Seraphim, who previously served as Growth Lead at both Lido Finance and Ethena, has officially joined the Solana Foundation in a role focused on risk and special situations. His arrival comes with a big target, a sharp tongue, and no shortage of confidence.
The Mission: $10 Billion in TVL
In his new role, Seraphim says his mandate is to close “mega deals that will drive max value” to the Solana ecosystem. His headline goal is bringing $10 billion in total value locked to Solana, a significant step up from the $1 to $2 billion in deals he says he has brokered previously. He is already reaching out to large TVL providers, pointing to “super scalable fixed yield products at 7 to 8 percent in a tradfi setup.”
He is also setting his sights on growing real-world asset perpetuals on Solana, building on what Hyperliquid has already done with oil, gold, and Nasdaq-linked products. His message to serious crypto and tradfi market makers is simple: “We have the distribution and are open to deals.”
Why Solana, Why Now
Seraphim was direct about what drew him to the role. He described Solana as having “the most engaged user base in crypto with the highest take rate per volume,” ranking it above major exchanges like Coinbase and Binance. He also praised the Solana Foundation as “very lean and full of killers.”
He went further, suggesting that Solana could overtake Ethereum in stablecoin supply within a year. “All it takes is for one Chinese megawhale to migrate their USDT and USDC from EVM to Solana lending markets,” he wrote. “Once they realise Solana is censorship resistant and decentralised, they will stay and bring others.”
Related: Bitget Launches “UEX Switch” Campaign to Unify Crypto and Traditional Markets
The Ethereum Dig
Seraphim did not hold back on his former stomping ground. He declared “Ethereum is dead,” describing it as “stuck in communism,” a pointed jab at what he sees as Ethereum’s slow, committee-driven approach to development. “
Other chains don’t need me,” he said. It is a striking statement from someone who spent years helping build two of Ethereum’s most prominent DeFi protocols.
Candid About His Own Motivations
Refreshingly, Seraphim was unusually honest about what he personally wants from the move. “I am doing this for glory,” he said plainly, adding that he wants to be “instrumental in growing trading activity and onchain TVL.” He also admitted: “I want to be relevant again. I miss pissing people off while being unavoidable. It’s fun.”
He added that learning how to build real trading distribution is a core personal goal, noting that “almost no one in crypto knows how to do it, but that’s where billion dollar opportunities lie.”
Related: Indian Court Acquits CoinDCX Founders in Impersonation Fraud
Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.