The Stellar Development Foundation named Jason Karsh its chief marketing officer on July 16, 20251. Its blog said so. Crypto Reporter republished the foundation's announcement on July 17, 2025. That release named Karsh's old employer as Block, where he led marketing and sales for its bitcoin hardware unit2. Ellen Canale, the foundation's head of communications, wrote that the role would raise Stellar's standing with builders, firms and the public.
The second executive hire at the Stellar Development Foundation on the record since 2025
Every move CryptoLately has verified there, by the day it became public
Moves: The Moves Ledger, CryptoLately's record of verified leadership moves, Oct. 3, 2016 to Oct. 2, 2026.
Read the chart as a table
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| March 14, 2019 | Dixon became CEO. Denelle Dixon was named Executive Director and CEO of the Stellar Development Foundation |
| March 14, 2019 | McCaleb left as Executive Director. Jed McCaleb left as Executive Director of the Stellar Development Foundation |
| March 9, 2023 | Hirji joined the board. Asiff Hirji joined the board of the Stellar Development Foundation |
| July 16, 2025 | da Ponte became President. José Fernández da Ponte was named President and Chief Growth Officer of the Stellar Development Foundation |
| July 16, 2025 | Karsh became CMO. Jason Karsh was named Chief Marketing Officer of the Stellar Development Foundation |
59 executive hires on the record in 2025, the most of any year
Executive hires CryptoLately has verified, by year; 2026 through Oct. 2, 2026
- 2025: 59
- 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026
Moves: The Moves Ledger, CryptoLately's record of verified leadership moves, Oct. 3, 2016 to Oct. 2, 2026.
Read the chart as a table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2021 | 27 |
| 2022 | 37 |
| 2023 | 20 |
| 2024 | 39 |
| 2025 | 59 |
| 2026 | 45 |
The hire
Karsh spoke for himself. CoinDesk published his statement. “Stellar isn't just another blockchain project; it's financial infrastructure that is used each day by institutions and individuals around the world,” he said. “Our job is to accelerate adoption and usage for every organization, builder and blockchain enthusiast who cares about enterprise-grade security, transaction speed, and the ease of programmability that builders have come to expect,” Karsh said3. Crypto Reporter ran the same quotation on July 17, 2025, in its republication of Stellar's release2.
The release on Crypto Reporter listed Karsh's earlier jobs. His past roles included chief marketing officer at Blockchain.com, plus earlier stints at Coinbase and the security firm Blockaid2. Canale's post said he would run the foundation's global marketing arm, with brand, product and ecosystem work under one roof1.
Before and after the hire
Stellar had processed more than 20 billion operations before Karsh's hire. MoneyGram's cash on- and off-ramp network, the biggest of its kind, already ran on Stellar, the release on Crypto Reporter said2. Karsh joined alongside José Fernández da Ponte. The former PayPal blockchain lead took the president and chief growth officer role on July 16, 202513. Canale's post framed the pair as hires meant to scale what already worked, ahead of starting something new.
What came next
The Stellar Development Foundation published its year-end review on Dec. 31, 2025. Karsh appeared among the year's leadership additions, credited with "crypto-native fluency and brand-building experience"4. The same review said Visa and the card app Wirex had launched USDC and EURC settlement on Stellar that year. Stellar's developer base had grown by roughly 30 to 35 percent, the review said, citing a count from Electric Capital.
Sources
- Ellen Canale, "Welcoming Jason Karsh, Chief Marketing Officer at SDF," Stellar Development Foundation, July 16, 2025, https://stellar.org/blog/foundation-news/welcoming-jason-karsh-chief-marketing-officer-at-sdf
- Crypto Reporter, "Stellar Development Foundation Adds PayPal and Block Veterans to Lead Growth and Brand Expansion," Crypto Reporter, July 17, 2025, https://www.crypto-reporter.com/press-releases/stellar-development-foundation-adds-paypal-and-block-veterans-to-lead-growth-and-brand-expansion-104412/
- Ian Allison, "PayPal (PYPL) Blockchain Lead José Fernández da Ponte Joins Stellar," CoinDesk, July 16, 2025, https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/07/16/paypal-s-blockchain-lead-jose-fernandez-da-ponte-joins-stellar
- Stellar Development Foundation, "Stellar 2025: A Podium Finish," Stellar Development Foundation, Dec. 31, 2025, https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMib0FVX3lxTE9yNkdTeHBTS1VCcUtOUzZuN0Q4US1FMnVITFhlYTNvT3BsQWxZUTBEUS1lOEd6WEFoUlFFS0FSM2NxWjRQSEpoSHltZVY5Qjl0UFlRX0xabWdsNzZZX0RCeWhWTWtuanFWQVdaa0NFQQ?oc=5