Candice Shen
Head of Partnerships & Digital Assets
Bilingual dealmaker (English/Mandarin) with a proven track record of orchestrating strategic partnerships with 100+ institutional clients, driving institutional capital inflow across North Asia's TradFi and Web3 ecosystems. Currently spearheading RWA tokenization at Ant Group.
Professional Experience
Ant Group
Current- ◆Spearheaded 0-to-1 development of Ant Group's RWA tokenization ecosystem. Launched 4 tokenized products (2 securing HK SFC regulatory approval); drove flagship tokenized fund to $70M AUM in Phase 1.
- ◆Forged deep strategic alliances with global financial titans and major payment networks (including Visa, Mastercard, and Alipay) across North Asia. Co-structured compliant wrapper architectures (Tokenized Notes) and vault products.
- ◆Cultivated a robust Web3 partnership network with top-tier Layer 1 foundations (Sui, Ethereum) and DeFi protocols (e.g., Morpho). Onboarded institutional market makers to enhance secondary market liquidity.
- ◆Managed high-velocity cross-functional teams across multiple jurisdictions. Partnered with global custodians, payment processors, and international law firms (e.g., KWM) to ensure multi-jurisdictional compliance.
HashKey Group
- ◆Executed institutional GTM strategies, successfully onboarding 100+ institutional clients including quant funds, market makers, payment gateways, and family offices.
- ◆Drove institutional capital inflow and B2B conversions through targeted outreach and bespoke digital asset advisory.
- ◆Developed and managed a metrics-driven pipeline to ensure consistent revenue growth and client acquisition across the North Asia region.
Phemex Ventures
- ◆Directed foundational investment strategy for a new Web3 venture fund; conducted comprehensive due diligence on 50+ early-stage blockchain protocols across DeFi, Payments Infrastructure, and GameFi.
- ◆Authored investment memos for the Investment Committee and led term sheet negotiations.
- ◆Delivered post-investment support focusing on tokenomics, liquidity bootstrapping, and strategic ecosystem growth.
BlackRock
- ◆Pivotal deal team member for the $2B Asia Property Fund IV & V; led end-to-end execution of 2 complex cross-border acquisitions totaling ~$250M in the North Asia market.
- ◆Developed sophisticated LBO/DCF models to evaluate investment opportunities.
- ◆Negotiated optimal debt facilities and equity structures with global tier-1 banking syndicates.
Core Achievements
A track record of building bridges between traditional finance institutions and the emerging digital asset ecosystem across North Asia.
Institutional Alliance Builder
Forged deep strategic alliances with BlackRock, Apollo, China AMC, CICC, Visa, Mastercard, and Alipay — co-structuring compliant wrapper architectures and vault products that set industry standards for institutional-grade tokenization.
Tier-1 PartnersRWA Tokenization Pioneer
Spearheaded 0-to-1 development of Ant Group's RWA tokenization ecosystem. Launched 4 tokenized products including tokenized physical assets (solar panels, computing servers) and Pre-IPO equities, with 2 securing HK SFC regulatory approval.
4 Products LaunchedWeb3 Ecosystem Cultivator
Built a robust Web3 partnership network with top-tier Layer 1 foundations (Sui, Ethereum) and DeFi protocols (Morpho). Onboarded institutional market makers to significantly enhance secondary market liquidity.
L1 + DeFi NetworkMetrics-Driven Pipeline Leader
Developed and managed metrics-driven pipelines to ensure consistent revenue growth and client acquisition. Successfully onboarded 100+ institutional clients including quant funds, market makers, payment gateways, and family offices.
100+ ClientsEducation & Credentials
Johns Hopkins University
CFA Charterholder
"Does Capital Account Liberalization Affect Financial Stability: Evidence from China"
E-ISSN: 1929-7092/15
Open to Strategic Partnerships & Opportunities
Whether you're exploring institutional partnerships, RWA tokenization opportunities, or looking for a seasoned BD leader to bridge TradFi and Web3 ecosystems — I'd love to connect.
Based in Hong Kong, operating across North Asia with a global network spanning institutional investors, Web3 foundations, and payment infrastructure providers.