When someone mentions Ryan Fang in the crypto space, few would have guessed that his career began not behind a computer screen, but on the investment exchange floor.
The University of California, Berkeley graduate began his professional career in the very traditional financial sector, even working at prestigious institutions such as Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse. But, life is full of sharp turns. Today, Fang is known as one of the figures behind Ankr Network—a platform that is the backbone of Web3 infrastructure.
His transition from an established corporation to a world that was not widely understood at the time was not because of “following a trend,” but rather because of a deep interest in the idea that computing could be made more open and efficient.
He saw an opportunity in the pile of idle servers and unused bandwidth. Rather than letting it go to waste, why not use it as the foundation for a decentralized network? That is where the seeds of Ankr grew.
From Launch to Crisis: The Tough Road to Web3 Infrastructure
Together with two of his colleagues, Chandler Song and Stanley Wu, Fang founded Ankr in 2017. At that time, the crypto market was still full of uncertainty.
Few people believed that node hosting or staking would become the main foundation for dozens of major blockchains in the future. But Ryan and his team persisted. They did not just build a system, but created a real alternative to traditional cloud services like AWS.
However, the road they took was not always smooth. In late 2022, Ankr was hit by a storm when a former team member infiltrated the platform with malicious code. This attack opened a security hole that was exploited by hackers.
The situation became even more complicated when the following year, Ankr’s main domain was attacked using phishing techniques against their DNS provider. Imagine, like a homeowner who suddenly lost the gate key—while uninvited guests had already infiltrated inside.
On the other hand, the way Fang and his team handled this crisis also showed their determination. Both incidents were resolved quickly, and they immediately tightened their security system, including implementing two-step verification on their DNS system. Not only patching up the wounds, but also strengthening the walls.
More Than Just Ankr: Ryan Fang’s Web3 Footprint
Perhaps what many people don’t know is that Ryan Fang is not only busy at Ankr. He also co-founded several other projects, such as PrimeBlock (which is engaged in mining), Bounce Finance (decentralized auctions), BurgerCities (a metaverse that combines DeFi and NFT), and Tomo, which seeks to simplify Web3 interactions for ordinary users. As if 24 hours were not enough, Fang also sits on the advisory board of KardiaChain.
His presence in these various projects is not just “taking the name,” but is truly active in shaping the direction and development. Even in several interviews, he conveys his ideas in simple language, not getting caught up in technical talk.
For him, Web3 is like a coffee shop that is owned by a community—every customer has a stake, and has a say in how the place is managed. A simple analogy, but inspiring.
Furthermore, if we look at the scale of Ankr’s achievements today, it is clear that their hard work has paid off no small amount. The platform serves more than two trillion blockchain requests annually and supports more than 45 networks. Even tech giants like Microsoft and Binance use his services.
So, if anyone asks why Ryan Fang’s name often appears on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list or is referred to as a Web3 pioneer, perhaps the answer is not only because he is good at building technology, but because he knows how to build trust. And that, in the world of crypto skepticism, is sometimes more important than just lines of code.