Antoni Trenchev is an accomplished international businessman, blockchain advocate, and cultural aficionado. He is a Co-founder and Managing Partner of digital assets institution Nexo and holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree, successfully merging legal knowledge with financial business acumen.

Antoni Trenchev along with his decade-old friend Kosta Kantchev, as early Bitcoin enthusiasts, encountered a common problem among crypto enthusiasts of that era: how to leverage their cryptocurrency in a predominantly cash-based society without compromising its potential benefits. The two launched the Nexo platform in April 2018, shortly after raising $52.5 million in an oversubscribed private token sale, which were immediately used to fund demand for the industry’s first instant crypto-backed credit lines. Antoni's financial and legal expertise led him to spearhead Nexo's Legal and Regulatory Compliance team. As a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and a champion of crypto regulation that does not stifle innovation, he and the Nexo team successfully led Nexo to acquire over 50 licenses and registrations worldwide while maintaining proactive, amicable dialogue with regulators globally.

Under Antoni and Kosta’s stewardship, Nexo achieved significant milestones in less than two years, including pioneering crypto-backed loans and the launch of innovative products like Earn Crypto Interest and the first crypto mortgage. The company also rolled out a mobile app and reached over $1.5B in assets under management after seeing its user base grow by an unrivaled 850% in the first year alone.

As early as the crypto market’s bull run in late 2019, Antoni Trenchev was at the forefront of blockchain adoption, spreading the word about cryptocurrency's potential. It was at this time that Trenchev became a household name on top-tier financial outlets not least due to his accurate prediction that Bitcoin would reach $50,000 by the end of 2020.

Humanitarianism

Antoni Trenchev was also fundamental in laying the groundwork for Nexo’s tradition for humanitarian aid and philanthropic work with the first company-led initiative in support of children in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, Save with Crypto. Nexo may be a relatively young company but has relentlessly participated in and led multiple charitable campaigns across the globe, including providing aid to victims of the 2023 earthquakes in Turkey and Syria as well as, Crypto for Ukraine – a large-scale humanitarian effort which provided urgent help to the large numbers of people in Ukraine whose lives were shattered by Russia’s war. Among the various charitable causes Nexo spearheaded were its donations to Bitcoin developers, and other initiatives like and #ColorTheSpectrum.

Trenchev, Kantchev, and the Nexo team are not ones to rest on their laurels. In 2021, the enterprise achieved exponential growth and reached milestone after milestone – $4B in assets under management, 5 million users, and over $50B processed, cementing its position as one of the leading digital asset institutions in the world.

Around that time, on his ongoing quest for compliance, Antoni was occupied with one thought: how can the digital assets industry balance stability and investor protection on the one hand with the promotion and support of innovation on the other? He championed crypto regulation, but its lack thereof was slowing down innovation as providers were scrambling to find guidance.

Against this backdrop, Nexo made a pioneering move in terms of transparency to its clients – the company became the first crypto lender to introduce a real-time attestation of its reserves. This unprecedented level of transparency demonstrated – through a 24/7, independent, third-party verification – that Nexo’s custodial assets always exceed liabilities and that the company maintains 1:1 backing.

In the coming months, Nexo would establish partnerships with prominent players in the industry, such as Fidelity Digital Assets, Bakkt, and Mastercard – launching its industry-unique Nexo Card. Furthermore, 2022 saw the launch of Nexo's proprietary prime brokerage platform, Nexo Prime, and Nexo Pro – a full-fledged liquidity aggregator that brings professional trading tools to all.

Trenchev and Kantchev remained steadfast in their commitment to leading the way in the future of finance. Nexo Ventures, the in-house Web3-focused investment arm, completed over 65 strategic investments in early-stage projects that aligned with the company mission.

During 2022’s rapidly-evolving crypto landscape, Nexo remained committed to stability, security, and transparency and continued to stay ahead of the curve. The company refused to engage in the industry-wide practice of under- and un-collateralized lending. It is a fundamental principle for Nexo that has resulted in no bad debt during market turmoils. Since its inception, Nexo has been adhering to strict risk management and counterparty risk management principles. This is especially important in light of the events of 2022 when the collapse of a handful of companies spread like a contagious decease and brought extreme second- and third-order effects to the market. Because of its risk management protocols and sustainable business model, Nexo had $0 exposure to failed crypto companies.

Nexo remains dedicated to stability, transparency, and staying at the forefront of innovation. Antoni Trenchev's vision and leadership continue to drive Nexo's success as the team explores new opportunities in the blockchain ecosystem, shaping the future of finance.