Jan-Oliver Sell, the former CEO and Managing Director of Coinbase Germany, has joined Universal Everything, the tech company behind LUKSO, as Chief Operating Officer, in a move that signals LUKSO’s ambition to scale its blockchain platform beyond crypto-native users and into mainstream industries.
Sell, who helped Coinbase secure Germany’s first crypto custody license from BaFin in 2021, brings a strong regulatory and operational background to the Berlin-based project. His experience guiding Europe’s complex compliance landscape and driving Coinbase’s regional growth positions him to lead LUKSO’s transition from technical development to broader market adoption.
The hire comes as LUKSO prepares to expand its ecosystem focused on digital identity, social applications, and creator economies, areas largely overlooked by finance-first blockchain projects.
“LUKSO is at the forefront of redefining how blockchain can empower creators and users,” said Sell. “LUKSO’s focus on user experience and non-financial use cases offers a unique opportunity to build the foundations of a new Web3, where users can seamlessly read, write, and own their digital lives.”
Building the “New Web3”
Founded by Ethereum veteran Fabian Vogelsteller, the author of the ERC-20 token standard, LUKSO positions itself as a Layer 1 blockchain for digital identity, creator economies, and social applications, moving beyond the finance-first focus that dominates much of the crypto space today.
Central to LUKSO’s ecosystem are Universal Profiles: smart contract-based accounts that give users ownership of their digital identities, assets, and on-chain interactions. LUKSO’s LUKSO Standard Proposals (LSPs) expand Ethereum’s smart contract capabilities with features like upgradable tokens, metadata-rich NFTs, and programmable profiles, allowing new types of decentralized apps, social platforms, and creator tools.
With over 30,000 Universal Profiles, a network secured by 140,000+ community validators, and upcoming integrations such as a zero-knowledge bridge to Ethereum and a public mobile app, LUKSO is moving from technical foundation to ecosystem expansion.
According to the company, Sell’s leadership is expected to play a key role in building partnerships and expanding adoption as LUKSO seeks to connect its technology with creative industries and social platforms beyond crypto’s traditional finance-focused audience.
“LUKSO’s vision of ‘The New Web3’ is about making blockchain intuitive and relevant for everyone,” said Vogelsteller. “Jan’s operational expertise and deep understanding of the blockchain space will be critical as LUKSO continues to expand its ecosystem, empowering creators and users in a seamless, decentralized environment.”
While LUKSO has already built notable technical infrastructure since its mainnet launch in 2023, Sell’s appointment suggests a push to bridge the gap between Web3 innovation and real-world adoption, positioning LUKSO as a player in blockchain’s next growth phase.
