Seasoned financial strategist joins 21X to drive adoption and regulatory approval of digital securities in the world’s largest capital market
Frankfurt – 9 October, 2025: 21X, a leader in regulated on-chain trading and settlement, today announced a major step in its U.S. market expansion with the appointment of John Linnehan as the Chief Executive Officer of the 21X U.S. entity.
The appointment of Linnehan, a seasoned investment management executive and fintech entrepreneur with extensive C-suite experience for large, complex financial institutions, will be instrumental to 21X’s strategy of achieving regulatory approval and scaling of its blockchain-based trading and settlement infrastructure in the world’s largest capital market.
Linnehan has led financial firms through periods of transformation and growth, optimizing operating structures, driving profitability, strengthening governance and compliance frameworks through his tactical, day-to-day leadership. His deep expertise in financial strategy, distribution, and operations positions Linnehan to drive adoption and growth of digital securities on the 21X U.S. trading and settlement venue.
This strategic expansion of 21X follows the successful launch in September 2025 of its European DLT Trading and Settlement System (21X AG) and heightened interest by global financial institutions to capitalize on the advantages of distributed ledger technology (DLT) for capital markets.
The launch of a fully regulated blockchain-enabled trading and settlement venue in the U.S. is poised to be a transformative event for capital markets, introducing unparalleled benefits to participants.
Max J. Heinzle, Founder and CEO of 21X Group, stated:
“Our mission to bring regulated, on-chain trading to the world’s financial hubs is taking its most important step forward with the appointment of John Linnehan. His decades of disciplined, C-level leadership in the American investment management sector are exactly what 21X needs to successfully navigate the regulatory environment and establish trust among institutional partners.
John will ensure that the groundbreaking trading and settlement venue we pioneered in Europe is deployed with excellence and integrity in the U.S., scaling our fully compliant DLT infrastructure to serve the unique demands and regulatory sophistication of the world’s largest and most influential capital market.”
John Linnehan, newly appointed CEO of the 21X U.S. entity, said:
“I’m excited to join 21X as the financial industry stands on the brink of a true infrastructural revolution. 21X has developed the only proven, regulated model that will deliver meaningful improvements in transparency, accuracy, and liquidity, all at substantially lower costs.”
He concluded:
“We are committed not just to swiftly building and launching a transparent and resilient trading venue, but to establishing a new foundation that will redefine how capital is raised, traded, and settled in America.”
The 21X U.S. entity will support the trading of a diverse array of financial instruments, from tokenized equities and debt instruments to more innovative assets like ETFs, mutual funds and structured products. The 21X U.S. entity will shortly submit its applications to FINRA and SEC.
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About 21X
21X is a brand of the company group (21X Group), which includes among others 21.finance AG, 21X AG and the 21X U.S. entity.
21X AG is a Frankfurt-based investment firm at the forefront of revolutionizing capital markets through the use of blockchain technology. On 8th September 2025, 21X opened the first ever fully regulated distributed ledger technology trading and settlement system (DLT TSS) in the EU, positioning the company as a leader in the transition from traditional to tokenized asset-based capital markets. 21X enables atomic trading without counterparty or credit risk through smart contract-based issuance, trading and settlement of tokenized stocks, bonds and funds.
See the short explainer video on 21X and our blockchain-based exchange here
For more information on 21X, contact:
Richie MacTaggart, Head of PR & Marketing
Email : press@21X.eu
Mobile : +44 7828173419
Web: https://www.21x.eu/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/21x/
