Solana’s Institutional Strategy Isn’t a Theory, It’s Already Happening.
How Nick from Solana Foundation sees on-chain equities, global community flywheels, and the next wave of blockchain adoption.
Institutions are quietly building on-chain and it’s not just talk anymore.
A few years ago, if someone told me major asset managers would be launching tokenized funds directly on public blockchains, I might’ve smiled politely and moved on.
But here we are.
I recently sat down with Nick Ducoff, Head of Institutions at the Solana Foundation, to talk about how all of this is unfolding. From regulation to BD to community and what it means for the next chapter of Web3.
Nick’s background is part lawyer, part founder, part crypto-native. And for the past two years, he’s been helping banks, fintechs, and asset managers actually build on Solana.
Not test.
Not theorize.
Build.
On-chain IPOs and the next era of public markets
One of the most surprising parts of our conversation was how far things have moved with on-chain equities. Remember when Anatoly described Solana as an “on-chain NASDAQ”? That might not be so far off.
The Solana Foundation, along with Orca and Superstate, recently submitted a framework to the SEC for public offerings to be issued directly on-chain.
Yes, IPOs. Not just token launches. Actual public offerings on a decentralized network.
Would you trust a blockchain to run public markets?
Would you prefer it?
This isn’t a thought experiment anymore. It’s in motion.
Meanwhile, institutions are already building.. quietly, steadily.
Over the past year, we’ve seen a stream of institutional players building on Solana:
BlackRock launched a tokenized money market fund
Franklin Templeton, Apollo, and Wellington are actively exploring the ecosystem
Societe Generale issued a Euro-backed stablecoin on Solana
Nick’s take? These aren’t PR stunts. They’re strategic moves. The most forward-looking institutions are applying the Innovator’s Dilemma to themselves. They see the future coming, and they want to be part of building it, not resisting it.
What it actually takes to onboard institutions
This was one of my favorite parts of our conversation.
Nick’s team isn’t just focused on BD metrics. They’re playing the long game, building relationships that are grounded in trust, education, and consistency.
Getting someone to say yes is just the beginning.
Helping them navigate risk, compliance, internal blockers, and evolving regulation? That’s where the real work lives.
Crypto founders, especially in BD: are you making space for that kind of depth?
Culture can’t be bought and Solana’s might be its biggest edge.
That shows up in how the Foundation works. How fast they respond. How much they support builders. How open they are to feedback.
Solana isn’t trying to be the loudest or the flashiest. They’re just showing up again and again and that consistency is magnetic.
They are a global network, run by 70 people. So how do they support such a global footprint?
Super Teams.
Community-led teams in places like Turkey, France, Nigeria, and Japan that onboard builders, host events, and offer support on the ground. It’s a beautiful example of scaling with your ecosystem, not just for it.
Nick’s Advice for Crypto BD Teams
Whether you're in a foundation, protocol, or dApp team trying to land a big partner, here’s Nick’s guidance:
Meet in person. Nothing builds trust faster.
Slide into DMs. LinkedIn, Twitter, cold emails still work.
Be helpful first. Share insights, connect dots, offer value before pitching.
Stay in touch over time. Because crypto moves fast and timing always changes.
Final Thoughts: So, where does this all leave us?
I don’t think we need to pick sides between grassroots and institutional. The future is both.
We need the scrappy builders and the serious operators. We need the rebels and the risk managers. We need wallets and fund structures and governance tooling and policy teams.
And most of all, we need people like Nick, who are willing to play the long game while building bridges between worlds.
If you’ve been wondering how institutional adoption is actually playing out…
This conversation is for you. Let me know what resonates and what you’re building next.
📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube.
🧑💻 Explore talent and builder opportunities: solana.org
💬 Got thoughts or questions? DM me @br_ttany
Keep building,
Brittany
