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Anthony Karakai has spent the better part of a decade at the intersection of crypto, finance, and marketing.
- During his tenure at OKX, he worked on campaigns with McLaren Formula One and Manchester City and also built communications strategies for Banxa and BTC Markets.
- He has witnessed the industry’s transition from scrappy exchanges to institution-ready platforms.
Now, as Global Marketing Director of Starke Finance, he is steering a new wave: bridging traditional finance and decentralized infrastructure through digital asset funds and tokenized real-world assets (RWAs).
Check out Starke Finance on X here: https://x.com/StarkeFinance/
Read our interview with Karakai below:
Shifting Regulatory Winds
In an interview with BiPinas, Karakai was candid about why the timing feels different right now in crypto.
“Things keep progressing in a positive way, especially in the U.S.
With Starke’s digital asset funds we have the certifications institutions expect from TradFi, which boosts confidence. There’s still a bridge to build between DeFi and TradFi, but when you see positive signals from firms like BlackRock, you can tell attitudes are shifting.”
Anthony Karakai, Global Marketing Director, Starke Finance
Regulation has been one of the biggest barriers for global expansion. Karakai noted that the shift toward a more crypto-friendly administration in the U.S. has created a sense of validation across the industry.
While Asia remains a revenue hub, the U.S. market has long been the missing piece, he emphasized.
“People have been waiting for a progressive stance. The sentiment now is very different from even a year ago.”
Anthony Karakai, Global Marketing Director, Starke Finance
Trust is Still Major Hurdle
But regulatory clarity alone doesn’t erase all concerns. Trust remains the hurdle.
“Despite the vast majority of the industry doing great work, institutions still want reassurance. That’s why Starke focuses on institutional-grade compliance, structure, and security.”
Anthony Karakai, Global Marketing Director, Starke Finance
Starke Finance Key Products Suite
- Managed Funds: Professionally managed portfolios that balance cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and tokenized real-world assets.
- rkSOL Staking: Liquid staking on Solana, with rewards paid in SOL and no lock-in periods.
- Starke Validator: Institutional-grade Solana validator offering competitive rewards.
- Tokenization-as-a-Service (TaaS): A white-label platform for traditional asset managers to create and brand their own tokenized funds.
- Performance Dashboards: Real-time monitoring of fund and asset movements, staking rewards, and share prices.
Opening the Door to Tokenized Assets
The company’s approach centers on accessibility. Tokenized RWAs, once gated to the ultra-wealthy, are now being fractionalized into shares that retail investors can access.
“Large commercial real estate, even fine art, traditionally locked behind closed doors, can now be bought into fractionally.
The question is who delivers the most seamless experience. We need to strip away technical jargon, make the benefits clear, and provide onboarding that feels familiar to anyone who has dealt with traditional finance.”
Anthony Karakai, Global Marketing Director, Starke Finance
A Safer On-Ramp for Newcomers
For newcomers, Karakai believes digital asset funds offer a safer entry point than going all-in on a single token.
“Funds can be adjusted for risk, with stables and blue-chip assets. For first-timers, it is an easy on-ramp to get diversified exposure while mitigating risk. Later, once they understand how it works, they might branch out into individual tokens.”
Anthony Karakai, Global Marketing Director, Starke Finance
Why Starke Chose to Build in Stealth?
Starke itself has chosen to build in stealth, a decision that bucks the industry’s trend of “building in public.” Karakai said the choice was deliberate.
“We share selective updates, but our priority is building a robust engine privately and only releasing when it performs as advertised. Stealth lets us focus without distractions.”
Anthony Karakai, Global Marketing Director, Starke Finance
Q4 Launch on the Horizon
That focus is now pointing toward a concrete milestone. In Q4, possibly October, Starke plans to launch the Starke Blue Chip Fund, a product mixing cryptocurrencies and tokenized RWAs, the executive shared.
Alongside it, the company is running a Solana validator, and developing a white-label tokenization engine that allows traditional asset managers to create their own branded strategies on Starke’s infrastructure.
“This way, asset managers can meet client demand for crypto exposure without having to build the pipes themselves.”
Anthony Karakai, Global Marketing Director, Starke Finance
This article is published on BitPinas: Coinfest Interview: Starke Finance Builds Bridge Between TradFi and DeFi With Tokenized Funds
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