Christopher Perkins

Christopher Perkins is a financial executive and digital asset specialist who serves as CEO of 250 Digital Asset Management, a cryptocurrency investment management firm. The company was established as a standalone entity following its separation from CoinFund Management, with a team focused on liquid crypto strategies and institutional-grade portfolio construction.

Franklin Templeton has agreed to acquire 250 Digital Asset Management. Upon completion of the transaction, Perkins will lead Franklin Crypto, a division dedicated to active investment management across the cryptocurrency landscape. The Franklin Crypto unit targets pensions, sovereign wealth funds, and large asset allocators seeking exposure to digital assets through regulated structures, with strategies spanning liquid token markets, venture exposure, and structured products linked to blockchain infrastructure.

Perkins has experience in both traditional finance and digital assets. Before joining CoinFund, he spent 13 years at Citi, including as global co-head of futures, clearing, and foreign-exchange prime brokerage. He also held a senior role at Lehman Brothers as the U.S. head of derivatives intermediation, managing a portfolio of more than $100 billion in notional across credit and interest rate derivatives. Prior to 250 Digital Asset Management, Perkins served as managing partner and president of CoinFund, where he was a member of the investment committee and focused on investments at the intersection of decentralized and traditional finance. He is a founder of Quatrefoil Data Services and co-inventor of the Composite Ether Staking Rate (CESR), an interest rate benchmark in the digital asset sector.

In addition to his investment work, Perkins is active in crypto policy and regulation. He advocates for the crypto ecosystem through his roles on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Global Markets Advisory Committee and its Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee. He has testified before Congress on crypto market structure design and contributes on digital asset topics for Forbes. Perkins has appeared on the "Lightspeed" podcast in the episode "The Institutional Era of Crypto Has Arrived" and on the "Thinking Crypto" podcast to discuss Franklin Templeton's acquisition of 250 Digital Asset Management and the firm's expansion into digital asset investment services. He is a member of the Economic Club of New York, serves on the advisory board of Academy Securities, and co-chairs the Blockchain Association's National Security Committee.

An Iraq War veteran, Perkins served in the U.S. Marine Corps for nine years, achieving the rank of captain. His military service has influenced his professional approach and community leadership. He is the co-founder of Veterans in Digital Assets and Veterans on Wall Street, two international initiatives supporting veterans' employment and empowerment. Perkins has served on various boards, including as vice chairman for Team Rubicon, a disaster response organization. He has been inducted into the Veterans Hall of Fame by the New York State Senate and has received honors such as the Marine For Life Award and the Peter J. Awn Community Service Award. Perkins holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and a Master of Arts degree in national security studies from Georgetown University.