Digital Assets Strategy Lead

Nasdaq's Capital Access Platforms business is expanding its digital assets strategy and product portfolio. We are looking for a hybrid strategy + product leader who combines deep on-chain experience, rigorous research capabilities, and strong commercial instincts to shape the next generation of products that help issuers, investors, and intermediaries access capital in a digital-first world.

This role will sit at the intersection of strategy, product, and market development, with a mandate to identify, validate, and launch new digital asset and on-chain products across the Capital Access Platforms suite (issuer services, IR & ESG solutions, data & analytics, workflow and governance tools).

You will translate emerging blockchain and tokenization trends into tangible products, business models, and platform capabilities that are aligned with Nasdaq's regulatory obligations and brand.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy & Opportunity Development:

• Develop and refine the digital assets strategy for the Capital Access Platforms business, including opportunity sizing, competitive landscape, and prioritization of product bets.
• Identify new on-chain use cases that enhance capital formation, investor engagement, and issuer lifecycle solutions (e.g., tokenized equities/private markets, digital corporate actions, on-chain IR/ESG data, governance workflows).
• Build robust business cases (TAM/SAM, revenue models, investment needs, ROI) for new initiatives and drive alignment with senior leadership.
• Monitor regulatory, market structure, and technology developments in digital assets and translate them into strategic recommendations for CAP.

Product Discovery & Roadmapping

• Partner with product teams for end-to-end product discovery process for new digital-asset offerings within CAP: problem definition, user research, hypothesis testing, prototyping, and validation.
• Define and maintain a digital assets product roadmap for the CAP portfolio, ensuring clear prioritization across near-term deliverables and long-term strategic bets.
• Translate strategy into detailed product requirements, user stories, and functional specifications for engineering and design teams.

On-Chain Research & Technical Exploration

• Conduct hands-on on-chain research across major L1s and L2s (e.g., Ethereum, Solana, EVM L2s, permissioned/enterprise chains) to understand real-world behavior, liquidity, and protocol dynamics relevant to Capital Access Platforms.
• Design and execute on-chain experiments (e.g., test deployments, pilot tokenized instruments, prototype on-chain registries or data feeds) in partnership with engineering and external partners.
• Evaluate DeFi protocols, wallets, custody solutions, token standards (ERC-20/ etc.), oracles, and identity/attestation tools to assess how they can be safely and effectively integrated into CAP offerings.
• Build and maintain an internal research library and frameworks (e.g., network analysis, protocol risk frameworks, fee models) to support ongoing decision-making.

Cross-Functional Execution

• Serve as the internal subject-matter expert on digital assets and on-chain infrastructure for the Capital Access Platforms team, including training and knowledge-sharing.
• Engage with clients (issuers, banks, asset managers, law firms, fintech partners) to validate product direction, gather feedback, and co-develop pilot programs.

Qualifications

Required:

• 10+ years of experience in a combination of product management, corporate/strategic strategy, or business development, ideally within financial services, fintech, or market infrastructure.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in digital assets / blockchain, including direct exposure to on-chain products, smart contracts, or tokenization initiatives.
• Demonstrated track record of building and launching products from concept through launch in a complex, regulated or enterprise environment.
• Strong analytical and research skills, with the ability to synthesize technical, regulatory, and commercial inputs into clear recommendations and business cases.
• Working knowledge of:
  • Tokenization and digital securities (equity, private markets, funds, or structured products)
  • On-chain data, oracles, and basic smart contract design
  • Crypto market structure (exchanges, custodians, brokers, prime, DeFi venues)
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex concepts succinctly to executive, technical, and client audiences.

Preferred

• Prior experience at an exchange, ATS, custodian, broker-dealer, asset manager, or enterprise blockchain provider.
• Direct experience with:
  
  • Building or integrating on-chain registries, corporate actions, or governance tools
  • DeFi protocol analysis, on-chain analytics (e.g., Dune, Nansen, Flipside, proprietary tools), or writing basic smart contracts or scripts
  • Permissioned or consortium chains and tokenization platforms.
• Familiarity with US and global regulatory frameworks related to digital assets, securities, and market infrastructure.
• Technical proficiency in at least one of: SQL, Python, Solidity, Rust, DAML, TypeScript/JavaScript, or similar tools used for on-chain research and prototyping (not a developer role, but comfortable digging into data and code).

Personal Attributes

• Strategic + hands-on: Comfortable sliding between board-level strategy discussions and detailed product requirements or on-chain data investigations.
• Curious and research-oriented: Proactively explores new protocols, networks, and models; maintains an informed point of view on where digital assets are going and what's signal vs. noise.
• Commercially minded: Connects technical possibilities to real customer problems, viable business models, and scalable platform plays.
• Collaborative: Thrives in cross-functional teams, can influence without direct authority, and builds strong relationships with stakeholders across the organization and with external partners.
• Regulation-aware innovator: Passionate about pushing the frontier of digital assets while respecting regulatory boundaries and Nasdaq's role as a trusted market operator.

Come as You Are

Nasdaq is an equal opportunity employer. We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, color, disability, national origin, ancestry, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable law.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation.

What We Offer

We're proud to offer a competitive rewards package that is meaningful, recognizes the unique needs of our employees and their families and incentivizes employees for their contribution to Nasdaq's overall success.

The base pay range for this role is $112,000 - $207,000. In addition to base salary, Nasdaq provides a generous annual boncommission (short-term incentive), and equity (long-term incentive), comprehensive benefits, and opportunity for growth. Exact compensation may vary based on several job-related factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to: skill set, experience, education/training, business needs and market demands.

Nasdaq's programs and rewards are intended to allow our employees to:

• Secure Wealth: 401(k) program with 6% employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Program with 15% discount, Student loan repayment program up to $10k, Company paid life and disability plans, Generous paid time off
• Prioritize Health: Comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, Health spending account with employer contribution, Paid flex days to support mental wellbeing, Gym membership discounts
• Care for Family: Hybrid home/office schedule (for most positions), Paid parental leave, Fertility benefits, Paid bereavement leave
• Connect with Community: Company gift matching program, Employee resource groups, Paid volunteer days
• Grow Career: Education Assistance Program, Robust job skills training and Professional development opportunities

For more information, visit Nasdaq Benefits & Rewards Career page