Jean-Louis van der Velde is a Dutch businessman, the self-made billionaire CEO of Bitfinex and Tether (USDT), the world's largest stablecoin backer. His career is rooted in technology, engineering, and Asia. Van der Velde left the Netherlands in 1985 to attend university in Taiwan and has lived in Asia ever since.

He studied at National Taiwan Normal University (1985–1988) and has amassed 30 years of experience in the international tech industry. His early ventures included co-founding several IT companies in hardware design, software, video streaming, and embedded systems. His philosophical approach is to integrate strict AML/KYC rules with new frictionless payment systems.

• Bitfinex (CEO & Co-founder): The core private asset, a major cryptocurrency exchange.
• Tether (USDT) (CEO & Co-founder): The world's largest stablecoin backer.
• Technology Focus: His career is built on embedded systems, video streaming, and open-source technologies (30 years of experience).
• Controversy: His companies have been at the center of controversies concerning Tether's backing, market manipulation, and New York Attorney General investigations (which he has navigated).

Jean-Louis van der Velde's strategic genius was his early pivot to digital finance. He joined to become CEO/Co-founder of Bitfinex in early 2013, structuring the holding company DigFinEx to focus on Fintech and big data. His most significant move was co-founding Tether (USDT) in 2014, creating the US dollar-pegged stablecoin that forms the backbone of global crypto liquidity.

His structural contribution is immense: Tether's USDT is now foundational to the multi-trillion dollar crypto economy. He also serves as an executive director in a Chinese automotive group and a Hong Kong-based VC. His wealth is tied to the colossal, long-term, stable value and immense usage of the Tether stablecoin, despite the regulatory and financial scrutiny he continuously faces (including New York Attorney General investigations).

Jean-Louis van der Velde's social impact is structural, stemming from Tether's role in providing the essential liquidity and rails for the entire global crypto market. His platform enables cross-border digital transactions globally. He is a guest lecturer at Taiwan University on Blockchain and Regulation.

His personal philanthropy supports various educational and community initiatives. His structural contribution is tied to the successful creation and scaling of a foundational digital financial instrument (the stablecoin).

Jean-Louis van der Velde maintains the professional, composed style of a technology executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects stability and immense intellectual authority, typical of a leader in the global financial technology sector.

Residing in Asia, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to digital finance innovation, technology management, and the long-term stewardship of the stablecoin ecosystem.