Stefan Thomas
Stefan Thomas is a highly regarded open-source developer and distributed systems advocate. He was a leading figure in the blockchain movement and an early Bitcoin contributor, best known for producing the popular animated video “What is Bitcoin?” which introduced millions to the digital currency. Thomas is also the creator of BitcoinJS, the first implementation of Bitcoin cryptography in JavaScript which is used by hundreds of blockchain companies today. Currently, he is developing the Interledger Protocol, an open-source standard for connecting payment networks.
Stefan Thomas Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Academic History
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BA in Business Studies
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS
- Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Coil
- Chairperson of the Interledger Foundation
- Co-Creator of the Interledger Protocol
EARLY CAREER
- Thomas used to work as a developer in Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
- As Chief Technology Officer and one of the first employees at Ripple, he designed new protocols for cross-border payments, now used by banks all over the world.
PHILANTHROPY AND BOARD APPOINTMENTS
- Thomas is a passionate supporter of financial access.
- He worked with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop Mojaloop, an open-source national payment switch that connects mobile wallets in developing markets.
- He sits on the boards of Imgur, the community-powered entertainment platform reaching 300 million people each month.
- He is a board member of Uphold, the digital money platform serving more than 6 million customers in more than 150 countries.
MEDIA
- Thomas has appeared as a guest on Real Vision.