The former head of JPMorgan's crypto efforts says blockchain today is a lot like the internet in 1969

Hyperledger, via YouTube

• Amber Baldet was the face of JPMorgan's blockchain efforts before she left the bank earlier this month.
• Business Insider spoke with Baldet before her departure about blockchain tech, her career, and the advice she gives young professionals.

Amber Baldet was the face of JPMorgan's blockchain initiatives before she left the bank earlier in April to start her own venture.

Baldet, the former head of the bank's blockchain unit, has been described as a personified bridge between the nascent world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies and Wall Street. During her time at JPMorgan, Baldet worked across the corporate and investment bank, leading efforts around the bank's blockchain platform, Quorom.

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Baldet, who hasn't publicly shared exactly what she is doing next, spoke with Business Insider before she left JPMorgan about her career, blockchain technology, and advice for young people.

The following has been edited for clarity and length.

Frank Chaparro: There's a lot of hype in the crypto space. [Ethereum founder] Vitalik Buterin had a very interesting tweet thread about how he doesn't think the crypto market deserved its valuation over $500 billion. How impactful has the technology actually been?

Amber Baldet: I think the technology is going to be incredibly impactful. That's why I work on it every day. I know a lot of people equate blockchain now to the internet in the 90s. We couldn't have imagined an internet business, like Netflix, then.

So to stand here and try to opine on what can make blockchain function in that way is impossible. The internet in 1969 looks like what blockchain is. That's not to say blockchain doesn't have any use-cases, we are just far behind the full extent of what those networks can be used for. Right now, there are a lot of companies in distributed storage that are onto something.

It'll be fascinating to watch those innovations come to fruition.

Chaparro: Is it tough to be, sort of, at the intersection of old-school Wall Street and the crypto, cyber-punk worlds?

Baldet: What I hope to do, what I hope my work is about, is breaking down that divide. If we want to create something that looks like the internet of value, then there's going to be legacy, there's going to be cryptocurrencies, real world assets, permission blockchains, and private blockchain, there will be all of this.

Chaparro: What is your advice for young people just starting their career in either crypto or financial services?

Baldet: I get asked that question occasionally and it's hard to answer. It is a fluke kind of a thing. Being yourself is important. I would say sticking to your guns is important. Also, be confident that the lens you see the world through has its own personal value. Being different isn't bad. We don't need a million cookie cutter people fixing the world's problem.

Chaparro: What is your favorite whiskey?

Baldet: Lagavulin.

Editor's note: Amber Baldet loves whiskey