Jasmine Burgess stands at the forefront of digital finance innovation as Chief Risk Officer (CRO) of Coinbase Asset Management, a pioneering firm dedicated to bridging traditional financial systems with next-generation digital investments. Her leadership plays a critical role in shaping how institutional investors navigate the evolving landscape of tokenized assets, blockchain-based risk frameworks, and the future integration of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
With over two decades of experience across global financial hubs—including Sydney, New York, and London—Burgess has built a reputation for constructing robust risk infrastructures in high-complexity environments. Her expertise spans market risk, quantitative strategies, fintech transformation, and regulatory alignment in both traditional and decentralized finance ecosystems.
Building Institutional-Grade Risk Frameworks
At Coinbase Asset Management, Burgess oversees comprehensive risk strategy for a digitally native asset manager that serves institutional clients seeking exposure to crypto and blockchain-driven opportunities. The firm is uniquely positioned at the intersection of Wall Street rigor and Web3 innovation, requiring risk models that account for volatility, custody solutions, smart contract integrity, and regulatory shifts.
Her work directly influences how digital assets are evaluated not just as speculative instruments, but as foundational components of diversified portfolios. This includes assessing liquidity profiles, counterparty exposures, on-chain activity patterns, and cybersecurity threats—factors absent from traditional asset classes.
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One of the most pressing questions she addresses is: How does risk vary when trading tokenized assets and forthcoming CBDCs? This session, featured at RiskMinds Americas, highlights her thought leadership on the structural differences between conventional financial instruments and their blockchain-based counterparts.
Tokenization introduces new dynamics—such as 24/7 trading cycles, real-time settlement, and programmable compliance—that redefine traditional risk parameters. Meanwhile, the anticipated rollout of CBDCs by major economies adds another layer of complexity, particularly around monetary policy transmission, cross-border capital flows, and financial inclusion.
Strategic Leadership in Fintech and Hedge Fund Infrastructure
Before joining Coinbase, Burgess led one of the most significant fintech spin-outs in recent years. In March 2020, she spearheaded the separation of Coremont from Brevan Howard’s U.S. infrastructure—an initiative that transformed internal operational capabilities into an independent SaaS and services platform.
Coremont provides full front-to-back (FTB) operational support for multiple asset managers and hedge funds, enabling them to scale efficiently without building in-house technology stacks. Under her leadership, the U.S. team was fully staffed and operational within months, delivering customized solutions for digitally focused clients ranging from quantitative funds to crypto-native firms.
This experience gave her deep insight into the operational pain points facing modern asset managers—especially those venturing into digital assets without legacy systems designed to handle blockchain-specific data flows or decentralized governance models.
Deep Roots in Global Financial Institutions
Burgess’s career began at Citibank in 1999, followed by a role as an Analyst in JPMorgan’s Debt Capital Markets team in 2002. These early experiences laid the foundation for her understanding of capital structure, credit instruments, and fixed income markets—knowledge she later applied in increasingly complex roles.
From 2006 to 2013, she advanced through several positions at Macquarie Bank, starting in Sydney as Senior Manager leading the Market Risk Team. Transferred to New York in 2009, she served as Associate Director on a lean team tasked with building Macquarie’s Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities (FICC) trading floor from the ground up.
As Head of FICC Risk, Burgess didn’t just manage risk—she innovated within it. She founded and led Macquarie’s first quantitative strategy team, focusing on volatility arbitrage, FX trading strategies, and commodity futures. This blend of risk oversight and strategic product development became a hallmark of her career.
Her tenure at Prologue Capital (April 2013–July 2016), where she served as Chief Risk Officer, further solidified her expertise in hedge fund operations and alternative investment risk modeling.
At Brevan Howard, one of the largest hedge funds in Europe, she chaired the U.S. Executive Committee and participated in multiple global governance bodies. As Head of Risk for the New York office since August 2016, she ensured alignment between London-based strategy and U.S. regulatory requirements—a balancing act critical during periods of market stress and regulatory change.
Academic Foundation and Professional Rigor
Burgess holds a dual degree from the University of New South Wales, Australia: a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance (Honors) and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (2002). This combination of analytical precision and financial theory underpins her ability to design scalable risk models capable of adapting to fast-moving markets.
Her academic background enables her to bridge qualitative judgment with quantitative rigor—an essential trait in managing risks associated with emerging technologies like DeFi protocols, algorithmic trading bots, and AI-driven portfolio tools.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is Coinbase Asset Management’s approach to risk in digital assets?
A: Coinbase Asset Management applies institutional-grade risk frameworks tailored to the unique characteristics of digital assets—such as price volatility, network security, smart contract risks, and regulatory uncertainty—while integrating them into traditional portfolio construction principles.
Q: How do tokenized assets change risk assessment compared to traditional securities?
A: Tokenized assets introduce 24/7 market access, faster settlement (often near-instant), transparent on-chain data, and programmable features via smart contracts. These require updated models for liquidity risk, operational resilience, and cyber threat monitoring.
Q: Are CBDCs safer than cryptocurrencies from a risk management perspective?
A: CBDCs are issued by central banks and backed by sovereign trust, making them inherently more stable than decentralized cryptocurrencies. However, they bring new concerns around privacy, financial surveillance, and systemic dependency on digital infrastructure.
Q: What role does quantitative analysis play in modern risk management?
A: Quantitative methods allow risk officers to model complex scenarios, detect anomalies in real time, backtest strategies, and automate responses—critical capabilities when managing large-scale digital asset portfolios exposed to rapid market shifts.
Q: Why is operational risk especially important in digital asset firms?
A: Digital asset firms face unique operational risks including private key management, exchange outages, wallet vulnerabilities, and smart contract bugs. A single technical failure can lead to irreversible losses.
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Thought Leadership at Industry Events
Burgess continues to shape industry discourse through speaking engagements such as RiskMinds Americas, where she explores forward-looking topics like:
- Risk modeling for tokenized equities and bonds
- Regulatory preparedness for CBDC integration
- Cybersecurity frameworks for hybrid (traditional + digital) portfolios
These discussions reflect her commitment to advancing best practices across finance—not only within crypto-native organizations but also among established institutions adapting to digital transformation.
Her presence at major conferences underscores a broader trend: the growing importance of experienced risk professionals who can translate between legacy finance and blockchain innovation.
The Future of Risk in a Digitized Financial World
As digital assets become increasingly embedded in mainstream finance, leaders like Jasmine Burgess are instrumental in ensuring stability, transparency, and investor protection. Her journey—from traditional banking to hedge funds to blockchain—mirrors the evolution of global finance itself.
The convergence she now helps manage isn’t just technological; it’s cultural, regulatory, and strategic. Success depends on professionals who understand both balance sheets and block explorers.
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