{"id":"navin-vethanayagam","title":"Navin Vethanayagam","content":"**Navin Vethanayagam** is the Chief Brain [IQ](https://iq.wiki/wiki/iq) and the Galaxy Brain of [BrainDAO](https://iq.wiki/wiki/braindao).  He also co-founded IQ's [KRWQ](https://iq.wiki/wiki/krwq), the first Korean won [stablecoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/stablecoin).  [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-mm169bnpl4a)​\n\n# Career\n\nNavin Vethanayagam serves as the Chief Brain of IQ and led the launch of IQ's [KRWQ](https://iq.wiki/wiki/krwq), the first Korean won stablecoin alongside IQ CTO [Cesar Rodriguez](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cesar-rodriguez) and IQ COO [Andy Cho](https://iq.wiki/wiki/andy-cho).   [\\[13\\]](#cite-id-fLmzzS1hSyc6Rwy7)   [\\[14\\]](#cite-id-UDoWUJxkgHNHHeev)  [\\[15\\]](#cite-id-YHx11cwTKrpayLSZ)&#x20;\n\nThe launch of KRWQ was covered by The Block in October of 2025 with Navin explaining the need for KRWQ:\n\n> “KRWQ fills a critical gap in the market. While USD-backed stablecoins dominate today, no credible won-denominated stablecoin has ever launched at scale.\"   [\\[13\\]](#cite-id-fLmzzS1hSyc6Rwy7)&#x20;\n\nIn 2026, Navin and the IQ team hired [Dave Shin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/dave-shin) as COO of KRWQ. He spoke about the hire in a press release:\n\n> \"Dave has a rare combination of experience as an executive in traditional finance as well as blockchain infrastructure. He understands how major banks, exchanges, and liquidity venues think because he has operated inside them, and he understands how to scale blockchain networks because he has already done it with \\[LayerZero] - (<https://iq.wiki/wiki/layerzero>), \\[Klaytn] - (<https://iq.wiki/wiki/klaytn>), \\[Immutable] - (<https://iq.wiki/wiki/immutable-x>), and \\[Tezos] - (<https://iq.wiki/wiki/tezos>). KRWQ is entering a phase where we need that exact mix of credibility and execution. We are excited to have Dave leading our operations,\" said Navin Vethanayagam, Chief Brain of IQ.  [\\[17\\]](#cite-id-WcqVZm8tyNKpQ5b7)&#x20;\n\nIn March of 2026, KRWQ announced the first stablecoin blockchain-based derivative of the Korean won versus the US dollar with [EDX](https://iq.wiki/wiki/edx), an institutional cryptocurrency exchange backed by Citadel. [\\[16\\]](#cite-id-ZOiCXiHKbABhUZ7k) After the launch, Navin was quoted by Circle in a case study covering how KRWQ is bringing the Korean won onchain reducing trading costs by 50-75%:&#x20;\n\n> KRWQ is taking one of the largest and most important FX derivatives markets, the offshore KRW NDF market, and rebuilding it onchain.”   [\\[18\\]](#cite-id-6ord37kw0XuQdHAY)&#x20;\n\nIn 2023, he led the launch of IQ AI's [Agent Tokenization Platform](https://iq.wiki/wiki/agent-tokenization-platform-atp) alongside IQ CTO Cesar Rodriguez. Prior to leading IQ AI, he was the Chief Community Officer of [IQ.wiki](https://iq.wiki/wiki/iqwiki) formerly known as Everipedia where he focused on growing the site's traffic by focusing on its community, social channels, and press relations. He is also the Chief Brain of BrainDAO, which manages the [IQ token](https://iq.wiki/wiki/iq). [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-mm169bnpl4a)​[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-4e8i27kdntx)​\n\nAs Chief Community Officer, Navin worked on several projects to improve the site's traffic through the editorial, marketing, and community aspects of building the IQ.wiki platform. He was interviewed by [CryptoSlate](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptoslate)'s [Akiba](https://iq.wiki/wiki/akiba) for SlateCast where he discussed the expansion of [IQ.wiki](https://iq.wiki/wiki/iqwiki) onto [Polygon](https://iq.wiki/wiki/polygon) and the platform's future plans. [\\[12\\]](#cite-id-jbgwz5hs38)​\n\nHe also worked on the communications around the launch of the IQ token and later Everipedia's partnerships with The Associated Press (AP). He led the press relations and marketing for the Everipedia OraQles project which was used by AP to publish election data on the blockchain for the first time ever. The event was covered by several media outlets including Forbes, Coindesk, Cointelegraph, and Nasdaq News. He also worked closely with AP to create their first NFT which sold for 100.888 ETH on OpenSea. [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-atqg0orbuyo) [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-ir1vscz6b1) [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-npqbl1cjq9k)​\n\nNavin also wrote several governance proposals involving the IQ token and BrainDAO. He wrote the proposal to fund