Reality Shares, a thematic exchange traded fund provider, has added Tyrone Ross, director of community at Altruist, to its board of directors. Ross has been an outspoken voice on bitcoin and cryptocurrency issues facing financial advisors, and he’ll be working with Reality Shares’ management on how to improve the industry’s access to blockchain and digital asset investments.
“Too many investment firms are stuck,” Reality Shares CEO Eric Ervin said in a statement. “Their business models can only serve the needs of those WITH wealth, rather than those looking to accumulate wealth. Tyrone’s revolutionary thoughts about the future of financial services mesh perfectly with our vision to build the on-ramps necessary for financial inclusion. We want to break down barriers for advisors so they can offer a wider array of solutions to a larger audience.”
Reality Shares was one of the first companies to launch an ETF tracking blockchain. Early last year, the company filed a proposal for an ETF that included a partial investment in bitcoin futures, but the Securities and Exchange Commission asked that it be withdrawn.
“I’m excited to offer a diverse perspective and my passion for the power of digital assets to change financial services for the benefit and greater good of society,” Ross said in a statement.
In his role at Altruist, Ross hosts the popular “Human Advisor” podcast, as well as the YouTube show “Grow.” He’s the founder of 401stc, a storytelling consultancy. He was named one of WealthManagement.com’s Ten to Watch in 2019.