# Fred Ehrsam

> Fred Ehrsam (Frederick Ernest Ehrsam III) is a serial founder and investor who co-founded Coinbase in 2012 — the crypto exchange that went public on Nasdaq in 2021 — and Paradigm in 2018, the research-driven crypto VC firm that raised a $2.5 billion fund. Now he's chasing his next frontier: Nudge, a non-invasive brain-computer interface startup using focused ultrasound to modulate brain states, which raised $100 million in Series A funding in 2025. A Duke computer science graduate turned Goldman Sachs FX trader, Ehrsam discovered Bitcoin in 2011 and never looked back — quietly becoming one of the most influential architects of the crypto industry while building a reputation as a deep thinker obsessed with pushing the boundaries of human capability.

- **Role:** Co-Founder & CEO at Nudge; General Partner at Paradigm
- **Organizations:** Nudge, Paradigm, Coinbase
- **From:** Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.S. Computer Science (minor in Economics), Duke University, High School Diploma, Concord-Carlisle High School
- **Known for:** Co-founded Coinbase in 2012, which became the largest US cryptocurrency exchange and went public on Nasdaq in 2021, Co-founded Paradigm in 2018, which raised the largest crypto-focused VC fund ever at $2.5 billion (2021), Held approximately 8.9% of Coinbase at the time of its direct listing

## Career timeline

- **2010** — Graduated cum laude from Duke University with a B.S. in Computer Science
- **2010-2012** — Foreign exchange trader at Goldman Sachs, New York City
- **2011** — Discovered Bitcoin via an academic paper; made first Bitcoin purchase
- **2012** — Co-founded Coinbase with Brian Armstrong, serving as President
- **2013** — Named to TIME's '30 Under 30 Changing the World'
- **2017** — Stepped down from day-to-day role at Coinbase; remained on Board of Directors
- **2018** — Co-founded Paradigm with Matt Huang as a research-driven crypto VC firm
- **2021** — Coinbase direct listing on Nasdaq; Ehrsam held ~8.9% stake
- **2021** — Paradigm closes $2.5 billion fund — largest crypto VC fund at the time
- **2023** — Stepped back from Managing Partner role at Paradigm; became General Partner
- **2024** — Co-founded Nudge, a non-invasive brain-computer interface startup using focused ultrasound
- **2025** — Nudge raises $100M Series A led by Thrive Capital and Greenoaks; unveils Nudge Zero headset
- **2026** — Appointed to President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) by President Trump

## Achievements

- Co-founded Coinbase in 2012, which became the largest US cryptocurrency exchange and went public on Nasdaq in 2021
- Co-founded Paradigm in 2018, which raised the largest crypto-focused VC fund ever at $2.5 billion (2021)
- Held approximately 8.9% of Coinbase at the time of its direct listing
- Named to TIME's '30 Under 30 Changing the World' in 2013
- Raised $100 million Series A for Nudge in 2025
- Angel invested in OpenAI, Anthropic, Anduril, SpaceX, and other frontier companies
- Appointed to U.S. PCAST in 2026
- Wrote influential essays on blockchain governance, DeFi, and NFTs cited widely in the crypto industry
- Hosts the Prometheus Summit, an exclusive invitation-only gathering on human enhancement

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — Appointed to U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) by President Trump, alongside Marc Andreessen
- **2025-07** — Nudge raises $100 million Series A led by Thrive Capital and Greenoaks
- **2025-04** — Nudge unveils Nudge Zero, a non-invasive BCI headset using low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU)
- **2024-01** — Co-founded Nudge with Quintin Frerichs and Jeremy Barenholtz (former VP at Neuralink)
- **2023-10** — Stepped down as Managing Partner at Paradigm; transitioned to General Partner role

## Links

- Website: https://www.fehrsam.xyz/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredehrsam/
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/FEhrsam
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fehrsam/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/fred-ehrsam
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-01