# About Spout Finance

> Spout Finance is building a DeFi prime brokerage that lets you borrow against your tokenized US stocks at 0% interest, and lets lenders earn yield. Loans are funded by a disciplined, per-asset covered-call strategy rather than by charging borrowers interest. We are a team from traditional finance, engineering, law, and design, building at the intersection of TradFi and DeFi.

Canonical: https://spout.finance/about/

## Team
Spout Finance was founded in March 2025 in New York City by Marc Ryan (Co-Founder & CEO), Paul van Mierlo (Co-Founder & CTO) and Paul Jan Reijn (Co-Founder & General Counsel).

- [Marc Ryan](https://spout.finance/about/marc-ryan/), Co-Founder & CEO at Spout Finance. Former tech investment banker at HSBC covering fintech, software, and hardware, including the Arm IPO. Mathematics at Vanderbilt with research on the Black-Scholes model, and a long-time options trader. Founder of FlipVault, an Aptos-funded decentralized P2P exchange, and angel investor in Theoriq, PIN AI, and GAIB AI.
- [Paul van Mierlo](https://spout.finance/about/paul-van-mierlo/), Co-Founder & CTO at Spout Finance. Smart contract developer and ZK researcher with a Master's from Erasmus University Rotterdam. Multiple-time award winner across global hackathons, specializing in privacy protocols, payment systems, and secure DeFi.
- [Paul Jan Reijn](https://spout.finance/about/paul-jan-reijn/), Co-Founder & General Counsel at Spout Finance. Legal counsel trained at Erasmus School of Law, with years of experience in software, having architected legal frameworks for international B2B SaaS and private equity portfolio companies. Owns the regulatory architecture behind Spout's tokenized equities, from entity structuring to onchain compliance.
- [Ishan Lakhwani](https://spout.finance/about/ishan-lakhwani/), Infrastructure Lead at Spout Finance. Full-stack blockchain developer with 7+ years shipping at scale, engineering at SendAI. Rust and Solana protocol work across DeFi and mobile apps reaching 10M+ users. Top contributor to IntentKit, a 6.5K-star open-source AI agent framework.
- [Ramy Chatbi](https://spout.finance/about/ramy-chatbi/), Lead Protocol Engineer at Spout Finance. Cryptographer and Solana engineer specializing in zero-knowledge proofs. Founder of Styx Protocol, a post-quantum privacy and payments layer for Solana with a native on-chain STARK verifier. Previously full-stack developer at Thales. Master's in cybersecurity from Epitech.
- [Saksham Tyagi](https://spout.finance/about/saksham-tyagi/), Product Engineer at Spout Finance. Full-stack Web3 developer building across Move and EVM chains. Previously full-stack developer at Rewardsy and UI designer at iknowspots. Hackathon winner across Aptos, TON, and QuickNode, and recipient of an Indian government grant under the MSME 4.0 Ideathon.
- [Ashish Yadav](https://spout.finance/about/ashish-yadav/), Head of Design at Spout Finance. Founding designer with experience at Headout, Aquanode, and Rancho Labs, building scalable design solutions for products at consumer scale. Deep expertise in design systems and brand identity.
- [Onuorah Gabriel](https://spout.finance/about/onuorah-gabriel/), Marketing & Growth Lead at Spout Finance. Growth operator scaling go-to-market engines for web3 products from zero to one. Led community systems and partnerships at Santa Browser and Digital Era Bank, and spearheaded GTM strategy at GemXBT. Runs Spout's points program and acquisition strategy.
- [Mira Emelis](https://spout.finance/about/mira-emelis/), Head of Socials at Spout Finance. Social media strategist and SheFi Season 16 alum with a Business Ed. background, helping blockchain companies grow their social presence. Supported Popula (NEAR Protocol) through social campaigns and community-driven product insights.

## Working with
Companies Spout Finance works with:
- [Solana](https://solana.com)
- [Coinbase](https://www.coinbase.com)
- [Circle](https://www.circle.com)
- [Stripe](https://stripe.com)
- [Anchorage Digital](https://www.anchorage.com)
- [Bitget](https://www.bitget.com)
- [Ondo](https://ondo.finance)
- [Paxos](https://paxos.com)
- [Dinari](https://dinari.com)
- [MoonPay](https://www.moonpay.com)
- [Backpack](https://backpack.app)

