David LaValle assumed the role of president at CoinDesk Indices and Data in September 2025, bringing extensive expertise from his prior leadership positions in the exchange-traded fund (ETF) and digital asset sectors. His professional background includes serving as the global head of ETFs at Grayscale Investments, where he guided strategic development and management of the firm’s ETF business. Additionally, LaValle was CEO of VettaFi, a global index and analytics firm, overseeing its growth and transformation. His earlier experience spans senior roles at State Street Global Advisors, focusing on SPDR ETF Capital Markets, and leadership in Nasdaq’s exchange-traded product marketplace, contributing notably to early bitcoin trust ETF initiatives in 2014. LaValle holds a B.A. from Georgetown University, specializing in Theology.
At CoinDesk Indices, LaValle oversees crypto benchmarks and indexes tracking assets exceeding $40 billion, positioning the company as a critical player in institutional-grade data and index solutions for global asset managers. His responsibilities include leading benchmarks like the Bitcoin Price Index and the CoinDesk 20 Index, both central to pricing references within the crypto market. The company’s focus on providing institutional-grade data and index solutions highlights its commitment to serving sophisticated market participants. Under his direction, CoinDesk Indices aims to establish itself as a reliable source of standardized crypto pricing and market data, which is essential for fostering institutional trust and adoption. This role is particularly significant amid the growing demand for transparent and verifiable metrics in volatile digital asset markets. CoinDesk Indices manages some of the most widely used benchmarks by institutional investors, underscoring its market role in the evolving crypto ecosystem.
LaValle’s prior achievements include facilitating the conversion of Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) into a spot bitcoin ETF in January 2024, a process involving collaboration with authorized participants and steering regulatory challenges, including a favorable court ruling against the SEC. This shift helped integrate crypto investment products into mainstream financial market structures and improve their appeal to institutional investors. His strategic vision for CoinDesk emphasizes bridging traditional finance with cryptocurrency by expanding index and data offerings, supporting Bullish’s post-NYSE listing strategy, and promoting standardized crypto benchmarks globally.
While CoinDesk Indices already holds a significant market position, LaValle’s leadership is expected to enhance its credibility among asset managers and institutional investors, contributing to the further integration of crypto assets within broader financial ecosystems. However, the evolving regulatory landscape and market volatility present ongoing risks that require careful steering to maintain the robustness and reliability of crypto market data.
