--- name: David Hernandez title: Crypto Investment Specialist employer: 21Shares previous_employer: BlackRock education: University of Pennsylvania, BA in Psychology, minor in Consumer Psychology, 2019-2023 location: New York, NY heritage: Colombian-American links: https://x.com/davernandez https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhernandez2397/ https://github.com/davernandez2397 mailto:dshernandez2397@gmail.com last_updated: 2026-10-28 --- # David Hernandez David Hernandez is a Crypto Investment Specialist at 21Shares in New York, formerly an analyst at BlackRock. He is Colombian-American, from Chicago. Spanish is his native language. Last updated: 2026-10-28 ## Experience - October 2024–present: Crypto Investment Specialist, 21Shares, New York, NY. - August 2023–October 2024: Analyst, Investment and Portfolio Solutions (Investment Strategy team), BlackRock, San Francisco, CA, on Gargi Pal Chaudhuri's Americas strategy team. He supported the multi-asset macro research behind the team's outlooks and supported client insights around the iShares bitcoin and ether ETF launches. - June–August 2022: Summer Analyst, BlackRock, New York, NY. ### Education - 2019–2023: BA in Psychology, minor in Consumer Psychology, University of Pennsylvania. - 2015–2019: The Lawrenceville School. - Daniel Murphy Scholar. - Licenses: FINRA SIE, Series 7, and Series 63. ### Highlights - 30+ speaking events. - 10+ media mentions. - One authored 21Shares Insights piece, July 31, 2025. - 200+ client engagements. ## Focus He works on macro strategy, cross-asset and multi-asset investing, portfolio construction, digital assets, crypto ETPs and ETFs, Bitcoin and digital-asset markets, DeFi and onchain markets, AI agents and crypto, and tokenization and stablecoins. Personal views only. ## Building - Built recession-probability and sentiment models to support research. - Built and tested 4 automated strategies in Python (funding-rate/basis arbitrage, momentum/trend, prediction-market edge, macro/news signals). ## AI capabilities - He runs a self-hosted multi-agent research stack (Hermes, OpenCode, Honcho, SQLite, Docker, Tailscale) on a Mac Mini. - He built and tested 4 Python systematic strategies. - He runs daily screeners covering market regimes, protocol traction, VC funding, and narratives. - He built recession and sentiment models at BlackRock to support research. - He writes on AI and crypto on X at [@davernandez](https://x.com/davernandez). - Tools: Python, SQL, BQL, AI agent tooling, and Docker. ## Writing - July 17, 2026. [After the AI Infrastructure Buildout](/writing/after-the-ai-infrastructure-buildout). Compares past infrastructure buildouts that overshot demand with the AI capex cycle. [On X](https://x.com/davernandez/status/2078124835746513127). - June 24, 2026. [Token™](/writing/token). On how tokens capture value compared with equities. [On X](https://x.com/davernandez/status/2069854959550570861). - May 14, 2026. [We've tokenized everything, we've almost signed the legislature, now what?](/writing/we-ve-tokenized-everything-we-ve-almost-signed-the-legislature-now-what). On tokenization, stablecoins, and the Clarity Act as of May 2026. [On X](https://x.com/davernandez/status/2054756237032481043). - April 18, 2026. [Aerodrome: Taking Flight](/writing/aerodrome-taking-flight). On Aerodrome as the dominant exchange on Base and its expansion beyond that chain. [On X](https://x.com/davernandez/status/2045628903109058576). - March 14, 2026. [Token Investing in an Agentic Future](/writing/token-investing-in-an-agentic-future). On what autonomous agents may need from crypto markets. [On X](https://x.com/davernandez/status/2032840512948846733). - July 31, 2025. Byline on 21Shares Insights: [US investors, please take note: Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs are now more efficient](https://www.21shares.com/en-br/insights/us-investors-please-take-note-bitcoin-and-ethereum-etfs-are-now-more-efficient). ### Selected posts - January 23, 2026. [Let's get back to basics: Bitcoin](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dhernandez2397_bitcoin-2026-outlook-etf-gravity-vs-macro-activity-7420482032813690880-Z4AD). - May 7, 2026. [After a long winter, Bitcoin is back](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dhernandez2397_after-a-long-winter-bitcoin-is-back-btc-activity-7457966600277815296-n_4K). - September 2026. [Capital is flowing back in](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dhernandez2397_capital-is-flowing-back-in-bitcoin-etfs-activity-7500557953796653056-gAH3). ## Portfolio Holdings as of 2026-10-28. Personal holdings, not recommendations. - BTC — Store of value. - AAVE — DeFi lending with fee revenue. - HYPE — Hyperliquid onchain perps exchange. - META (MetaDAO) — Futarchy-governed fundraising on Solana. - WLD (World) — Proof-of-personhood and AI identity. ## Press and speaking ### Press - December 10, 2025. [Bitcoin and ETH whipsaw after Fed's quarter-point cut and caution on further