FINTECH FORTY
Digital Assets at Duke
Overview
Each year, Digital Assets at Duke names forty people doing the hands-on work of building the future of finance.
They are the engineers, operators, lawyers, compliance leaders, investigators and policy experts who turn new technology into products and markets that work, meet the law and hold up under stress.
The FinTech Forty does not honor celebrity or company size. It honors builders, innovators and creators.
We ask one question: if you had to get a digital asset product built, approved and running safely at scale, who would you call?
They are the engineers, operators, lawyers, compliance leaders, investigators and policy experts who turn new technology into products and markets that work, meet the law and hold up under stress.
The FinTech Forty does not honor celebrity or company size. It honors builders, innovators and creators.
We ask one question: if you had to get a digital asset product built, approved and running safely at scale, who would you call?
Interested in nominating?
The Criteria
Criteria. The co-chairs consider:
- Impact: a specific, verifiable contribution in the past 24 months, such as a product launch, a regulatory approval, a framework, a major case or a piece of market infrastructure.
- Hands-on role: direct responsibility for the work, not just oversight of it.
- Range: the list is built to span technology, market infrastructure, law and compliance, security and investigations, and policy.
- Community: engagement with the Digital Assets at Duke community and its mission of nonpartisan, rigorous discussion of digital asset policy.
Eligibility.
- Current government officials are not eligible.
- Founders or CEOs of the largest, most widely recognized digital asset firms are not eligible. The list recognizes the people doing the building behind the scenes.
Selection. Honorees are selected by the conference co-chairs, Lee Reiners and Jimmie Lenz, from public nominations and their own research.
Announcement. The FinTech Forty will be unveiled at the conclusion of Digital Assets at Duke, February 10-12, 2027, and the full list will be posted on the conference website. Honorees will be notified in advance and are encouraged, but not required, to attend.
Nominations. Send nominations to digitalassets@duke.edu by January 1, 2027, with "FinTech Forty Nomination" in the subject line. Please include:
- The nominee's name, title, organization and email address.
- A description of no more than 300 words covering the nominee's specific contribution in the past 24 months and their hands-on role in it.
- Links to public material that verifies the work, where available.
- Your name, organization and relationship to the nominee.
Self-nominations are welcome.
Coffee & Crypto
Together, Lenz and Reiners host Coffee & Crypto with Lee & Jimmie, extending their discussions beyond the conference and into the broader fintech community.
Our Story
Innovation & Dialog
In an era of rapid financial innovation, Digital Assets at Duke (DA@D) stands as a premier annual conference exploring the evolving landscape of digital assets. Each year, it convenes a diverse assembly of financial professionals, regulators, policymakers, technologists, academics, and legal experts for thoughtful, evidence-based dialogue. Its mission is to foster collaboration and informed discussion among those shaping the future of digital finance and technology. As such, DA@D combines the polish of a distinguished academic forum with a forward-looking, innovative energy.
At DA@D, participants gain valuable insights directly from top regulators and industry leaders. They leave equipped with up-to-the-minute knowledge and forward-looking perspectives to guide decisions and drive innovation within their own organizations. The conference offers direct engagement with the influential voices charting the course of digital finance, through keynote addresses, candid panel discussions, and interactive sessions. Reflecting its reputation for substance over spectacle, Bloomberg has praised DA@D as a “no-hype and Lamborghini-free” conference in the world of crypto finance.
At DA@D, participants gain valuable insights directly from top regulators and industry leaders. They leave equipped with up-to-the-minute knowledge and forward-looking perspectives to guide decisions and drive innovation within their own organizations. The conference offers direct engagement with the influential voices charting the course of digital finance, through keynote addresses, candid panel discussions, and interactive sessions. Reflecting its reputation for substance over spectacle, Bloomberg has praised DA@D as a “no-hype and Lamborghini-free” conference in the world of crypto finance.
