Vijay Chetty Steps Into Eclipse Labs Leadership as Sector Faces Executive Transitions

Eclipse Labs elevated Vijay Chetty to the position of Chief Executive Officer, marking a significant shift in the blockchain platform’s leadership structure. The appointment comes roughly a week after the departure of founding CEO Neel Somani, whose exit followed allegations of sexual misconduct that emerged in the crypto community earlier in May 2024.

Chetty, who previously served as Chief Growth Officer at Eclipse Labs, brings a robust background spanning over a decade in cryptocurrency infrastructure and finance. His trajectory across multiple industry leaders positions him as a continuity choice for the organization during a period of governance transition.

Vijay Chetty’s Credentials: A Journey Through DeFi and Enterprise Crypto

The newly appointed executive brings a diverse portfolio of leadership experience. Prior to his role at Eclipse Labs, Chetty held positions at several cornerstone cryptocurrency companies, including Uniswap Labs—the protocol that revolutionized decentralized trading—as well as dYdX Trading, one of the most sophisticated derivatives trading platforms in the industry. His earlier career also included a stint at Ripple Labs, the company behind the XRP ledger, and valuable experience at BlackRock, where he contributed to institutional digital asset infrastructure discussions.

This combination of roles suggests an executive comfortable navigating both the technical and commercial aspects of blockchain development, from protocol design to investor relations and enterprise adoption.

The Transition Context: Moving Past Recent Controversy

The circumstances surrounding the CEO change matter for understanding Eclipse Labs’ strategic positioning. Somani’s withdrawal from public-facing operations occurred after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced publicly. A representative clarified that no formal legal charges have been filed in connection with the allegations, and Somani has maintained his position that the claims are unfounded. HackVC, a principal investor in Eclipse Labs, acknowledged the situation publicly and expressed support for the transition process.

The speed of Chetty’s promotion—occurring within days of Somani’s step-back—indicates the organization prioritized leadership continuity over an extended search process, suggesting confidence in the internal candidate.

What This Means for Eclipse Labs Moving Forward

Vijay Chetty’s appointment represents Eclipse Labs’ commitment to navigating the personnel transition while maintaining focus on its Layer 2 blockchain infrastructure. His cross-platform experience across exchanges, trading protocols, and payments systems could bring new perspectives to scaling Ethereum Layer 2 solutions.

The broader context includes related leadership changes across the crypto sector; separately, Blockfills, the Chicago-based lending platform that processed over $60 billion in trading volume in 2025, saw its co-founder Nicholas Hammer step down as CEO amid operational challenges. These parallel transitions underscore the evolving nature of executive leadership in a maturing digital asset ecosystem that increasingly demands both technical expertise and institutional governance standards.