Blockchain, Decentralization, and Protocols by Viktor Bunin

Viktor Bunin is a Protocol Specialist at Coinbase Cloud, where he leads staking infrastructure and blockchain integration for over 20 supported networks. Since joining Bison Trails in 2018 and continuing through its acquisition by Coinbase in 2021, Bunin has played a pivotal role in shaping how enterprise-grade staking tools are deployed and governed. He developed the industry’s first dedicated “Protocol Specialist” function, now replicated across major infrastructure firms and select venture capital portfolios. Bunin also co-founded Credibly Neutral, a protocol-focused venture capital initiative with investments in early-stage blockchain middleware, liquid staking, and validator services.

He sits on advisory boards of governance councils for leading networks including Polygon and Osmosis, and actively participates in off-chain working groups for Ethereum core upgrades. Bunin is frequently cited in protocol-level debates and policy design papers related to slashing risks, validator concentration, and MEV resistance. Public speaking engagements include ETHDenver, Permissionless, and Stanford Blockchain Week. Under his technical leadership, Coinbase Cloud increased its staked assets to over USD 6 billion as of mid-2025. Bunin continues to focus on aligning validator incentives, lowering barriers for decentralized participation, and scaling infrastructure securely across emerging PoS chains.