Business Development Manager (Institutional)

Overview

• Institutional Pipeline Management

• Identify and engage with institutional prospects, including Tier-1 and Tier-2 market makers, VC firms, OTC desks, and family offices.
• Lead the entire sales process from initial cold outreach and high-level presentations to complex contract negotiations and closing.
• Coordinate with Legal, Compliance, and Operations teams to ensure a smooth KYC/KYB and technical onboarding process for institutional clients.

• Strategic Partnerships & Liquidity

• Negotiate and structure deals that increase on-platform liquidity, TVL (Total Value Locked), or trading volume.
• Identify opportunities for API integrations and sub-custody solutions for traditional financial (TradFi) institutions.
• Develop and manage "VIP" tiers, ensuring institutional clients receive competitive fee structures and bespoke support.

• Product & Market Advocacy

• Act as the "voice of the customer" for institutional needs, relaying feedback to the Product and Engineering teams to improve API stability, security features, and reporting tools.
• Represent the firm at global institutional summits (e.g., Token2049, Blockworks Digital Asset Summit) to build a high-trust network.

• Compliance & Risk Mitigation

• Stay updated on global crypto regulations (e.g., MiCA, VASP requirements, SEC/CFTC shifts) to ensure all BD activities are compliant.
• Work closely with the Risk department to assess the creditworthiness and reputational standing of potential institutional partners.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 2–5 years in Business Development, Institutional Sales, or Account Management within Fintech, Prime Brokerage, or Web3 Infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of traditional finance (TradFi) instruments—derivatives, spot trading, lending, and settlement—and how they translate to DeFi/Web3.
• Ability to discuss technical specifications, including REST/FIX APIs, MPC (Multi-Party Computation) wallet security, and smart contract audits.
• Sophisticated verbal and written communication skills suitable for C-suite and Investment Committee presentations.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience in the crypto markets).

Preferred Qualifications

• A warm network of contacts within the crypto institutional space (Market Makers, Funds, or Custodians).
• Proficiency in a second language relevant to global financial hubs (e.g., Mandarin for the APAC corridor).
• Experience explaining complex DeFi concepts (Liquid Staking, RWA Tokenization) to traditional investors.