Systematic investing for changing conditions
SEC-registered fiduciary advisory across traditional and digital assets. Systematic process. Research-backed. Non-custodial.
Protocol Wealth measures the current market environment, scores how durable each potential holding is, and adjusts portfolios as conditions change. The process is systematic, documented, and auditable — not reactive, and not based on forecasts.
How we think about this
The question we keep coming back to is what an advisor is for in an era when analytical tools are nearly free. Our answer: the advisor is the human who validates the analysis, carries the regulatory accountability, and stays present for the client when the framework's signal and the client's situation don't agree. The tools should be inspectable. The judgment should be human. Both should be documented.
Who We Are
Protocol Wealth is an SEC-registered investment adviser (CRD #335298) — a new firm, formed in 2025, that consolidates three established advisory and trading practices into a single fiduciary entity effective January 2026.
Protocol Wealth itself is new. The people inside it aren't. Three operators, 50+ years of combined industry experience including roughly 37 years registered with FINRA and the SEC: Jason Leupold registered since February 2000 (Morgan Stanley DW → Crabel Capital systematic futures desks 2003 – 2009 → Robert W. Baird → Fintrust → IMST Distributors → Fidelity Brokerage Services / Fidelity Personal & Workplace Advisors 2021 – 2022); Adam Blumberg registered since May 2009 (MML Investors Services → Cambridge Investment Research Advisors → Chart Wealth Management RIA → founded Interaxis in 2019 to teach digital-asset literacy to advisors); Nick Rygiel registered since December 2011 (Merrill Lynch VP/Senior Financial Advisor 2011 – 2022 → founded Ironclad Financial RIA in July 2022). Every date and firm on this page is independently verifiable through FINRA BrokerCheck and the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database — direct links on each card below.
Managing Partner, Chief Compliance Officer
Ensures everything operates within regulatory boundaries. Bridge between technology-native execution and fiduciary obligation.
FINRA/SEC-registered since May 2009 (12 years of registered experience per IAPD). Broker and investment adviser at MML Investors Services (May 2009 – Nov 2015, Houston TX), then registered with both Cambridge Investment Research, Inc. (broker, CRD #39543) and Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc. (IA, CRD #134139) from Nov 2015 – Sep 2017 (Bellaire TX), then investment adviser at Chart Wealth Management, LLC (Sep 2017 – Dec 2020, Houston TX). Founded Interaxis in 2019 to teach digital-asset literacy to other advisors and co-founded PlannerDAO. Registered with Protocol Wealth (CO IA) since April 12, 2025. Serves as CCO, accountable for every Marketing Rule review and the firm's compliance posture across traditional and digital assets.
"Concentrated positions destroy wealth; disciplined diversification and liquidity planning preserve it. Applies identically to protocol treasuries."
Industry-registered since 2009
CRD #5656102 · BrokerCheck · SEC IAPD
Managing Partner, CTO & CISO
Built the entire technology stack. Infrastructure, security architecture, and systems that make regime classification and asset scoring computable.
FINRA-registered since December 14, 2011 (broker; investment adviser since January 3, 2012). 14 years of registered experience per IAPD. Surface Warfare Officer aboard USS Porter (DDG-78), then Deloitte (PKI identity management), then a decade as a Merrill Lynch VP and Senior Financial Advisor (Dec 14, 2011 – Jul 9, 2022, Bala Cynwyd PA). Founded Ironclad Financial (CRD #321831, Havertown PA) on July 25, 2022 as a multi-asset RIA covering both traditional portfolios and digital assets, with a brief overlap registration at Origin Financial (CRD #305353, Bryn Mawr PA, Dec 2022 – May 2023) during the platform transition. Registered with Protocol Wealth (CO IA) since July 9, 2025. Built the firm's technology stack and serves as CTO and CISO.
"The durable investment isn't the innovation; it's the infrastructure layer underneath it."
Industry-registered since 2011
CRD #5996576 · BrokerCheck · SEC IAPD
Managing Partner, Chief Investment Officer
Designs and executes investment strategy. Translates regime classifications into portfolio action.
FINRA-registered since February 4, 2000 (CRD #4124810). 26-year industry career: Morgan Stanley DW (broker, Feb 2000 – May 2001, Purchase NY), then six years on the buy-side at Crabel Capital running the Asian Trade Desk and the FX Desk (2003 – 2009, prop trading not requiring FINRA registration), then registered roles at Robert W. Baird & Co. (broker + IA, Jul 2010 – Mar 2012, Milwaukee WI), Fintrust Brokerage Services (broker, Jan 2014 – Dec 2015, Greenville SC) and Fintrust Investment Advisory Services (IA, Jan 2014 – Apr 2016, Denver CO), IMST Distributors (broker, Aug 2016 – Jun 2020, Denver CO), and Fidelity Brokerage Services (broker, Apr 2021 – May 2022) and Fidelity Personal & Workplace Advisors (IA, May 2021 – May 2022). Registered with Protocol Wealth (CO IA) since May 27, 2025; Registered Representative of Finalis Securities LLC since April 14, 2026.
"Systematic rules outperform discretionary calls over time. Execution quality matters as much as the thesis."
Industry-registered since 2000
CRD #4124810 · BrokerCheck · SEC IAPD
Team of Teams Coverage: Every client relationship is covered by at least two advisors. We operate under a signed advisory agreement and a fiduciary standard that is legally enforceable — not just a marketing claim.
