Professional Role and Company Overview
Christopher Grilhault des Fontaines currently serves as Co-CEO and Co-founder of Dfns, a leading Wallets-as-a-Service (WaaS) platform specializing in secure digital asset wallet infrastructure. Dfns provides a keyless wallet infrastructure via a simple integration line of code designed to enhance security and operational freedom for cryptocurrency applications. The company positions itself as a security-focused wallet backend primarily targeting financial institutions and developer teams constructing crypto asset applications.
Christopher’s leadership at Dfns is central to its strategic growth and operational execution. The company recently secured a $16 million Series A funding round led by Further Ventures in January 2025, a critical milestone enabling expansion of its crypto wallet infrastructure and the upcoming launch of its Data Integrity Framework. This funding round underscores investor confidence in Dfns’s market proposition and technological innovation within the crypto wallet domain.
Responsibilities and Achievements
While explicit detailed job responsibilities are not publicly enumerated, Christopher is identified as a serial entrepreneur and fintech visionary with substantial startup experience. Since 2010, he has co-founded four companies, collectively raising over $15 million in funding and scaling teams to more than 40 employees. At Dfns, his role encompasses dual executive leadership with a focus on business strategy, fundraising, product vision, and operational oversight.
Christopher also holds the position of Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Super Capital, indicating additional governance and advisory responsibilities in the financial technology sector. His experience spans multiple industries—HR Tech, Sports, Food, Social Media—before specializing in blockchain finance and cybersecurity, demonstrating broad entrepreneurial expertise and adaptability.
Education and Background
Christopher graduated from Université Paris Dauphine - PSL, a reputable institution known for finance and economics, which provides a solid academic foundation for his fintech and entrepreneurial endeavors.
Industry Influence and Public Presence
Christopher maintains an active presence on LinkedIn, where he is described as a Fintech Advisor, Angel Investor, Board Director, and Champion of Digital Equity. He frequently engages in thought leadership, sharing insights on innovation within Wallet-as-a-Service, and blockchain-related topics. Christopher also collaborates closely with his co-founder partner, forming a unique leadership duo that contributes to Dfns’s entrepreneurial culture.
Recent notable achievements under his stewardship include:
- Awarding of a zero-exception SOC 2 Type II certification by KPMG in 2024, affirming Dfns’s commitment to information security and compliance.
- Active participation in fintech events and initiatives aiming to shape crypto policy and blockchain governance.
- Spearheading the launch of Dfns’s new website and platform features anticipated throughout 2024 and early 2025.
Organizational Context
Christopher’s key leadership is supported technically by Noah Cornwell, Dfns’s Chief Technology Officer since June 2023, indicating a clear executive division between business and technology functions within the firm. Since its inception, Dfns has emerged from an entrepreneurial residency at Le Village by CA in 2020 to a fully funded and rapidly expanding fintech startup.
In summary, Christopher Grilhault des Fontaines is a seasoned fintech entrepreneur at the helm of Dfns, driving its evolution as a prominent player in cryptographic wallet infrastructure. His multifaceted responsibilities encompass strategic leadership, fundraising success, operational scaling, and industry advocacy—all critical factors shaping Dfns’s growth trajectory and market positioning within the digital asset wallet ecosystem.
