"Ethereum's Wall Street Champion: Vivek Raman's Etherealize Bridges Finance and Crypto"

Ethereum's New Cheerleader on Wall Street: A Q&A With Vivek Raman

Vivek Raman, the founder of Etherealize, spent 10 years on Wall Street before turning to crypto. Raman launched Etherealize in January, with the aim of marketing and educating the banks on ether (ETH) and its role in the ecosystem. Raman spoke to CoinDesk about his personal experience, the three arms of Etherealize, as well as how the banks are paying attention to the Ethereum ecosystem, including layer 2s.

Ethereum is facing an identity crisis. Its native token, ether (ETH), is underperforming against competitors, and longtime builders are beginning to question whether the chain's technology is falling behind—and if its community is losing focus.

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The Ethereum Foundation, the nonprofit that stewards Ethereum's development, has been blamed for many of the network's struggles. Co-founder Vitalik Buterin is spearheading a massive leadership shake-up at the organization, but his central influence over the process has sparked its own controversy.

Meanwhile, rival ecosystems like Solana are capitalizing on the uncertainty, attracting top talent and outpacing ETH in the market.

Amid this turbulence, a new project, Etherealize, is aiming to bring ETH to Wall Street. Founded by former banker Vivek Raman, Etherealize seeks to bridge the gap between traditional finance and Ethereum, positioning ETH as a serious asset class.

Raman, who spent a decade in banking before discovering crypto, believes his traditional finance background gives him a unique perspective. He has spent the past four years laying the groundwork for Etherealize, choosing to launch in January—a time of heightened market optimism driven by expectations of a crypto-friendly White House, even as Ethereum grapples with internal disputes and price stagnation.

In a recent interview with CoinDesk, Raman discussed his vision for