Dan Moorehead, Founder & CEO at Pantera Capital
4.9/5 Rating
Technology, Finance, Cryptocurrency
$1M+/mo

Dan MooreheadFounder & CEO

Dan Moorehead runs a crypto-first macro shop. His method is simple: find asymmetric trades, size so you can hold through 85% drawdowns, and let time and network effects do the compounding.

Dan Moorehead

Dan Moorehead

Founder & CEO

Pantera Capital

Pantera Capital

Founder Stats

  • Technology, Finance, Cryptocurrency
  • Started 2015 or earlier
  • $1M+/mo
  • 50+ team
  • USA

About Dan Moorehead

From Goldman and Tiger to founding Panta in 2003 and pivoting fully to crypto in 2013, Dan Moorehead has lived through cycles and keeps a long view. In this interview he explains why blockchain is like the internet for finance, why institutions will reach 8–10% allocations, how ETFs and digital asset treasuries change access, why he stays net long, and how to think about Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana as different rails. He also shares operating lessons on conviction, risk sizing, and written, async culture.

Interview

November 08, 2025

Q

You were early with a crypto only hedge fund in 2013. What made you do it?

Question 1 of 17
Dan Moorehead

My background was global macro. Every few years you get a cool trade in one region. Bitcoin felt different. In 2011 I learned about it. In 2013 I read everything, met everyone, flew to the exchanges. Light bulb moment. It was the biggest trade ever and the most asymmetric. So I pivoted the fund to crypto.

Q

In simple words, why is blockchain “the trade”?

Question 2 of 17
Dan Moorehead

Blockchain is doing to finance what the internet did to everything else. There are huge margins in payments and remittances. Credit cards and banks are giant. Migrants pay a month of wages to move money. There are about 20 reasons it will be massive. Monetary debasement is only one.

Q

Is crypto only about currency, or is it bigger?

Question 3 of 17
Dan Moorehead

Bigger. Tokens are payment rails, property title storage, digital gold, and more. Currency is one use case. You cannot have blockchain without tokens. To move value on chain you must own the token.

Q

How do you think about drawdowns and volatility?

Question 4 of 17
Dan Moorehead

This is a multi decade trade. Bitcoin fell 85% three times. Not fun. But anyone who held four years made money. The minimum was a double. Size positions so you can hold.

Q

You say crypto has low correlation. Why?

Question 5 of 17
Dan Moorehead

Smart money does not own it. Most institutions have 0.0 risk in crypto. When they cut risk across the board they have no crypto to sell. Over long periods correlation stays low. Short term shocks can move everything together.

Q

Where do you think institutional allocation will be by 2030?

Question 6 of 17
Dan Moorehead

Blockchain will be an asset class. I think every institution will have a team and around 8 to 10 percent in blockchain over ten years. Today most have zero. Even leaders have maybe 2 percent.

Q

How important was the recent policy shift in the US?

Question 7 of 17
Dan Moorehead

Very important. The election changed Congress. Many anti crypto seats flipped. Stablecoin legislation is moving. Market structure is coming. That reduces the US regulatory fear that investors felt.

Q

What changed with access to crypto for regular investors?

Question 8 of 17
Dan Moorehead

ETFs brought record inflows. Around 100 billion into Bitcoin ETFs. It is now easy to get exposure. Next step is digital asset treasury companies that own tokens and can stake or do smart balance sheet work.

Q

What is a digital asset treasury company and why use it?

Question 9 of 17
Dan Moorehead

It is a listed company that holds a token on its balance sheet. It lets equity investors own the token. Unlike many ETFs, a DAT can stake and grow tokens per share. That can outperform over time. Leverage should be low. If it trades below NAV a stronger DAT can acquire it.

Q

How are you positioned at Panta today and why?

Question 10 of 17
Dan Moorehead

We learned that if something is this asymmetric, just get long. Our first fund is up 1,500x. We run products from daily liquidity to 10 year venture so investors can choose. We invest across tokens and venture.

Q

Will there be one winner chain, or many?

Question 11 of 17
Dan Moorehead

Many. You will have a single digit number of major layer ones and thousands of tokens on top. Bitcoin stores value and moves money. Ethereum is great for programmable money. Solana and XRP handle high throughput. Today our biggest position is Solana, but we own several.

Q

Does the number of tokens hurt the “digital gold” idea?

Question 12 of 17
Dan Moorehead

No. There are many elements, but people chose gold. In crypto there are many tokens, but only one has the massive network and long track record. Bitcoin has already won digital gold.

Q

Are governments against blockchain?

Question 13 of 17
Dan Moorehead

No. Blockchain is a bad tool for crime because it leaves a public trail. Agencies seized coins from criminals. That flipped the view. Most governments are at least neutral, and many are supportive.

Q

Are stablecoins actually cheaper and better for payments today?

Question 14 of 17
Dan Moorehead

Inside Europe real time is good. Cross border and the US system are slow and expensive. Stablecoins move value 24/7 with low fees. Big use case is saving in dollars in countries with weak currencies and bad banks.

Q

How do you keep conviction after big gains or big drops?

Question 15 of 17
Dan Moorehead

I think blockchain changing the world is inevitable. Cycles happen. It can fall 85%. Still, in five years I think it is 10x higher. That belief helps me hold and add on weakness.

Q

Best and worst trades of your career?

Question 16 of 17
Dan Moorehead

Best was buying 2 percent of the world’s Bitcoins at 65 dollars. Worst was S&P dividend swaps into 2008. We got forced out at the lows. It would have been great by 2017, but I was not around in that trade to see it.

Q

Your one investment takeaway for listeners?

Question 17 of 17
Dan Moorehead

Get off zero. Spend a Saturday learning. Buy a small amount. Put 1 percent of your net worth in crypto and hold five to ten years. It should work.

Video Interviews with Dan Moorehead

Dan Morehead: Crypto - The Most Asymmetric Trade in History

Dan Morehead: Crypto - The Most Asymmetric Trade in History

Dan Morehead: Crypto - The Most Asymmetric Trade in History

Solana's had better performance than bitcoin over the last four years, says Pantera's Dan Morehead

Solana's had better performance than bitcoin over the last four years, says Pantera's Dan Morehead

The Truth About the 2025 Crypto Rally ft. Dan Morehead

The Truth About the 2025 Crypto Rally ft. Dan Morehead