For our team, this marks not just the loss of a respected visionary in the Web3 arena, but the departure of a close confidant with whom we collaborated extensively to enhance validator infrastructure and staking frameworks within the Solana ecosystem under the CTDG initiative.
The Web3 community has lost a pioneer whose contributions warrant acknowledgment with clarity and gratitude.
His absence resonates with us on both professional and personal levels—reflected in our collaborative efforts, the decisions we jointly influenced, and the long-term systems we constructed together.
Alexander Ray was more than just an engineer, founder, or protocol architect. He was an individual whose efforts genuinely fortified the ecosystems he engaged with, and whose collaborative spirit showcased precision, reliability, and a commitment to long-term value.
This article is not a formal announcement. It is a tribute to his accomplishments, his work ethic, and the profound impact of his absence on the teams and networks he significantly influenced.
For those who had the privilege to collaborate with him, his influence was unmistakable—not due to a quest for visibility, but because he continually elevated the work.
Honoring the Work and Legacy of Alexander Ray
Ray was renowned for his contributions at the confluence of regulated DeFi, staking infrastructure, tokenization, and on-chain compliance, emphasizing the development of enduring financial systems rather than fleeting speculative ventures.
Prior to his tenure in crypto, Ray accumulated over two decades of experience in enterprise software, cloud infrastructure, and financial systems, including roles connected with Deutsche Bank Frankfurt and General Electric. His extensive background in enterprise architecture and financial systems significantly influenced his Web3 approach—viewing blockchain as a future global financial framework rather than a mere market trend.
Ray’s initial foray into Web3 engineering was marked by the establishment of PointGroup, a venture builder studio that incubated and developed various blockchain infrastructure projects. Rather than functioning as a singular product company, PointGroup served as a platform for building and scaling protocol-level initiatives across staking, compliant DeFi, and on-chain financial infrastructure.
Within PointGroup, Ray played a key role in creating several notable Web3 projects, including JPool, a Solana-native liquid staking pool; Albus Protocol, a privacy-preserving compliance layer for regulated decentralized finance; and Alula, a Stellar-native lending protocol aimed at enhancing on-chain credit and capital efficiency.
JPool emerged as a prominent liquid staking platform on Solana, permitting users to stake SOL and receive JSOL, a liquid staking token usable across the Solana DeFi ecosystem. By implementing a smart delegation system, JPool broadened staked assets across a diverse validator set, transforming Solana staking from a locked, passive model to a more liquid and composable structure. Current data indicates JPool manages over 1.3 million SOL in staked assets across more than 170 validators, positioning it among the leading liquid staking pools on the network.
In addition to staking infrastructure, Ray confronted one of the more intricate challenges within crypto – regulated decentralized finance. As CEO and co-founder of Albus Protocol, he spearheaded the development of a compliance layer for public blockchains that focuses on tokenized real-world assets and institutional DeFi transactions. Albus was designed as a privacy-preserving compliance system that integrates regulatory logic directly on-chain, enabling platforms to satisfy KYC and regulatory obligations without disclosing raw personal data. The project has become a cornerstone infrastructure for tokenized asset platforms and regulated on-chain markets.
Beyond product innovation, Ray was actively involved in shaping discussions within the industry regarding regulation and tokenization. As a member of the Forbes Business Council, he contributed writings and spoke on topics such as on-chain identity, compliant token issuance, and the future of regulated DeFi, participating in European Web3 events centered on infrastructure and institutional adoption.
Across all his endeavors—JPool, Albus Protocol, and the broader PointGroup portfolio—Ray adhered to a consistent philosophy: prioritize infrastructure over hype, compliance over shortcuts, and long-term sustainability over speculation. The systems he helped conceive continue to function today within staking, validator infrastructure, and tokenized asset markets.
We are profoundly thankful to Alexander Ray for the collaboration and the joint efforts we undertook within the CTDG initiative focused on Solana. This partnership remains a significant element of his professional legacy for our team.
Alexander Ray is remembered as a builder who ventured into the most challenging realms of Web3—where decentralization, regulation, and true financial infrastructure intersect. His legacy persists in the live protocols, staking systems, and compliance frameworks that continue to support users and institutions throughout the blockchain economy.
