Puja Samuel and JPMorgan Talent Migration to Crypto Sector

The cryptocurrency industry continues to attract top-tier financial talent from traditional banking institutions. In a notable period, multiple senior executives departed JPMorgan to join blockchain and digital asset companies, signaling broader industry trends around financial innovation and career opportunities in Web3. Among these transitions, Puja Samuel moved from her role as head of ideation and digitization at JPMorgan’s New York office to join Digital Currency Group (DCG), taking on responsibilities as head of corporate development.

Puja Samuel Leads Strategic Growth at Digital Currency Group

Puja Samuel’s appointment at DCG represents a strategic hire for the organization. With her background in innovation and digital transformation from JPMorgan, Samuel brings institutional finance perspective to the digital assets space. Upon joining, she expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity: “I am excited to help build out new strategic partnerships alongside an energized team that is driving change across the financial system.” Her role focuses on identifying and developing new business opportunities for DCG, a major player in cryptocurrency infrastructure and services.

Eric Wragge Brings Capital Markets Expertise to Algorand

During the same timeframe, Eric Wragge, who spent 21 years at JPMorgan as a managing director, joined the Algorand blockchain network. Taking the position of head of business development and capital markets, Wragge also chairs the Algorand Foundation’s investment committee. Algorand Foundation CEO Staci Warden welcomed his appointment, recognizing his deep understanding of institutional finance requirements. Wragge commented on his transition: “Coming from a leading global investment bank, I understand the uncompromising performance requirements for a layer 1 blockchain to compete against and improve upon many aspects of traditional finance.”

Other Notable Departures in Crypto’s Talent Race

The movement of financial professionals extended beyond these two cases. Earlier in the week, former JPMorgan banker Samir Shah announced his departure to become chief operating officer at Pantera Capital, a cryptocurrency-focused investment firm renowned for its venture activities in the blockchain space. Additionally, Christine Moy, another JPMorgan executive, moved to Apollo to lead digital assets strategy initiatives.

What This Brain Drain Signals for Traditional Finance

These departures underscore a significant shift in financial services employment. Despite market uncertainties, established financial institutions’ talent continues flowing toward cryptocurrency infrastructure and blockchain protocols. The moves highlight how digital asset companies increasingly recruit from traditional banking powerhouses to scale operations and compete in institutional markets. Notably, none of these departing executives worked within Onyx, JPMorgan’s dedicated blockchain and digital assets division, suggesting widespread interest in crypto careers across different JPMorgan departments. JPMorgan declined to comment on these executive transitions.