James Simpson
Hi, I’m James — I’m a builder and investor in crypto.
I’m fascinated by how systems of value and ownership evolve, and how technology can expand freedom, creativity, and trust in the digital age. I believe crypto can make the internet and finance more private, sovereign, transparent, and inclusive.
I’m currently based in Paris, where I completed a master’s in International Security at Sciences Po. My studies focused on conflict and war, and I spent six months with UNESCO researching AI bias. I also contribute to the Spykman Centre, where I write on geopolitics, technology, and the shifting architecture of global power.
Previously, I founded and sold mStable, an early DeFi protocol built in Berlin, and have since invested in over twenty early-stage ventures across crypto and frontier technology.
Outside of work, I love acting and the mountains.
Select Angel Investments
Morpho Chaos Labs Phantom Maple Biconomy Connext Chainflip Sanctum Bullet prePO
Projects
- Split — A protocol for splitting tokens into constituent components. Born from conversations with Francesco Agosti, Richard Galvin, and Alex Erikstrup that became a whitepaper, a prototype, and a usable product. The MVP was built during the three-week ETHGlobal hackathon and won the Compound sponsor prize.
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mStable —
Conceived at Apollo Capital with Henrik Andersson to tackle fragmentation and risk in stablecoins,
mStable became one of the first DeFi protocols to unify stable assets, generate yield,
and enhance systemic resilience. Backed by leading funds and angels, it was later acquired
through a community-run decentralised auction and now lives on under
dHEDGE,
developing a new generation of products on
Pendle.
Links: mstable.com · dhedge.org · pendle.finance
Get in Touch
I’m always happy to connect with founders, researchers, and investors.