AYU Member Spotlight: Shawn Douglass of Amberdata

Shawn Douglass is the CEO and co-founder of Amberdata, a company established to address the need for robust digital asset data infrastructure specifically designed for financial institutions

Shawn Douglass is the CEO and co-founder of Amberdata, a digital asset data provider specialising in delivering comprehensive insights into blockchain networks, cryptocurrency markets, and decentralised finance. Founded in 2017 by Tongtong Gong and Shawn Douglass, Amberdata emerged to address the lack of robust data analytics in the cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors. Amberdata’s mission is to define and lead the market for digital asset data, market intelligence and research applications to provide customers with a trusted lens into the entire cryptoeconomy. 

Hi Shawn, what are you working on today?

I’ve founded Amberdata, a company built to fill the gap for comprehensive digital asset data infrastructure tailored for financial institutions. We are focused on enabling our clients with a deep understanding of the digital assets markets with robust data and actionable insights. We power the front office with what is moving, the underlying fundamentals, risks, and relationships across the asset class, as well as post-trade compliance and reporting in the back office.

How did you get to where you are now?

I’m a business and technology executive with over 20 years of experience. As the Co-founder and CEO of Amberdata, I lead a team providing cutting-edge digital asset data infrastructure and market intelligence to financial institutions. Before starting Amberdata, I was President of Software and CTO at Unified, where I built and operated the company's SaaS offerings in cross-platform data management and analytics, and helped raise $64M in venture funding. I also served as CTO at ServiceMesh, where I drove the strategy for the ServiceMesh Agility Platform before CSC acquired it for $282M. Earlier in my career, I was Managing Director at EMC Ventures, leading strategic investments in cloud, security, and big data/analytics. My career has spanned roles as a Board Member, Operating Executive, Technologist, Advisor, Venture Investor, and even a derivatives trader. 

What attracted you to this business?

I was drawn to this business because my co-founders and I recognized that if blockchain networks became critical financial infrastructure there would be an increasing need for institutional investors to access high-quality data and insights to navigate the rapidly evolving digital asset space. With my background in tech and finance, I saw first-hand the challenges institutions would face as they moved into digital assets. Founding Amberdata allowed us to build a comprehensive data infrastructure that simplifies access to decentralized financial markets, enabling institutions to make informed decisions in the crypto space. 

For me, the most rewarding part of this journey has been seeing the platform we built get adopted by some of the biggest financial players, ultimately transforming how institutions engage with digital assets.

What has been the most pivotal moment of your career so far? 

One of the most pivotal moments in my career was co-founding Amberdata, a leading provider of digital asset data infrastructure. This marked a significant shift from my previous work in tech and finance, where I focused on data management, SaaS platforms, and venture funding. Founding Amberdata was a turning point because it addressed a major challenge in the digital assets space—giving financial institutions accurate, real-time data for decentralized markets. 

At the time, institutional interest in digital assets was growing, but the tools available were inadequate. My team and I built a unified, scalable data and analytics platform that made Amberdata a key player in the industry, allowing institutional investors to access the comprehensive data needed for trading, risk management, and compliance. Our platform delivers high-quality, high-fidelity, data and insights that power the operations of some of the largest crypto native and TradFi players, as well as the regulators and public sector saving them time and money and accelerating their time to market. 

By bringing together expertise from both traditional finance and crypto, I positioned Amberdata as a bridge between these two worlds. This shift not only redefined my career but also helped accelerate institutional adoption of digital assets. 

What aspect of the industry excites you the most? 

I'm deeply focused on the transparency that blockchain and crypto can offer. I frequently talk about the importance of being able to see everything on blockchain networks, which ties into the concept of "radical transparency." This idea is a core value we uphold at Amberdata, where we provide users with detailed, transparent data on digital assets fundamentals, transactions, and liquidity. It’s essential to what we do, allowing institutions to make informed decisions with a clear, accurate view of the data supporting the digital asset economy. Radical transparency is key to empowering trust and accountability in this space.

What would you change? 

I see U.S. crypto regulation as an area with huge potential, but one that's clearly positioned for change. The last few years have been challenging for the digital assets market, especially in the U.S., where regulatory uncertainty has created obstacles. However, I’m optimistic that more clarity is on the horizon, which could drive significant shifts in the industry. I’m encouraged by the growing institutional interest in tokenization and by regulatory initiatives globally, such as the European Union’s MiCA framework. I believe that clear, well-defined regulations will help drive institutional adoption of digital assets, unlocking innovation while managing risks effectively. This is a change I would like to see. 

What do you invest in personally?

Digital Assets are a big part of my long-term investment holdings. I’m also fairly actively trading crypto and macro assets derivatives, leveraging futures and options. I’m running a global 24x7 company, so I keep it simple, doing the same positive expectancy directional strategies with defined risk spreads on a disciplined cadence.

Where do you celebrate?

I try to stay measured and not get caught up in the ups and downs so I don’t really celebrate much. Running a start-up can have a lot of day-to-day volatility, so I do my best to stay in the flow and keep centered. I enjoy getting in the ocean when I can. If I can sneak in a 6 am dawn patrol surf session, kiteboard, dive, or sail on a weekend in between business trips, I embrace those as little celebrations and recharge for battle.

 What is at the top of your bucket list right now? 

I’m laser-focused on enabling the adoption of digital assets by building critical data and analytics infrastructure to accelerate our client's path through this inflection point as the fabric of finance and ownership evolves. My co-founders and I take a lot of pride in earning the trust of the largest players in TradFi and Digital Assets. I aspire to have every one of them as clients to make their journeys have less friction and be more delightful. 

What does success mean to you? 

For me, success is about creating long-term value and driving industry transformation, solving hard challenges, and enabling our clients to thrive. It’s not just about financial outcomes; it's about making a meaningful impact, particularly by helping institutions navigate and adopt blockchain technology. Building Amberdata into a trusted, scalable platform that bridges traditional finance with the evolving crypto world is central to my vision. 

Success also means enabling transparency, efficiency, and accessibility in financial markets through advanced data infrastructure. I value fostering collaboration and trust between Amberdata's team and the institutions we serve, ensuring our platform not only meets technical demands but also enhances the understanding of digital assets. Ultimately, my focus is on building a strong foundation for the future of finance and empowering clients to make informed decisions with reliable, real-time data. 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? 

Be prepared, keep an eye on the horizon, develop the courage to commit to a path of consequence, and be relentless once you do. 

Throughout my career, I've pursued innovative opportunities in the fast-evolving tech and financial sectors. One of the boldest moves I made was founding Amberdata, a company built to fill the gap for comprehensive digital asset data infrastructure tailored for financial institutions. When we launched, institutional adoption of crypto was still in its early stages, and it took vision and a deep understanding of both traditional finance and blockchain technology to move forward. Amberdata entered the digital asset space before it became mainstream, pushing the boundaries of what was possible.