DAiM’s Bryan Courchesne Weighs In On Crypto’s Evolving Wealth Management Ecosystem

As a long-time financial services professional, Bryan Courchesne has seen it all. After witnessing the Great Recession and moving to New York to become an options trader, Courchesne went all in on digital assets in 2018 by launching DAiM, one of the first registered investment advisors dedicated exclusively to cryptocurrencies.

Over the past seven years, Courchesne has watched the asset class exponentially grow, all the while surviving the crypto winter and a sea of regulatory uncertainty. Now, as the firm enters the final month of 2025, Courchesne remains optimistic about crypto’s long-term role in investor portfolios and the overall presence of digital assets in the wealth management industry.

I recently sat down with Courchesne to discuss what he looks for in a custody provider and how he expects the crypto landscape to evolve over the next decade.

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Gemini: As a fiduciary, when you're looking at different custody options how important is finding somebody who's regulated and has the necessary qualifications to meet your custody standards?

Courchesne: If the exchange or custodian does not have a proper license that's a non-starter. They have to be US domiciled with something beyond a money transmitter license. These are the taglines that we use along with our CRD number under the SEC that give clients the confidence that assets are not moving offshore.

We also want to be sure coins are not hypothecated. This is where Gemini being domiciled in the US, properly licensed, and the ability to place coins in cold storage at any time gives us the confidence to operate.

Gemini: What aspect of Gemini Custody’s security framework was appealing to DAiM? Was it having cold storage for clients?

Courchesne: We started (using cold storage) in 2022 because we needed to look out for clients. You guys did a great job of communicating that entire time. Being a fiduciary, we have to use all tools available to protect assets and that made us feel comfortable in moving all clients assets into cold storage.

Gemini: What does it actually feel like to be a customer of Gemini?

Courchesne: You get your own institutional-grade Gemini account in your name. You can log in anytime and see every single satoshi. You’re given your own wallet address – it’s incredibly transparent, no “we’ll tell you later” opacity.

I also get monthly statements that my CPA actually thanks me for, plus realized/unrealized gain-loss reports. Full cost-basis tracking from day one. Clients routinely tell us their accountants are shocked that crypto can be this clean.

Gemini: What are some of the other value props?

Courchesne: A human advisor who answers the phone (or Zoom). No chatbots, no 19-year-old Discord mods. Same-day or next-day response is the rule, not the exception. Regular reviews, investment portfolio changes, and plain-English explanations of what's going on, what we’re doing, and why.

Plus, you’re not forced to be a trader. We handle staking rewards so you earn while you sleep. Long term financial and estate planning. Tax-loss harvesting opportunities executed for you when they make sense.

The ultimate feedback we get is that clients who used to check bitcoin’s price 30 times a day now check it once or twice a week — because they know the assets are safer than they’ve ever been.

Gemini: Got it. How hard is it to evaluate everything when the regulatory environment is not settled or is it a non-factor?

It can be hard keeping up with the changing regulatory landscape but we’ve been lucky to partner with Gemini and appreciate their diligent approach to custody and security that makes it easier to respond to the industry's evolving standards.

Gemini: How have clients responded to the idea of gaining more crypto exposure in their portfolios over the past couple years since the Crypto Winter?

Courchesne: Clients have responded well to increasing their crypto exposure through all phases of the cycle. The most important thing for them is security of their wealth and their holdings and if they are talking to an AI chatbot they aren’t feeling that security. That’s why we have two physical offices. We host clients in person frequently. We do multiple video calls daily. You can see our registration. Gemini has an office in New York City. I've been to visit and developed close personal relationships with the employees who help us service our clients. Those are small little things that I think go a long way and help people get over the hump.

Gemini: What are clients still worried about when thinking about crypto? What are the top concerns you’re still hearing?

Courchesne: Transparency with gain/loss statements. You guys do a great job producing gain/loss statements. As an advisor, we work with the clients CPA at times to make sure they understand taxes, too.

Gemini: Over the next few years, are you confident that there's just going to be more adoption, more interest in digital asset investments?

Courchesne: I definitely think so, based on the leads we’re seeing. The accounts are getting bigger and there's still plenty of people that haven't invested. It just shocks me at how many people still haven’t invested yet, but I’m optimistic that will change.

Plus, there are advantages to using wealth managers. I think that the wealth management aspect is going to grow really well in this space as prices go higher.

Gemini: What's your pitch on the older crowd who aren’t as naturally comfortable with trading?

Courchesne: For us, it's trying to align with them on an investment case that makes sense. For some people, it's purely the performance. For other people, it could be a real estate replacement strategy. You just try to find that out and then go down that lane and then talk to them about their overall portfolio.

As a fiduciary. It’s our responsibility to be able to justify their crypto allocation, and ensure that their assets and their best interests are at the forefront of our management. That gives them the confidence that we're there for them.

Gemini: That’s all for today. Thanks so much for your time!

Courchesne: Thank you!

To explore how Gemini supports wealth managers on custody, trading, and staking solutions, contact our team at