## Investors
Funds and organizations that have invested in Spout Finance:
- [Solana](https://solana.com)
- [Anchorage Digital](https://www.anchorage.com)
- [Ondo Finance](https://ondo.finance)
- [Draper Dragon](https://www.draperdragon.com)
- [Solayer](https://solayer.org)
- [2Square](https://2square.xyz)
- [Perena](https://perena.org)
- [Bering Waters Group](https://beringwaters.com)
- [Vessel](https://vessel.vc)
- Blockstreet
- [Taisu Ventures](https://www.taisu.io)

## Advisors
- J. Christopher Giancarlo (Regulatory & Policy Advisor) is an advisor to Spout Finance. 13th Chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, where he oversaw the first regulated market for bitcoin derivatives. Independent director of Nomura, board member of Paxos, Chair of Polymarket's Advisory Board, and senior advisor to Jefferies. Co-founder and Executive Chairman of the Digital Dollar Project. Affiliations: [Nomura](https://www.nomura.com), [Jefferies](https://www.jefferies.com), [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com), [Paxos](https://paxos.com), [Digital Dollar Project](https://digitaldollarproject.org).
- Neil Amhis (Quantitative Strategy Advisor) is an advisor to Spout Finance. PhD, UCL. Former quant analyst at BNP Paribas and Natixis; now Lead Researcher at Zann Capital. Affiliations: [BNP Paribas](https://group.bnpparibas).
- Saiprasad Raut (Product Advisor) is an advisor to Spout Finance. Chief Technology Advisor for Crypto at Worldpay (FIS); Co-Chair of the Hedera Council's Technical Steering & Product Committee. Affiliations: [FIS](https://www.fisglobal.com), [Worldpay](https://www.worldpay.com), [Hedera](https://hedera.com).

## Angel investors
- J. Christopher Giancarlo (13th Chairman of the U.S. CFTC; director at Nomura and Paxos; Chair of Polymarket's Advisory Board) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com), [Paxos](https://paxos.com), [Nomura](https://www.nomura.com), [Jefferies](https://www.jefferies.com), [Digital Dollar Project](https://digitaldollarproject.org).
- Anatoly Yakovenko (Co-Founder of Solana Labs) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Solana Labs](https://solanalabs.com).
- Raj Gokal (Co-Founder of Solana Labs) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Solana Labs](https://solanalabs.com).
- Dean Swennumson (Co-Founder & Head of Operations at Superstate; formerly Compound Labs) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Superstate](https://superstate.com), [Compound](https://compound.finance).
- Eric Chen (Co-Founder & CEO of Injective) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Injective](https://injective.com).
- Paul Taylor (Former BlackRock Private Equity; #1 most active crypto angel investor in the US (2024)) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [BlackRock](https://www.blackrock.com).
- Benjamin Jessel (Former Principal at Oliver Wyman; Banking and Payments, Digital Strategy at IBM) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Oliver Wyman](https://www.oliverwyman.com), [IBM](https://www.ibm.com).
- Shane Qiu (Founder & CEO of Bitway) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Bitway](https://bitway.com).
- Saiprasad Raut (Chief Technology Advisor, Crypto at Worldpay (FIS); Hedera Council Co-Chair) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [FIS](https://www.fisglobal.com), [Worldpay](https://www.worldpay.com), [Hedera](https://hedera.com).
- Anna Yuan (Founder of Perena; former Head of Stablecoins at the Solana Foundation) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Solana Foundation](https://solana.org), [Perena](https://perena.org).
- James Parillo (Former General Partner at Figment Capital) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Figment Capital](https://www.figmentcapital.io).
- Stefano Glauser (Partner at Polymorphic Capital) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Polymorphic Capital](https://polymorphic.capital).
- Nicolai Svistunov (Head of Liquidity Provisioning & Due Diligence Desk at Turtle.xyz) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Turtle](https://turtle.xyz).
- Steve Schoonebeek (Business Development Executive at Triton One) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Triton One](https://triton.one).
- Whales Lee (Co-Founder of CollegeDAO; ex-Head of Product at Solayer) is an angel investor in Spout Finance. Affiliations: [Solayer](https://solayer.org), [CollegeDAO](https://collegedao.io).

