Vivek Raman
Vivek Raman is the Co-Founder and CEO of Etherealize, the institutional marketing and product arm of the Ethereum ecosystem, dedicated to driving Ethereum adoption among financial institutions. He is a recognized DeFi researcher and cryptocurrency investment banker, noted for his work in blockchain education, policy advocacy, and institutional crypto integration. Prior to founding Etherealize, Raman was Managing Director at BitOoda, a leading digital asset investment bank, and served as Senior DeFi Researcher at Celsius Network, where he contributed to the development of institutional-grade cryptocurrency solutions. Before entering the crypto space, he spent a decade on Wall Street, holding senior roles at Morgan Stanley, UBS, Deutsche Bank, and Nomura, including Vice President in High Yield Credit Trading, building expertise in traditional financial markets and investment strategies.
Vivek Raman Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Co-Founder and CEO
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Senior DeFi Researcher
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Vice President of High Yield Credit Trading
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Vice President of High Yield Credit Trading
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Director of High Yield Credit Trading
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Vice President of High Yield Credit Trading
Academic History
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B.A., Economics
Vivek Raman founded Etherealize with backing from the Ethereum Foundation and co-founder Vitalik Buterin.
Under his leadership, the firm delivers blockchain education, research, and institutional-grade products that accelerate the integration of real-world assets onto the Ethereum blockchain.
Raman has built a team combining Wall Street expertise and Ethereum ecosystem knowledge to drive product development, strategic partnerships, and institutional adoption initiatives.
CRYPTO CAREER
At BitOoda, Raman served as Managing Director of Crypto and AI Investment Banking, leading the development of Ethereum-based institutional products and research.
He also held the role of Head of Proof-of-Stake (PoS) Development, overseeing research and strategy for the ETH and Layer 2 ecosystem.
Previously, he was a DeFi Researcher at Celsius Network, conducting in-depth diligence on DeFi protocols across the EVM ecosystem.
INSTITUTIONAL FINANCE CAREER
Raman spent over a decade on Wall Street, building expertise in high-yield and distressed markets.
He was Vice President of Credit Trading at Nomura, where he expanded the distressed, high-yield, and loan trading desk with robust client activity across trading, research, and sales.
He also served as Vice President of High Yield Credit Trading at Deutsche Bank and Director of High Yield Credit Trading at UBS and Morgan Stanley, managing a high-yield cash/CDS book across sectors including retail, shipping, satellites, gaming, technology, media, consumer products, homebuilders, building products, and distressed situations.
MEDIA & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Raman has testified before the U.S. Congress, advocating for clear regulatory frameworks for digital assets.
He is frequently featured in major media outlets discussing Ethereum’s potential to transform institutional finance and the broader blockchain ecosystem.