Share this article
Former Bitspark CEO George Harrap Joins Crypto PR Firm as Head of DeFi
"I've been around crypto for a decade now and DeFi has me as excited as when I mined my first bitcoin," Harrap told CoinDesk.
Updated May 9, 2023, 3:15 a.m. Published Jan 27, 2021, 4:25 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
George Harrap, who previously led Hong Kong-based blockchain remittance startup Bitspark as CEO, is joining fintech and cryptocurrency-focused PR firm YAP Global as head of DeFi.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
In an announcement Wednesday, YAP Global said the new hire will help bridge the communication gap between the mainstream media and decentralized finance (DeFi).
In his new role, Harrap will be supporting the public relations team and helping to break down the complexities of emerging technology such as DeFi, through "knowledge calls" and lessons.
According to the company, while many DeFi platforms have reached user bases in the millions, legacy institutions are lacking knowledge about how the nascent industry works.
"I've been around crypto for a decade now and DeFi has me as excited as when I mined my first bitcoin," Harrap told CoinDesk. Decentralized exchanges (DEX) "continuing to outcompete centralized exchanges, the ability to get a loan in two minutes – it's not just building an SoV [store of value] this time, it’s about building a financial system.”
“But in order for the industry to succeed, we need to break down its complexities to better educate the media and, in turn the users, about it. I want to help bridge that knowledge gap," he said.
Read more: Bitspark Fades Out Following COO Maxine Ryan’s Departure
Samantha Yap, founder, and CEO of YAP Global, commented, “We’re thrilled to have one of the key educators in not just blockchain and cryptocurrencies but now of decentralized finance, join the team. George does a brilliant job at breaking down technical projects into easy-to-understand explanations.”
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Stablecoins moved $35 trillion last year but only 1% of it was for 'real world' payments
While stablecoins settled around $35 trillion last year, only around 1% of that represented genuine payments like remittances and payroll, a new report found.
What to know:
- Stablecoins processed more than $35 trillion in transactions last year, but only about 1% of that reflected real-world payments, a report by McKinsey and Artemis Analytics found.
- The study estimated that roughly $390 billion in genuine stablecoin payments, such as vendor payments, payrolls, remittances and capital markets settlements.
- Despite rapid growth and increasing interest from traditional payment firms like Visa and Stripe, true stablecoin payments still account for just a tiny fraction of the more than $2 quadrillion global payments market, the report said.
Top Stories
