Alex Tapscott is a Canadian entrepreneur, author, and capital markets professional known for his work at the intersection of blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, and investment products. He has been closely associated with Ninepoint Partners, where he led digital asset research and product efforts, and he is widely recognized for writing and speaking on how decentralized networks may affect financial markets, corporate strategy, and public policy.
Overview
Tapscott’s profile spans two overlapping tracks, digital asset investing and industry education. On the investment side, he has served in senior roles within Ninepoint’s Digital Asset Group, including portfolio management responsibilities tied to exchange-traded products and thematic strategies that track or gain exposure to crypto and related public equities. On the education and research side, he is known for publishing books and briefing institutions on blockchain adoption, with a focus on practical implications rather than token promotion.
His work is often discussed in the context of major crypto networks such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as the broader market infrastructure required for custody, execution, and compliance in institutional portfolios.
History and Background
Tapscott has described experience across capital markets and technology, including institutional-facing roles earlier in his career. He is a CFA charterholder and has been publicly associated with efforts to bridge traditional finance frameworks, such as portfolio construction and risk management, with the distinctive properties of crypto markets, including 24/7 trading, on-chain settlement, and protocol-driven supply dynamics.
In 2017, Tapscott co-founded the Blockchain Research Institute, a think tank focused on blockchain strategies, enterprise adoption, and use cases across industries. The institute has been positioned as a research-driven venue for executives and policymakers seeking structured analysis of distributed ledger technology.
Role at Ninepoint Partners
Tapscott joined Ninepoint Partners in early 2021 as Managing Director to lead the firm’s Digital Asset Group. In that role, he was publicly described as responsible for building research, education, and product capabilities focused on digital assets. His remit has included market commentary, investor communications, and participation in the development and positioning of Ninepoint’s crypto-related investment offerings.
Ninepoint’s digital asset product line has evolved over time, including a transition in 2023 when the investment objective of a previously Bitcoin-focused ETF was amended and the fund was renamed to reflect broader exposure to Web3-linked public equities. In 2025, that strategy was further reframed under a new name that emphasized the convergence of crypto and artificial intelligence, aligning with a wider market narrative that links blockchain infrastructure to compute-intensive applications and tokenized incentive models.
In October 2025, Ninepoint announced portfolio management changes for its crypto and AI themed ETF, noting that Tapscott was transitioning out of his role at the firm to pursue other opportunities, while continuing as a consultant to support the Digital Asset Group’s investment and marketing activities. This structure reflected a common pattern for asset managers, where continuity of research and communications can remain supported even as day-to-day portfolio responsibilities shift to a broader team.
Publishing and Thought Leadership
Tapscott is the co-author of Blockchain Revolution, a non-fiction book that helped popularize blockchain concepts for mainstream business audiences and outlined potential applications beyond payments. He has also served as editor of Financial Services Revolution: How Blockchain is Transforming Money, Markets and Banking, a work that focuses on financial infrastructure, market structure, and institutional adoption. In 2023, he published Web3: Charting the Internet’s Next Economic and Cultural Frontier, which surveys themes such as decentralized governance, digital ownership, and the evolution of online economic coordination.
Across these works and related public commentary, Tapscott has tended to frame crypto as an emerging asset class with unique technological underpinnings, rather than a single trade. His writing commonly emphasizes the distinction between protocols, applications, and intermediaries, and the idea that regulation and market plumbing can shape outcomes as much as code.
Focus Areas
- Digital asset markets and structure: market liquidity, custody models, and the implications of on-chain settlement for financial services.
- Public equity exposure to crypto: companies tied to exchanges, infrastructure, miners, and software providers that can serve as indirect exposure pathways.
- Institutional adoption: governance, policy, and risk frameworks that enable participation by asset managers and corporations.
- Technology narratives: the relationship between crypto infrastructure and adjacent fields such as AI, digital identity, and tokenized networks.
Risks and Considerations
Tapscott’s work sits in a sector defined by rapid innovation and uneven risk distribution. Crypto markets can experience sharp drawdowns, liquidity fragmentation, and regime shifts driven by regulation, security incidents, or changes in macro conditions. Investment products tied to digital assets, including ETFs and thematic equity strategies, can add layers of tracking risk, custody dependencies, and concentration risk. Readers evaluating commentary from any market participant should distinguish between technology analysis, market interpretation, and investable outcomes, and should consider the full risk profile of both the underlying assets and the vehicles used to gain exposure.
