Messari Leadership Shakeup: Ryan Selkis Exits After Controversial Political Statements

• Ryan Selkis resigns as Messari CEO following backlash from Trump-supporting tweets and controversial remarks.
• Selkis’ shift from supporting Biden to endorsing Trump led to significant backlash, resulting in his resignation.
• Despite stepping down as CEO, Selkis will continue with Messari in an advisory role amid ongoing controversies.

Ryan Selkis, co-founder of blockchain analytics firm Messari, stepped down as CEO following a series of politically charged tweets supporting former President Donald Trump.

Selkis announced his resignation through his X account (formerly Twitter) on Friday, capping a week of heightened tension. On Thursday, he had briefly made his account private after the post expressing a hostile sentiment towards a green card holder, stating he hoped “we send you back.”

In his resignation statement, Selkis mentioned that for the first time in his 6.5 years as CEO, his recent comments had put his team at risk.

In 2017, Selkis rose to prominence as a director at Digital Currency Group and later as managing director at CoinDesk, after initially joining as a consultant. This was just before the 2017 crypto bull market.

In early 2018, Selkis, co-founded Messari, a platform designed to compete with established financial services like Bloomberg. Under his leadership, Messari gained traction in the crypto asset industry. The company secured several funding rounds, including the $35 million Series B round in 2022, which valued the company at $300 million.

Selkis, who used to support President Biden, has recently switched his political support to Trump. This shift became evident after Trump invited Selkis for a talk at a Mar-a-Lago event earlier this year, which happened around the same time Trump renewed his support for crypto assets.

Messari’s leadership reportedly provided Selkis with a “tough love” session to address his behavior. In his resignation statement, Selkis acknowledged that he had “run too hot” in his recent communications. Despite stepping down as CEO, Selkis remains involved with Messari in an advisory capacity, suggesting his influence on the company may continue in a different form.

Since then, Selkis has used his X account to express strong and controversial political opinions. His tweets included harsh statements about opponents of Trump, which contributed to his current predicament.