DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – 27/04/2025 – (SeaPRwire) – Pi Protocol, the trailblazing stablecoin initiative founded by Tether co-founder Reeve Collins, has officially announced the appointment of Joe Vollono as the company’s new Head of Business Development. This appointment comes at a critical juncture for Pi Protocol, following the successful beta launch of its groundbreaking yield-bearing stablecoin platform. Vollono’s extensive experience across both traditional finance and the rapidly growing cryptocurrency sector makes him a highly valuable addition to the leadership team, where he will be tasked with accelerating the protocol’s strategic partnerships and commercial growth.
Vollono joins Pi Protocol after having held pivotal roles at several high-profile institutions, most notably Ripple and Morgan Stanley. At Ripple, Vollono led business development efforts for the company’s innovative products, including its RLUSD stablecoin offering. His time at Morgan Stanley, where he spent over seven years, further bolstered his understanding of the financial ecosystem, particularly in areas that bridge the gap between traditional finance and cryptocurrency markets. Vollono’s experience also includes leadership positions at Graystone Palo Alto and SIFMA, as well as a tenure in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force, where he managed shipboard nuclear reactor operations. This diverse career has provided him with a unique blend of expertise that spans both conventional financial markets and the emerging crypto space.
“Joe Vollono’s appointment is a game-changing move for Pi Protocol,” stated Bundeep Singh Rangar, Co-founder and CEO of Pi Protocol. “His deep understanding of both traditional finance and the cryptocurrency landscape positions him perfectly to spearhead our business development initiatives. As we continue to build our decentralized, yield-generating stablecoin ecosystem, Joe’s expertise will be indispensable in forming strategic alliances with market makers, exchanges, institutional investors, and DeFi protocols, ensuring that Pi Protocol becomes a foundational component of the DeFi ecosystem.”
In his new role, Vollono will focus on securing high-value partnerships across a broad spectrum of sectors, including tokenization platforms, crypto exchanges, financial institutions, credit funds, and decentralized finance protocols. He will be directly involved in negotiating and executing commercial agreements related to stablecoin issuance, yield-bearing tokenization, and other blockchain-driven financial products. Moreover, Vollono will collaborate closely with Pi Protocol’s legal and compliance teams to ensure that the platform adheres to regulatory standards as it rolls out tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) strategies.
“I’m excited to be joining Pi Protocol at such a pivotal time in the development of stablecoin technology,” said Joe Vollono. “The platform’s innovative three-token model offers a unique solution to a fundamental problem in today’s DeFi landscape—how to combine stablecoin utility with yield generation. This structure has the potential to reshape the stablecoin ecosystem and unlock new value for users. I’m looking forward to driving key partnerships that will facilitate Pi Protocol’s global adoption and establish it as a cornerstone of decentralized finance infrastructure.”
Vollono’s appointment coincides with Pi Protocol’s beta launch of its highly anticipated yield-bearing stablecoin platform, which enables users to mint the Pi Protocol stablecoin (USP) using on-chain collateral while earning yield through a separate yield token (USI). The three-token system—comprising USP (stablecoin), USI (yield token), and the forthcoming USPi (governance token)—creates a dynamic financial ecosystem where users can retain the stability of a fiat-pegged stablecoin while simultaneously benefiting from returns generated by their underlying assets.
Pi Protocol’s approach represents a departure from traditional stablecoin models, which generally focus solely on stability, by integrating yield-generation capabilities. This innovation addresses a critical gap in the market for users seeking stablecoin solutions that not only protect capital but also generate returns. Vollono’s role will be pivotal in expanding Pi Protocol’s commercial relationships with financial institutions, tokenization platforms, and decentralized exchanges, thereby positioning the platform to challenge established players such as Tether and Circle.
“Joe’s extensive network and expertise will play a critical role in expanding Pi Protocol’s presence in key financial hubs, including London, Dubai, Singapore, and the United States,” Rangar continued. “His leadership will be instrumental in defining and executing our go-to-market strategy, particularly for DeFi integrations and enterprise partnerships.”
As the beta platform is now live on testnet, Vollono will work to accelerate partnerships with market makers, liquidity providers, and institutional stakeholders. His efforts will ensure that Pi Protocol’s mainnet launch is supported by a deep, liquid market, offering users seamless access to the platform’s yield-bearing stablecoin solutions. Vollono will also collaborate with institutional players to integrate Pi Protocol’s yield-bearing capabilities into treasury management and other financial service offerings, making Pi Protocol an attractive option for large-scale financial operations.
Vollono holds an MBA from the University of Oxford, a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Naval Academy. His strong academic background, combined with his hands-on leadership experience in both the private sector and the military, makes him uniquely qualified to lead Pi Protocol’s business development efforts as it works to reshape the future of decentralized finance.
For more information about Pi Protocol and its innovative stablecoin platform, visit www.piprotocol.com.
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