TM Lee is the co-founder and CEO of CoinGecko, a renowned crypto data aggregator. Ever since he founded CoinGecko in 2014, he’s remained a close observer regarding the developments in the crypto world. He’s also a contributing author of two different books regarding digital currencies. This profile explores TM Lee’s background and his success with CoinGecko. 

Early life and education 

TM Lee was born in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia, and lived there most of his life. Before going to Purdue University, he attended INTI International University and Colleges, Malaysia, where he studied Computer Science. In 2009, he joined Purdue University with a major in Computer Science and a minor in Psychology and graduated in 2012. 

Professional Experience

While studying at Purdue University, he worked as an undergraduate researcher with his professors. During this time, he developed multiple lab assignments and projects in pythons. He also taught Java and Python to young students. Lastly, he collaborated with other researchers in solving individual decision-making through information visualization techniques. 

Key Achievements

Before building CoinGecko, Lee worked in multiple software houses, which helped him gain necessary skills. In 2011, he worked for Delphi Delco Electronics, where he tested, verified, and fixed code issues using C++ language. He also worked with others in the software house to develop small-scale applications. 

Later in 2011, he joined Allegro Dynamics, LLC. As a junior software developer, he developed a cross-platform mobile application for the University Bookstore of Purdue University. He also built an iPad basketball statistical recording application and multiple other database-backed web applications using HTML, CSS, Java, Python, and Ruby. 

In 2013, a year after he graduated, Lee joined Roomorama.com as a software engineer. He worked to improve the platform’s internal search engine and its API/Feed integration. He also worked for Roomorama.com’s product development cycle, where he worked on planning, implementation, and other bug fixes. 

Contributions

In 2014, after forming a partnership with Bobby Ong, TM Lee successfully launched CoinGecko, which allowed users to gather and analyze data related to cryptocurrencies. The platform was an instant success as it helped both investors and traders to find important information before making an investment decision.

Over the years, under Lee’s leadership, CoinGecko has grown and is being used in more than 170 countries. It also offers multiple new features, including NFT data, personal portfolio, historical information about a coin, trading pairs, and volume, among several others. 

CoinGecko provides this huge variety of data, which it acquires through various sources and has put together various algorithms that verify the integrity of the data. All of this has been made possible by TM Lee, as he believes CoinGecko has a responsibility to stay neutral and provide only facts to the users.

Investment and Ventures 

Over the last few years, TM Lee has made 6 investments which are all focused on Web 3 and decentralized startups. In addition to this, he works as a Research Fellow at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, where he assists with the development of a blockchain-related course for students and also supports blockchain-led research. 

Perspectives and Philosophies 

Over the years, while supporting Web 3 and the development of blockchain technology, Lee has always emphasized on the importance of trust and network value. He also believes Bitcoin’s growth is because it resonates with millennials and Gen Z. 

In addition, TM Lee also believes that in the coming years, web 3 will become more mainstream, and therefore, it is important for platforms like CoinGecko always to remain neutral because politicized data on cryptocurrencies will do more harm to the entire industry than any good. 

Recognition and Awards 

TM Lee is considered to be an authority in the world of digital currencies, as he has co-authored two books on the topic. These books are Handbook of Digital Currency 1st Edition and Handbook of Blockchain, Digital Finance, and Inclusion Volume 1. 

He was also listed in the Forbes 30 under 30 in 2019. Additionally, Asian Blockchain Review has listed him in its list of Under 30 Blockchain Pioneers. 

Personal Life 

In his personal life, TM Lee spends time with his family and reads about whatever is trending within the Web 3 and blockchain space. He is also an occasional blogger and writes on CoinGecko’s blog. 

Contact

TM Lee is currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is active on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).