BrainDAO, IQIP-9: Bridging the Real-world and the Metaverse with BrainDAO. [\\[10\\]](#cite-id-jk1gxnug51d) He also worked on governance proposals that involved IQ tokenomics including IQIP-14: New IQ Tokenomics for IQ.wiki which involves establishing new tokenomics for the IQ token after the launch of IQ.wiki. [\\[11\\]](#cite-id-shi4facnasn) Previously, he wrote IQIP-2: Reducing IQ’s Max Supply which involved reducing the maximum supply of the IQ token and hard capping it to 21 billion tokens. [\\[9\\]](#cite-id-t5zeexe3mr) [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-mm169bnpl4a)​\n\nNavin first joined Everipedia in 2016 as the company's sixth team member. His role initially focused on creating content for the site before expanding into community management and growing the site's traffic. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-4e8i27kdntx)​[\\[6\\]](#cite-id-k6p3y0dmxvl) [\\[7\\]](#cite-id-w9w2xzje49k) [\\[8\\]](#cite-id-kj6lbto8a4i)​\n\nPrior to joining Everipedia, Navin worked as an Associate Business Analyst at Scotiabank in their Global Wholesale Technology - Derivatives division while studying at Western University. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-mm169bnpl4a)​\n\n# Early Life & Education\n\nNavin Vethanayagam was born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He graduated from the Ivey Business School at Western University with a Bachelor of Arts, Honors Business Administration. He previously studied Business Management and Organizational Studies at Western University. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-mm169bnpl4a)","summary":"Navin Vethanayagam is the Chief Brain of IQ and the Galaxy Brain of BrainDAO.  He he also co-founded IQ's KRWQ, the first Korean won stablecoin.","images":[{"id":"QmX2VuFrDyqqcgpRzXRu3FUUCgoZzHdKPK7at3LYuSpZG1","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"People in crypto"}],"tags":[],"media":[{"id":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIIn2qPT9HY","size":"0","name":"bIIn2qPT9HY","type":null,"source":"YOUTUBE"}],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[{\"id\":\"mm169bnpl4a\",\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/navinveth/\",\"description\":\" \",\"timestamp\":1659654417216},{\"id\":\"4e8i27kdntx\",\"url\":\"https://prsuit.com/how-to-land-a-job-at-the-next-big-unicorn-startup/\",\"description\":\" \",\"timestamp\":1659654449860},{\"id\":\"atqg0orbuyo\",\"url\":\"https://cointelegraph.com/news/ap-news-publishes-us-presidential-election-results-on-the-blockchain\",\"description\":\"AP News publishes US presidential election results 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IQ.wiki\",\"timestamp\":1677696475957},{\"id\":\"fLmzzS1hSyc6Rwy7\",\"description\":\"KRWQ launches as first Korean won stablecoin on Base\",\"timestamp\":1781671473120,\"url\":\"https://www.theblock.co/post/376877/krwq-korean-won-stablecoin-base\"},{\"id\":\"UDoWUJxkgHNHHeev\",\"description\":\"KRWQ About page\",\"timestamp\":1781671732899,\"url\":\"https://www.krwq.cash/about\"},{\"id\":\"YHx11cwTKrpayLSZ\",\"description\":\"IQ AI About page\",\"timestamp\":1781671749150,\"url\":\"https://iqai.com/about\"},{\"id\":\"ZOiCXiHKbABhUZ7k\",\"description\":\"Wall Street-Backed Crypto Exchange Takes Aim at Asia FX Market Using Won Stablecoin\",\"timestamp\":1781672190997,\"url\":\"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-23/wall-street-backed-crypto-exchange-targets-asia-fx-market-using-won-stablecoin?embedded-checkout=true&leadSource=uverify%20wall\"},{\"id\":\"WcqVZm8tyNKpQ5b7\",\"description\":\"Press Release for the appointment of Dave Shin as COO of 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Navin’s quoted statement from the PR release [[17]](#cite-id-WcqVZm8tyNKpQ5b7)\",\"Added paragraph: Noted March 2026 announcement of a KRWQ-based stablecoin derivative with EDX (institutional exchange backed by Citadel) [[16]](#cite-id-ZOiCXiHKbABhUZ7k)\",\"Added paragraph: Included Circle case study quote about KRWQ bringing the Korean won onchain and reducing trading costs by 50–75% [[18]](#cite-id-6ord37kw0XuQdHAY)\",\"Kept/placed: Mention that in 2023 he led the launch of IQ AI's Agent Tokenization Platform alongside IQ CTO Cesar Rodriguez (retained existing citations) [[1]](#cite-id-mm169bnpl4a) [[2]](#cite-id-4e8i27kdntx)\"]},{\"title\":\"References (value)\",\"subtitle\":\"Reference list updated with new reference entries added to the 'value' array.\",\"variant\":\"modified\",\"changeCount\":6,\"changes\":[\"Added reference id 'fLmzzS1hSyc6Rwy7' — \\\"KRWQ launches as first Korean won stablecoin on Base\\\" 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