Maja Vujinovic - Crytpo Convo; Ethereum's Role In The Ecosystem

Oct 9, 2025

Maja Vujinovic, CEO of FGNX and an early crypto innovator, shares her journey from mobile payments in emerging markets to the world of crypto. She highlights the significance of Bitcoin and Ethereum in addressing remittance issues and providing financial access. Maja discusses her involvement in stablecoin development and the challenges she's faced with traditional institutions. As she contrasts Ethereum and Bitcoin, she emphasizes Ethereum's growing role in tokenization and the future of decentralized finance.

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ANECDOTE

From Law School To Mobile Payments Pioneer

Maja recounts moving to Africa after law school to build mobile payments and energy projects in the 2000s.
She discovered Bitcoin's peer-to-peer promise in 2010 as a solution to remittance and banking gaps she witnessed.

ANECDOTE

Early Tether Work And Banking Breakthrough

Maja describes joining early stablecoin work and traveling to Puerto Rico to acquire the first bank that banked Tether.
That experience pulled her deeper into crypto and led to mining and other early pilots.

ANECDOTE

Pitching Bitcoin Mining Inside GE

At GE Maja proposed using excess test-stand electricity to mine Bitcoin or support AI, but legal and cultural resistance killed pilots.
She framed mining as a way to boost local jobs and salvage a failing division, but management rejected it.

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Maja Vujinovic stops by The Business Brew for a crypto discussion. Maja is CEO of FGNX, a D.A.T. The meat of this conversation is about Maja's experience in payments and how that led her to crypto. Maja then discusses Bitcoin and Ethereum's role in the modern financial system.

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Takeaways

Maja Vujinovic has been in the crypto space since 2010.

Mobile payments are crucial for developing markets.

Bitcoin's peer-to-peer nature addresses remittance issues.

Traditional banks often overlook developing markets.

Ethereum serves as a financial layer, while Bitcoin is a reserve asset.

Stablecoins are essential for programmable finance.

Tokenization can unlock liquidity in illiquid assets.

Government regulation is crucial for crypto's future.

The cultural mindset in large corporations can hinder innovation.

Tokenization can expand market access and reduce operational costs. Maja believes Bitcoin is being brought mainstream by companies like MicroStrategy.

Treasury companies can provide exposure to crypto assets without direct ownership.

Family offices are increasingly interested in holding crypto through equity in companies.

Ethereum is seen as a bridge for traditional finance to enter the crypto space.

The future of finance is digital, with a focus on AI and crypto integration.

Scale in the crypto ecosystem allows for greater influence and capital attraction.

Vujinovic emphasizes the importance of community in the success of cryptocurrencies.

The younger generation is moving away from traditional assets like treasuries.

AI and crypto are expected to evolve together, creating new opportunities.

Shitcoins have a place in the market, driven by community engagement.