Digital Asset-Focused Bank Protego Trust Names Ron Totaro as CEO

Protego added Bitfury’s CEO to its board of directors in February.

By Michael Bellusci

Sep 12, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. UTC

Updated Sep 12, 2022 at 2:39 p.m. UTC

CDCROP: Protego Trust Bank CEO Ron Totaro (Protego Bank) — Protego Trust Bank CEO Ron Totaro (Protego Bank)

Michael Bellusci

Michael Bellusci is CoinDesk's crypto reporter focused on public companies and digital asset firms.

Follow @mikeybellusci on Twitter

Protego Trust Bank named financial services veteran Ron Totaro chief executive officer as the bank continues its push to serve institutional clients in crypto and digital assets.

Totaro’s most recent role was CEO at Tassat Group, a blockchain-based tech firm focused on digital payments.

In 2021, Protego raised $70 million in a Series A with investors including crypto exchanges Coinbase (COIN) and FTX as well as Digital Currency Group, the parent company of CoinDesk. In May, Protego was reportedly looking to raise more money in a Series B round that would have valued the firm at $2 billion.

Earlier this year, Protego appointed former acting controller of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and current Bitfury CEO, Brian Brooks and former Ally Financial CEO Michael Carpenter to its board of directors. The OCC granted Protego Trust a conditional federal charter in 2021 allowing Protego to custody digital assets.

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