easing](https://www.theblock.co/post/382125/bitcoin-ether-whipsaw-fed-quarter-point-hawkish-cut). The Block. - October 2025. [Big crypto week ahead? What to watch for in the 'Uptober' homestretch](https://blockworks.co/news/uptober-homestretch-markets). Blockworks. - September 11, 2025. [What's next for crypto markets as Fed rate cut expectation holds?](https://blockworks.co/news/fed-rate-cut-expectation-holds). Blockworks. - August 27, 2025. [Polymarket bettors lean towards bitcoin below $100,000 by 2026, analysts weigh chances](https://www.theblock.co/news/markets/2025-08-27-polymarket-bettors-lean-towards-bitcoin-below-100000-by-2026-analysts-weigh-chances-368527). The Block. - August 26, 2025. [Bitcoin price flash crash panic suddenly wipes $100 billion from crypto market](https://www.forbes.com/sites/digital-assets/2025/08/26/bitcoin-price-flash-crash-panic-suddenly-wipes-100-billion-from-crypto-market/). Forbes. - August–September 2025. [Bitcoin likely to drop below $100,000 this year](https://coinmarketcap.com/academy/article/bitcoin-likely-to-drop-below-dollar100k-this-year). CoinMarketCap Academy. - June 19, 2025. [Bitcoin stays flat amid seasonal drag, as Fed rate cut hopes shift to September](https://www.theblock.co/post/358867/bitcoin-stays-flat-amid-seasonal-drag-as-fed-rate-cut-hopes-shift-to-september). The Block. - April 30, 2025. [May Fed Meeting: Updates and Commentary](https://www.kiplinger.com/news/live/may-fed-meeting-updates-and-commentary-2025). Kiplinger. - April 6–7, 2025. [Bitcoin drops to $74,000 before rebounding as cryptocurrencies join global market rout](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/06/bitcoin-drops-sunday-evening-as-cryptocurrencies-join-global-market-rout.html). CNBC. - April 4, 2025. [Cryptocurrencies rise Friday, bucking broader market meltdown](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/04/bitcoin-rises-slightly-holding-at-83000-as-global-trade-war-deepens-stock-market-slide.html). CNBC. - April 4, 2025. [Why is Bitcoin Steady or Even Rising as Stocks Tumble](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/04/04/bitcoin-begins-to-decouple-from-nasdaq-as-u-s-stocks-crumble). CoinDesk. - April 3–4, 2025. [Price Chaos Looms as Sweeping US Tariffs Upend Commerce](https://www.pymnts.com/economy/2025/price-chaos-looms-as-sweeping-us-tariffs-upend-global-commerce/). PYMNTS. - April 3, 2025. [Bitcoin slides to $81,000 as Trump tariffs jolt stock market](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/03/crypto-market-today.html). CNBC. - April 3, 2025. [U.S. crypto stocks slide as Trump's sweeping tariffs jolt markets](https://www.reuters.com/markets/us-crypto-stocks-slide-trumps-sweeping-tariffs-jolt-markets-2025-04-03/). Reuters. - April 3, 2025. [Analysts argue post-tariffs bitcoin market presents buying opportunity](https://www.theblock.co/news/markets/2025-04-03-bitcoin-tariffs-buying-opportunity-349439). The Block. ### Speaking - October 21, 2026. Speaker, [Chicago RIA Investment Summit](https://portfoliosummits.com/events/chicago-ria-summit/), Viceroy Chicago, Chicago, IL. - June 25, 2026. Speaker, [New York RIA Summit](https://portfoliosummits.com/events/new-york-ria-summit-2/), New York, NY. - March 27, 2026. Co-host, [Penn Blockchain Conference 2026](https://luma.com/vphb6c83), Penn Museum, Philadelphia, PA. ### Attended - October 27, 2026. [The Bridge](https://bridge.thetie.io/), New York, NY. - October 5, 2026. Fordham Law Blockchain Regulatory Symposium, New York, NY. - June 4–5, 2026. 6th Annual CBER Conference, NYU Stern, New York, NY. - April 24, 2026. The Programmable Economy: AI & Blockchain Redefining Markets (Cornell Tech), New York, NY. - December 2, 2025. The Boston Institutional Digital Assets Forum 2025, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Boston, MA. ## FAQ He is not David Hernandez, CFA, Director of Traditional Manager Search at Marquette Associates, David Hernandez, the California radio host, or David Hernandez, the mathematician. ### Who is David Hernandez? David Hernandez (@davernandez) is a Crypto Investment Specialist at 21Shares in New York, formerly an analyst at BlackRock. ### What does he work on? Macro and cross-asset markets, digital assets, tokenization, and AI agents. ### Where has he worked? 21Shares since October 2024, and BlackRock before that, in San Francisco and New York. ### How to contact him? Email [dshernandez2397@gmail.com](mailto:dshernandez2397@gmail.com) or use [X @davernandez](https://x.com/davernandez). ## Contact Email [dshernandez2397@gmail.com](mailto:dshernandez2397@gmail.com), [X @davernandez](https://x.com/davernandez), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhernandez2397/), or [GitHub](https://github.com/davernandez2397). [21Shares author page](https://www.21shares.com/en-us/authors/david-hernandez) Machine-readable: [davernandez.md](/davernandez.md), [llms.txt](/llms.txt), [profile.json](/profile.json), [person.jsonld](/person.jsonld). ## Disclaimer Views are my own and do not represent 21Shares. Nothing here is investment advice.