Plume Network Mourns Eugene Shen, Founding CTO Recognized for Crypto Engineering Excellence

The blockchain community received somber news this week as Plume Network, the emerging RWA (Real World Assets) public chain, announced the passing of Eugene Shen, its co-founder and Chief Technology Officer. The news sparked an outpouring of condolences from partner projects and the broader industry, underscoring the significant impact Eugene made during his tenure. Despite joining the platform merely over a year ago, Eugene Shen had already become instrumental in shaping Plume’s technological vision and infrastructure for on-chain asset management.

From UBC to Robinhood: Eugene Shen’s Rising Career in Crypto

Eugene Shen brought a strong academic foundation to his work in digital assets, holding a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering Physics from the University of British Columbia. His professional trajectory reflected a strategic progression through the cryptocurrency industry’s most demanding roles. He began his career at Robinhood, the prominent online brokerage, where he served as an engineer during a period of explosive expansion in the crypto trading space—approximately eighteen months that exposed him to scaling challenges at unprecedented volumes.

From there, Shen transitioned to dydx, the leading decentralized exchange protocol, where he advanced to the role of senior software engineer. This experience in DeFi infrastructure positioned him uniquely to understand the technical complexities of decentralized systems. In January 2024, Eugene joined Plume Network as a founding member and CTO, bringing both his engineering rigor and his vision for real-world asset tokenization to the blockchain infrastructure layer.

Spearheading Plume’s RWA Innovation and On-Chain Future

Upon the announcement of Eugene’s passing, Plume Network released an official statement reflecting the organization’s grief and appreciation: “It is with profound sadness that we share this loss. Earlier this week, we said goodbye to our co-founder and cherished team member Eugene, leaving us all in shock. Eugene embodied the qualities of curiosity and talent, channeling his energy wholeheartedly into every initiative he undertook.”

The team continued: “The Plume community held deep significance for Eugene; he committed himself entirely to our technological mission, our people, and this ecosystem. We honor his memory by pledging to advance the innovation he helped architect, furthering our commitment to enabling genuine on-chain economic activity. We appreciate your compassion during this difficult time.”

A Direct Supervisor’s Testimony to Professional Excellence

Johann Kerbrat, senior vice president and general manager at Robinhood, who directly oversaw Eugene Shen during his tenure at the brokerage, provided a formal assessment of his capabilities and character. Kerbrat identified Eugene as a cornerstone member of Robinhood’s crypto engineering division—one of the few engineers capable of architecting solutions that function reliably under extreme operational stress. Beyond individual technical prowess, Kerbrat emphasized Eugene’s collaborative strength, noting his active role in mentoring and accelerating the development of fellow engineers across the organization.

This recognition from a senior industry executive underscores the caliber of talent Eugene Shen represented and the loss felt not only by Plume Network but by the broader cryptocurrency and blockchain development community.