](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). It's not just a niche trend, but an enduring transformation where Fortune 100 companies onboard both public and private [blockchains](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain).”\n\n## Interviews\n \n\n### Hashflow x Wormhole\n \nIn a 2022 interview on the Hashflow Podcast, Badreg discussed the collaboration between Hashflow and [Wormhole](https://iq.wiki/wiki/wormhole), highlighting the integration's technical aspects and benefits for cross-chain trading. He explained how [Wormhole's](https://iq.wiki/wiki/wormhole) network of guardians facilitates secure asset and message transfers across different [blockchains](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain), enhancing efficiency and security. Badreg also elaborated on Hashflow's RFQ system, where [market makers](https://iq.wiki/wiki/automated-market-maker) provide [liquidity](https://iq.wiki/wiki/pol-proof-of-liquidity) for trades, and how the integration with [Wormhole](https://iq.wiki/wiki/wormhole) allows for seamless [cross-chain swaps](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cross-chain-swaps) without vulnerabilities like front-running. He also touched on plans to expand support to non-[EVM](https://iq.wiki/wiki/ethereum-virtual-machine-evm) chains and enhance cross-chain [liquidity](https://iq.wiki/wiki/pol-proof-of-liquidity) through APIs and widgets, aiming to improve the overall user experience in [decentralized finance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/defi).[[4]](#cite-id-s6s3sk8o208) $$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](RMMEXEQoyTU)$$ \n\n### Talking Tokens: Why Price Discovery Will Move Onchain Within Three Years\n \nIn a February 17, 2026 episode of [Solana](https://iq.wiki/wiki/solana)'s Talking Tokens podcast, Badreg discussed [Sunrise](https://iq.wiki/wiki/sunrise), a [tokenization](https://iq.wiki/wiki/tokenization) and distribution platform incubated by [Wormhole](https://iq.wiki/wiki/wormhole) Labs that helps asset issuers reach users across multiple [blockchains](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) with an emphasis on the Solana ecosystem. He explained how Sunrise uses Wormhole's Native Token Transfer (NTT) framework to move assets across chains without relying on wrapped tokens, aiming to preserve provenance and reduce liquidity fragmentation. Badreg also outlined why he expects price discovery for major assets to migrate onchain within about three years, citing accelerating institutional adoption and improving market infrastructure.[[7]](#cite-id-4c01q3njkq)\n\n### Lightspeed: Listing Assets Everywhere Onchain\n \nIn a January 27, 2026 episode of [Solana](https://iq.wiki/wiki/solana)'s Lightspeed podcast, Badreg discussed Solana's efforts to expand onchain markets through cross-chain asset listings and the role of [Sunrise](https://iq.wiki/wiki/sunrise) in helping issuers bring assets to Solana. He described coordinated go-to-market and liquidity strategies that combine cross-chain infrastructure with distribution to exchanges and applications, aiming to make new listings accessible across multiple networks from day one. Badreg also shared his views on the future of tokenized markets, emphasizing how interoperable infrastructure could support broader adoption of tokenized assets.[[8]](#cite-id-95f4bu3eax)","recentActivity":null,"operator":{"id":"0x1E23b34d3106F0C1c74D17f2Cd0F65cdb039b138"},"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"People in crypto"}],"tags":[{"id":"Founder"}],"images":[{"id":"QmYoBZhBcMjXCAUFfcASg8wMLkmanTvvCYfL2XjKBGxDCz","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"media":[{"name":"image","id":"QmVo2dauuTHeC8jNMCSiw3SwaxzWtWzDNFRBnXs8Jm5rdr","size":"0.01","type":"GALLERY","source":"IPFS_IMG"},{"name":"RMMEXEQoyTU","id":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMMEXEQoyTU","size":"0","type":null,"source":"YOUTUBE"}],"linkedWikis":{"founders":[],"blockchains":[],"speakers":[]},"events":[{"title":"Graduated from American University","date":"2012-05-01","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Saeed Badreg completed a B.A. in Law and Society at American 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