Built in Malaysia, used by the world: our hidden crypto giants

Malaysia has produced several key players in the global crypto space, often without the financial backing or infrastructure typically associated with tech giants. This is highlighted by Luno's Institutional Digital Asset Conference in Kuala Lumpur, where it was noted that several major digital asset tools have Malaysian origins.

Etherscan, a blockchain explorer for Ethereum, was founded in 2015 by Matthew Tan with a team of just 15 and has since grown to serve over 50 blockchains. Similarly, Jupiter, a token aggregator for Solana, has routed over RM5 trillion in trades and employs over 70 people. Virtuals Protocol, founded by Jansen Teng, allows users to create and co-own AI agents and has a market value of over RM20 billion.

Pendle, a marketplace for trading crypto yields, has attracted investment from Binance Labs and holds over RM54 billion in deposits. These Malaysian-founded companies have made significant contributions to the crypto industry, despite their size and lack of venture capital.