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Meltem Demirors is a prominent investor, cryptocurrency proponent, and investment strategist based in the United States. Demirors has occupied major positions at companies like Digital Currency Group, ExxonMobil, Deloitte Consulting, the World Economic Forum, and CoinShares.
According to CoinDesk, Meltem Demirors was born in 1987 in the Netherlands into a family of emigrants from a farming community in southern Turkey. The publication adds that Demirors has followed the footsteps of her parents by embracing risk. Demirors told CoinDesk:
My mom and dad didn’t have electricity growing up. They didn’t have running water growing up. They dreamed of a better life, and they recognized they would have to work their asses off and take serious risks to get it.
When Demirors was 10, her family moved to the state of Michigan in the United States. The drastic change of location and culture was a “big shock” to her.
That was a big shock. It was so socially conservative. It was so homogeneous. Sunday school is the center of the community – we’ve never been religious as a family. I’ve never really set foot in a church other than to look at the architecture.
Soon, demirors started reading history and philosophy, which helped her significantly improve her English.
Demirors’ LinkedIn profile states that she graduated from Rice University in 2009 with B.A., Mathematical Economics.
In 2015, she graduated from the MIT Sloan School of Management with a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Meltem lives with her charming and understanding husband, whom she prefers to call a “partner,” whom she adores. Her partner works at Barstoolsports.
She believed that she would never get married. But, she surprised her fans and followers when she signed a marriage contract in January 2018 at the city hall in New York.
However, not much is known about her partner as they maintain a shallow personal life profile. On that day, the couple wore matching workout clothes and later, with family and friends, celebrated the wedding ceremony to celebrate their love.
The couple had been dating each other for five years before they held this official ceremony. They had played tennis on a lawn on their first date.
Since May 2018, Meltem has been a Chief strategy officer at CoinShares.
Meltem is a Guest lecturer at the MIT Media Lab, and is a Lecturer for Oxford's newest course on blockchain technology. Besides, currently, she is a Member of Global Future Council on Blockchain of World Economic Forum.
In 2015-2018, Meltem was the Director of Development at Digital Currency Group (DCG), a firm focused on building and supporting bitcoin and blockchain companies by leveraging its insights, network, and access to capital.
Previously, Meltem was a Program Coordinator at FinTech Sandbox and dealt with Corporate treasury at ExxonMobil.
From 2009 to 2013, Meltem served as a Consultant in Strategy & Operations at Deloitte Consulting. Prior to joining the firm, she was also an Intern at Tradax Energy and Dow Chemical.
Chief Strategy Officer
CoinShares
May 2018 – present time
Director, Oxford Blockchain Strategy Programme
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Jan 2018 – present time
World Economic Forum
- Co-Chair, Cryptocurrency Council. Steering Committee, Global Governance Council
Sept 2020 - Dec 2021
- Blockchain Council
Oct 2016 - Oct 2020
Advisor, Future Commerce
MIT Media Lab
March 2015 — 2020
Greater Boston Area
Vice President
Digital Currency Group
Apr 2015 - Feb 2018
New York, NYC
Corporate Treasury
ExxonMobil
May 2014 - Aug 2014
Dallas, TX
Strategy Consultant
Deloitte Consulting
July 2009 - May 2013
Analyst
Tradax Energy
May 2008 - May 2009
Houston, TX
Analyst
Dow Chemical
Apr 2007 - Aug 2007
Zürich Area, Switzerland
Meltem got her first taste in bitcoin investment when she met Barry Silbert, the CEO and founder of Digital Currency Group. She joined the company as Director of Development in 2015 and later rose through the corporation's ranks to become the Vice President.
Digital Currency Group is the world's largest asset manager for digital currency. As of January 2021, one of DCG's five cryptocurrencies focussed company, Grayscale, was managing more than $20.2 billion of assets.
Similarly, Barry Silbert's net worth amounts to a jaw-dropping $1.6 billion. So, it can be concluded that as the Vice President, Meltem Demirors' net worth must have gone up significantly during her tenure.
Moreover, the businesswoman has also made several appearances in talk shows, conferences, and TV shows where she shares her insight about how the bitcoin industry works.
Since 2018, Meltem has been working at Coinshare as the Chief Strategy Officer. As per her website, she manages assets worth $4 billion worth of assets in the firm. Working for one of the world's largest digital asset investment companies, Demirors must be making millions of dollars.
Meltem Demirors made 29 investments. Her latest investment is Seed Round - Blockade Games on Nov 24, 2021. Meltem Demirors invested $5M in Blockade Games.
She has invested in the following companies:
Nov 24, 2021 Blockade Games — Seed Round - $5M
Aug 31, 2021 XMTP — Series A - $20M
Jul 13, 2021 ClayStack — Seed Round - $5.2M
Jun 30, 2021 Syndicate — Seed Round - $800K
Jun 21, 2021 Meson Network — Venture Round - $3.5M
Jun 2, 2021 SmartDeFi — Pre Seed Round - $1M
May 6, 2021 Showtime — Seed Round - $7.6M
May 6, 2021 Upshot — Series A - $7.5M
May 5, 2021 XMTP — Seed Round - $5M
Mar 29, 2021 Liquity — Series A - $6M
In 2011-2013, Meltem was a Team Captain for Deloite at MS Society. Previoulsy, she was a Tutor for Junior Achievement.
Currently, Meltem is a Mentor at Startupbootcamp.
The exact net worth of Meltem Demirors was unknown as of early June 2021.
Demirors lists her personal investments on her website, but she doesn’t specify their percentage distribution or value. Some notable companies Demirors has invested in include the Chia blockchain, digital asset platform Anchorage, Compass Mining, and digital wallet Eco.
Meltem Demirors has profiles on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Demirors has been featured by a number of major online publications, including CNBC, Barron’s, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal.
Demirors has been featured on Raoul Pal’s Real Vision as well.
In 2019, CoinDesk named Demirors as one of the most influential people in the cryptocurrency/blockchain industry.
- In her teens, she loved reading and playing the piano.
- She was different from another child of her age. She used to make schemes to generate her own pocket money by baking cookies for neighbors, mowing lawns, or giving piano lessons.
- She lectures at both MIT and Oxford University.
- Meltem enjoys reading science fiction novels, skiing, and writing, in addition to her work at bitcoin and consulting.
- Meltem specializes in privacy and civil rights.