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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/Vanguard_Group" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">@Vanguard_Group</a> has begun searching for a Head of Digital Assets, a senior role that will shape the firm's strategy for cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based technology. The roughly $10 to $12 trillion asset manager spent years telling clients it would not touch crypto. Now it is hiring for the job that would own that entire question.</p>
<h2 id="a-remit-that-goes-well-beyond-etfs">A Remit That Goes Well Beyond ETFs</h2>
<p>The new executive will develop a multi-year digital asset roadmap, assess opportunities from tokenization to stablecoins and custody, and coordinate efforts across product, technology, operations, legal and compliance. According to the posting, the hire would serve as Vanguard's senior subject matter expert, advise senior leadership on market developments, and represent the firm in discussions with regulators and industry groups. The role also covers digital wallets, blockchain-enabled settlement, and determining whether Vanguard should build new capabilities internally, partner with third parties, or delay entering certain parts of the market.</p>
<p>While the new job posting does not signal an imminent product launch, it broadens Vanguard's focus beyond simply offering access to third-party funds. The title itself, focused on digital assets rather than a narrow ETF-distribution function, points to a broader remit than simply deciding which funds to list.</p>
<h2 id="from-blanket-refusal-to-building-in-house-strategy">From Blanket Refusal to Building In-House Strategy</h2>
<p>When BlackRock, Fidelity, and dozens of smaller issuers rushed into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, Vanguard refused to offer them on its brokerage platform at all. In 2024, the firm announced it had no plans to offer Bitcoin ETFs or other crypto-related products to clients, arguing that cryptocurrencies' high volatility runs counter to its goal of helping investors generate positive real returns over the long term.</p>
<p>That stance began to shift under new leadership. The reversal came under Salim Ramji, who became Vanguard's first externally hired CEO in July 2024. Ramji came from BlackRock's iShares division, where he helped launch that firm's Bitcoin ETF, bringing a more crypto-open perspective to the role. By December 2025, Vanguard eased its stance and began allowing trading of mutual funds and ETFs that primarily invest in cryptocurrencies on its platform. The decision gave more than 50 million brokerage clients access to funds holding <a href="https://x.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=cashtag_click" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$BTC</a>, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana.</p>
<p>The search marks another step in Vanguard's gradual shift toward digital assets after years of resisting the sector. The asset manager remained one of crypto's largest institutional skeptics while peers such as BlackRock, Fidelity, and Franklin Templeton rolled out spot Bitcoin ETFs and other blockchain initiatives. Posting a Head of Digital Assets role signals that the internal debate has moved. Firms do not create senior leadership positions for categories they intend to keep ignoring.</p>
<p><strong>Sources:</strong><br><a href="https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/07/07/vanguard-opens-search-for-digital-assets-leader-in-sign-of-evolving-crypto-strategy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CoinDesk: Vanguard opens search for digital assets leader</a><br><a href="https://www.blockhead.co/2025/12/02/vanguard-reverses-course-will-allow-clients-access-to-crypto-etf-trading" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Blockhead: Vanguard reverses course on crypto ETF trading</a><br><a href="https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/vanguard-warms-to-crypto-hiring" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bitcoin Magazine: Vanguard warms to crypto with search for digital assets chief</a></p>

Wall Street's biggest crypto holdout is finally staffing up

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