Crypto CEO Ryan Selkis resigns after tweeting it’s ‘literal war’ with those who don’t vote for Trump

Ryan Selkis, who rose to prominence in the crypto industry as the co-founder of blockchain analytics firm Messari and organizer of popular conference Mainnet, resigned from his role as CEO on Friday after posting a series of politically charged tweets that included his support for former President Donald Trump.

Selkis briefly made his X account private on Thursday after telling a green card holder that “we hope to send you back” and announced a day later that he had decided to step down as CEO. “This week, for the first time in 6.5 years, my politics and rhetoric put the team in danger,” Selkis said. [sic]”” Selkis, who remains an advisor to Messari, tweeted.

‘Tough love’

In an industry known for its brash personalities and quick fades, Selkis has made a name for himself as one of the most visible figures on Twitter and the conference circuit. After entering the crypto space as an advisor, he became an executive at digital assets empire Digital Currency Group before joining portfolio company crypto news outlet CoinDesk as a managing director just ahead of the 2017 bull market. He left in early 2018, much to Messari’s surprise.

Aiming to compete with traditional financial services like Bloomberg, Messari has become one of the most popular platforms in the crypto space and has raised a number of rounds, including a $35 million Series B in 2022 from Brevan Howard Digital, Point72, and Coinbase Ventures, valuing the firm at $300 million. Messari also runs the New York-based Mainnet conference, where Selkis has interviewed figures like Vivek Ramaswamy on stage.

Representatives for Brevan Howard Digital, Point72, and Coinbase Ventures declined to comment.

Selkis, a former President Biden supporter, has gone from being an outspoken supporter of Trump in recent months to a former Trump supporter, according to a recent profile on DL News . Trump invited Selkis to speak on stage at an event at Mar-a-Lago in May, coinciding with the presidential candidate’s newfound support for crypto. Since then, Selkis has used his influential X account (which has over 350,000 followers) to share his increasingly charged thoughts, including a post that “anyone who votes against Trump at this point can die in a goddamned fire” and a response to a green owner who he hopes isn’t a citizen.

While Selkis’ tweets took on a defiant tone, he received a session of “tough love” from Messari’s leadership and admitted he “went too fast,” according to a post on Thursday.

Chief revenue officer Eric Turner will take over as the company’s interim CEO.

The story continues

“Messari would not be the company it is today, nor would it be in the future, without Ryan’s clear vision and dedicated leadership,” the company said in a post on X.com.

After publication, Fortune spoke with Jeff Clavier, founder of venture firm Uncork Capital and a member of Messari’s board of directors, who said the board and team made the decision with Selkis after he “went too far” in some of his posts, confirming the company’s public statement.

“From a corporate perspective, things were said that shouldn’t have been said,” Clavier said. “We decided it was best to hand over the helm. [Turner]And we announced that to the team this morning.”

Clavier added that Selkis will “probably” be on Mainnet, but not as a host, a role he has long held. “Ryan is an open book,” Clavier said. “This guy doesn’t take a back seat.”

This story was first published on Fortune.com