Everything we do answers three questions
Every component draws from established academic and practitioner research. We built the integration layer — the system that combines these inputs, applies them across traditional and digital assets, and adjusts allocation based on what the signals say.
We monitor a set of signals — gold versus equities, real interest rates, dollar strength, volatility, credit conditions, bond markets, energy prices — to classify the current environment. Is it rewarding growth? Punishing risk? Favoring hard assets? Contracting? The classification drives how we allocate. This isn't prediction; it's measurement.
Not every asset decays at the same rate. A nuclear plant's competitive advantage lasts 40-60 years. A trending software company can be disrupted in 18 months. We classify assets by how long their advantage is likely to persist — from the most durable (physical infrastructure, energy production) to the most fragile (early-stage innovation, speculative growth). In any environment, we want more of the portfolio in assets that compound over time.
Before anything enters the portfolio, it has to pass a set of measurable tests drawn from published academic research. Is it generating real cash? Is its financial health improving or deteriorating? Is its trend likely to continue? Does the current environment favor it? Is it vulnerable to AI disruption? These aren't opinions — they're computations we run systematically.
What Makes This Different
Technology-first, multi-asset, fiduciary-by-default. Digital assets are one capability we cover competently — not the whole firm.
Most advisors operate reactively. The market drops, and they reassess. Earnings disappoint, and they reconsider. We built a system that classifies the environment before the event forces a decision, scores assets before they enter the portfolio, and adjusts allocation as conditions change without requiring anyone to panic or hope.
Every component of our process draws from established academic and practitioner research. What we built is the integration layer — the system that combines these inputs and applies the same scoring discipline to equities, fixed income, real assets, alternatives, and digital assets under a single fiduciary process. We operate this system daily, and when it produces a signal that doesn't match reality, we document the correction transparently.
Multi-Asset by Design
Equities, fixed income, ETFs, real assets, alternatives, and digital assets — all scored on the same eight checks. Crypto is one pillar, not the building.
Technology-Native Operations
Regime detection, scoring, and research run on PW Nexus — accessible to advisors and to Claude through Anthropic's MCP standard. Tools are inspectable; judgment is human.
Regime-Aware Allocation
Portfolio weights adjust based on measured market conditions, not market commentary or forecasts. The methodology is documented and auditable.
Non-Custodial
Assets stay at qualified custodians (Schwab, Altruist, Interactive Brokers, Anchorage Digital Bank) or in client-controlled MPC self-custody. We never hold client private keys.
Token Generation Event (TGE)
The transition from TGE to a sustainable, multi-million or multi-billion dollar protocol is routinely derailed by a single failure point: liquidity leakage.
Without professional management, protocols suffer from fragmented DEX liquidity, CEX/DEX price dislocations that arbitrageurs exploit, idle treasury that burns runway rather than generating yield, and no systematic plan for building reserves during periods of token strength.
The result is predictable: a volatile launch, a depleted treasury, and a protocol that is perpetually one bear market away from extinction.
We never hold your assets. Protocol Wealth provides advisory and execution management while your treasury remains in your control — qualified custodians and non-custodial smart contract architecture.
Regime-aware liquidity management, yield generation on idle reserves, systematic accumulation during strength, and professional market-making coordination — all under fiduciary oversight.
Technology Infrastructure
Purpose-built systems for regime classification, asset scoring, and portfolio management across traditional and digital assets.
PW Nexus is our research engine — the analytical brain that advisors and Claude both query. It runs over 200 analytical tools covering regime detection, asset scoring, portfolio construction, and market intelligence, accessible through Anthropic's MCP standard for real-time research.
A human adviser reviews and is accountable for every client-facing decision.
Digital asset custody uses qualified custodians and MPC wallet infrastructure. We never hold client private keys.
On-chain vault strategies use Safe smart accounts with Zodiac policy modules and recipient binding — your assets stay under your control.
Partners & Ecosystem
You don't have to be an AUM client to work with us
Most clients pick the structure that matches the work, not the asset balance. Discretionary management is fee-on-AUM. Advisory and consulting are flat-rate retainers. Project work is scoped and milestone-billed. All fees are disclosed in our Form ADV Part 2A.
From $500/mo
Monthly retainer for financial planning, portfolio review, and ongoing advisory. Scoped to goals and complexity. Complimentary introductory meeting before any engagement.
From $5,000/mo
Treasury strategy, digital-asset policy, custody architecture, board reporting, and regulatory coordination. Typical range $5K – $15K+/month based on complexity.
0.50% – 2.00%
Discretionary AUM-based fees for traditional wealth management. Digital-asset and onchain mandates priced separately. Custody at qualified third parties — never with us.
Protocol Wealth, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser (CRD #335298). Registration does not imply a particular level of skill or training. Advisory services are provided only under a signed advisory agreement.
All investments involve risk, including the potential loss of principal. Digital assets are highly speculative and volatile. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
The Protocol Wealth Asset Framework (PWAF), built on the Entropic Macro Framework (EMF) methodology, including the 7-layer durability model, 8-check scoring system, and all other analytical methodologies, are systematic frameworks — not predictive models and not investment advice. Framework scores, tiers, and classifications reflect historical and current quantitative metrics only; they do not constitute buy, sell, or hold recommendations for any specific security.
What's Your Investor Profile?
Take our 7-minute diagnostic to understand your investor archetype, or explore the investment framework that drives our process.