Brett Harrison
Brett Harrison is the Founder and CEO of Architect, an institutional trading technology company that builds advanced infrastructure for global futures, options, and digital asset markets. A seasoned financial technologist and industry veteran, Harrison has extensive expertise in algorithmic trading system development and traditional financial technology. Before founding Architect, he served as President of FTX US, the U.S.-regulated arm of the global crypto exchange FTX. During his tenure, he led the company’s growth as it achieved unicorn status and expanded beyond cryptocurrencies into stock trading and NFT marketplaces. Harrison joined FTX US as its first President shortly after its launch and stepped down several months before the collapse of its parent company. Prior to entering the digital asset industry, Harrison spent more than a decade building and managing algorithmic trading technology at Jane Street and Citadel Securities, where he focused on equities, ETFs, options, ADRs, and other global derivatives.
Brett Harrison Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Founder and CEO
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President of FTX.US
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Head of Semi-Systematic Technology
Academic History
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M.S., Computer Science
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B.A., Computer Science
Brett Harrison served as President of FTX US, the American affiliate of the global cryptocurrency exchange FTX, where he played a pivotal role in scaling the company’s U.S. operations.
Appointed in May 2021, Harrison oversaw the establishment of FTX US’s independent U.S. headquarters and spearheaded its expansion into retail stock trading and crypto derivatives.
Under his leadership, FTX US rapidly grew to become the third-largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States by valuation, achieving unicorn status in less than a year.
During his tenure, Harrison focused on building a compliant and transparent platform tailored to U.S. regulatory standards. Before his departure, he published a detailed statement outlining his final days at FTX and his efforts to maintain operational independence from the company’s global arm.
While FTX’s parent company later collapsed and filed for bankruptcy, Harrison was not accused of any wrongdoing and has since become a vocal advocate for ethical leadership and transparency in crypto.
EARLY CAREER
Before entering the digital asset space, Harrison built an extensive career in high-frequency and algorithmic trading technology.
At Citadel Securities, he served as Head of Semi-Systematic Technology, leading global initiatives across options, ETFs, OTC, and ADR trading systems.
He was previously Head of ETF Technology at the firm, where he oversaw the architecture of cutting-edge trading infrastructure.
Earlier, Harrison worked as a Senior Software Developer at Headlands Technologies, focusing on algorithmic market strategies.
He began his career at Jane Street, one of the world’s leading quantitative trading firms, where he led the development of proprietary algorithmic trading systems.
MEDIA PRESENCE
Brett Harrison is a recognized thought leader in crypto innovation, market structure, and trading technology.
He has appeared as a guest speaker at leading financial conferences, Web3 summits, and investment panels.
His insights have been featured in Bloomberg, Reuters, Fortune, Business Insider, and the New York Post, as well as top crypto media outlets including CoinDesk, Cointelegraph, Blockworks, and The Block.
He has also appeared as a guest on Real Vision and participated in the 2023 Real Vision Festival of Learning, where he discussed the future of crypto infrastructure, digital asset regulation, and institutional adoption.