## In the press
Independent coverage of Spout Finance:
- [Spout Finance: Let Your Stocks Pay the Interest](https://bravenewcoin.com/insights/spout-finance-let-your-stocks-pay-the-interest): Brave New Coin, 2026-10-23
- [Giancarlo and Draper Dragon Back Spout's Bid to Make Borrowing Against Stocks Interest-Free](https://coinpedia.org/information/giancarlo-draper-dragon-back-spouts-bid-to-make-borrowing-against-stocks-interest-free/): Coinpedia, 2026-10-19
- [What It Really Costs to Borrow Against Your Stocks](https://www.abcmoney.co.uk/2026/10/what-it-really-costs-to-borrow-against-your-stocks/): ABC Money, 2026-10-19
- [Interest-Free Loans Against Stocks: Could It Work In SA?](https://theopenletter.io/p/interest-free-loans-against-stocks-sa): The Open Letter, 2026-10-18
- [Follow the Money: Nearly $500 Million into Web3, Bet on RWAs, Farcaster Acquisition, and DeFi Rounds](https://incrypted.com/en/follow-the-money-nearly-500-million-into-web3-bet-on-rwas-farcaster-acquisition-and-defi-rounds/): Incrypted, 2026-10-17
- [Spout raises $2M to offer 0% interest loans on Solana](https://crypto.news/spout-raises-2m-to-offer-0-interest-loans-on-solana/): crypto.news, 2026-10-16
- [Spout lends against tokenized stocks at 0%. Covered calls foot the bill](https://solanacompass.com/news/spout-raises-2m-for-0-interest-loans-on-tokenized-us-stocks-funded-by-covered-calls): Solana Compass, 2026-10-16
- [Tokenized US Stock Platform Spout Completes $2M Strategic Funding Round](https://www.kucoin.com/news/flash/tokenized-us-stock-platform-spout-completes-2m-strategic-funding-round): KuCoin News, 2026-10-16
- [Spout Raises $2 Million for 0% Interest Solana Loans, Excludes U.S. Persons](https://www.tokenpost.com/news/business/33405): TokenPost, 2026-10-16
- [Can Borrowing Against Your Stocks Cost Nothing? Solana-Backed Spout Raises $2M to Try](https://techfinancials.co.za/2026/10/16/can-borrowing-against-your-stocks-cost-nothing-solana-backed-spout-raises-2m-to-try/): TechFinancials, 2026-10-16
- [Spout Raises $2M to Build 0% Stock-Backed Loans Using Solana and Covered Calls](https://crypto-economy.com/spout-raises-2m-to-build-0-stock-backed-loans-using-solana-and-covered-calls/): Crypto Economy, 2026-10-16
- [Spout Finance Unlocks $2 Million to Disrupt Stock Lending](https://thenewscrypto.com/spout-finance-unlocks-2-million-to-disrupt-stock-lending/): TheNewsCrypto, 2026-10-16
- [Spout Raises $2M For Zero Interest Solana Loans](https://capwolf.com/spout-raises-2m-for-zero-interest-solana-loans/): CapWolf, 2026-10-16
- [Spout Finance Completes $2 Million Strategic Funding Round with Participation from Draper Dragon and Others](https://www.odaily.news/en/newsflash/525012): Odaily, 2026-10-16
- [Spout Finance Closes $2 Million Strategic Funding Round, With Participation From Draper Dragons and Others](https://www.techflowpost.com/en-US/newsletter/140177): TechFlow, 2026-10-16
- [代币化美股平台 Spout 完成 200 万美元战略轮融资，Anchorage 等参投](https://www.chaincatcher.com/article/2296698): ChainCatcher, 2026-10-16
- [Spout recauda USD $2 millones para ofrecer préstamos sin intereses en Solana](https://www.diariobitcoin.com/startups-verticales/spout-recauda-usd-2-millones-para-ofrecer-prestamos-sin-intereses-en-solana/): DiarioBitcoin, 2026-10-16
- [Spout Raises $2M Strategic Round to Bring 0% Interest Borrowing to Tokenized US Stocks](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/10/15/3381988/0/en/spout-raises-2m-strategic-round-to-bring-0-interest-borrowing-to-tokenized-us-stocks.html): GlobeNewswire, 2026-10-15 (press release)
- [Spout Raises $2M Strategic Round to Bring 0% Interest Borrowing to Tokenized US Stocks](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/spout-raises-2m-strategic-round-to-bring-0-interest-borrowing-to-tokenized-us-stocks-1036630861): Business Insider Markets, 2026-10-15 (press release)
- [Inside Spout's 0% Stock Loans: Marc Ryan On Using Blockchain Tech To Make Stocks Productive](https://blockchainreporter.net/inside-spouts-0-stock-loans-marc-ryan-on-using-blockchain-tech-to-make-stocks-productive/): BlockchainReporter, 2026-10-15 (interview)
- [Here's Why Investors Poured $2M into Spout Finance's 0% Interest Stock Loans](https://36crypto.com/heres-why-investors-poured-2m-into-spout-finances-0-interest-stock-loans/): 36Crypto, 2026-10-15