Matt Luongo is the co-founder and CEO of Thesis, a venture production studio established in 2014 that focuses on the development of projects within the blockchain and decentralized technology sectors. Thesis has been involved in the creation of several projects, including Keep Network, tBTC, Fold, and Mezo. ^[4]

Education

Luongo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2009. During his academic career, he worked as an undergraduate assistant in the College of Computing and served as a tutor for an introductory logic course, focusing on foundational computing concepts. ^[3]​

Career

Luongo began his career at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he worked as a computer science tutor in 2007 and later as an undergraduate assistant in the College of Computing from 2008 to 2010. During this period, he supported instructional activities and assisted with academic computing programs. In 2010, he worked as a software developer at The Proven Method before joining Scholrly as Chief Technology Officer. From 2010 to 2013, he led technical development at Scholrly, contributing to the design and implementation of its platform. In 2013 and early 2014, Luongo held several short-term roles in the technology and research sector. He served as Tech Lead at Agency Spotter, where he worked on product and engineering, and as Head of Research at Atl in the Atlanta area. During the same period, he also acted as a technical advisor to Insightpool, guiding technical strategy and development.

In February 2014, Luongo co-founded Fold. He served as Chief Executive Officer from 2014 to 2018, overseeing the company’s early growth and product development, and remained involved as a board member until February 2025. In 2014, he also founded Thesis, where he has served as Chief Executive Officer. Through Thesis, he has been involved in the development and incubation of multiple cryptocurrency and decentralized finance projects, including infrastructure and applications related to Bitcoin and blockchain technology. In November 2023, Luongo co-founded Mezo, where he continues to serve in a leadership role. His work at Mezo focuses on developing Bitcoin-based financial systems, including lending, stablecoin infrastructure, and decentralized applications. ^[3]

Interviews

Bitcoin Exists

On the Talking Tokens podcast in April 2026, Luongo and Arthur Hayes reflected on Bitcoin’s rapid growth as an asset, attributing its emergence to governments’ failure to safeguard currency value amid unprecedented money printing, which led to Bitcoin's creation as a response to systemic irresponsibility. They emphasized that the future of Bitcoin would involve more active usage, such as borrowing and lending against it, rather than merely holding it. They discussed the evolving ecosystem, noting that native yield from Bitcoin would come from traditional financial activities such as borrowing and lending, rather than from token printing or unreliable schemes. Both highlighted the importance of risk awareness, emphasizing that Bitcoin lacks native yield and that high-yield efforts often entail significant risks, potentially leading to losses akin to past failures such as BlockFi. They also noted that institutions, including public companies and fund managers, showed interest mainly in secure, Bitcoin-denominated yields and cautious deployment, with a focus on capital preservation over high risk. The speakers reflected on macroeconomic themes, describing Bitcoin as a liquidity alarm and a safeguard against excessive fiat inflation caused by government money printing, which undermined trust in traditional fiat systems. Overall, they characterized the market opportunity as persistent, driven by systemic issues with fiat currencies and political irresponsibility, asserting that owning Bitcoin remains a strategic hedge and a form of financial freedom in uncertain times. ^[11]

Thesis

On the Built on Bitcoin podcast, Luongo discussed his deep commitment to Bitcoin as both a monetary system and a resilient technology. He recounted flipping gift cards for BTC early on and emphasized his belief in Bitcoin’s potential to replace central banking through digital scarcity. Luongo described Thesis as a venture studio creating essential infrastructure for crypto, including banking solutions, decentralized bridges, and security audits, and shared insights into the organization’s structure and project management approach, highlighting a focus on quality, talent retention, and iterative development. He reflected on governance issues in Bitcoin’s history, emphasizing the importance of protecting minority rights and making cautious decisions. Luongo discussed the strategic vision of building from the bottom up in the chain and from the top down in neo banking, aiming to bridge the Bitcoin and DeFi ecosystems while maintaining an emphasis on self-custody and trust. He also addressed regulatory developments surrounding stablecoins, the importance of utility-driven development, and the challenge of balancing innovation with user trust. Overall, Luongo believed Bitcoin was progressing robustly, with increasing mainstream adoption and institutional interest, and advocated borrowing against Bitcoin rather than selling it to preserve upside potential. ^[12]

Bitcoin Collateral

In an interview on the Talking Tokens podcast in December 2025, Luongo and Nathan McCauley highlighted how Bitcoin collateral was becoming mainstream by enabling institutional borrowing and onchain lending within the traditional finance ecosystem. They explained that this development enabled Bitcoin to adopt longer investment horizons, akin to those of real estate, reinforcing its role as a store of value. The partners announced their collaboration to offer borrowing options via stablecoins and Bitcoin yield opportunities, emphasizing transparency, institutional-grade custody, and regulatory compliance. They pointed to recent regulatory signals, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac considering Bitcoin as mortgage collateral, as evidence that Bitcoin was gaining legitimacy in mainstream finance. Both experts underscored that Bitcoin’s technological capabilities matched or surpassed those of other assets, and they believed this integration would set new standards for Bitcoin-based financial services. They also discussed how these innovations would help drive adoption, reduce misconceptions, and transform Bitcoin into a permanent, reliable asset class, ultimately paving the way for a broader, more mature financial ecosystem centered around crypto assets. ^[13]

Presentations

Closing Keynote

At the Bitcoin Economy Conference, Luongo delivered a closing keynote discussing the evolution of Bitcoin, reflecting on his early work with the Bitcoin payments app Fold and the shifting perceptions of Bitcoin from a medium of exchange to a store of value. He reminisced about the early days when Bitcoin was used for everyday transactions and expressed nostalgia for the fun and freedom of those times, contrasting it with current realities shaped by economic laws like Gresham's law, which favors holding valuable coins over spending them. Luongo emphasized the importance of building a circular economy on Bitcoin that allows borrowing against holdings without spending, envisioning a future where Bitcoin-backed banks and stablecoins facilitate a decentralized financial system. He showcased his latest project, Mezo, a DeFi platform enabling users to take loans against their Bitcoin to make purchases like burritos or even buy homes without selling their assets, advocating for a "buy now, pay never" approach that maintains Bitcoin's scarcity and integrity while enabling practical spending. He concluded by inviting the audience to participate in this evolving ecosystem, noting that such innovations could lead to a more resilient, censorship-resistant economic future built atop Bitcoin. ^[14]

Panels

Mezo Quarterly Webinar

In a quarterly webinar in July 2025, Mezo made significant progress in developing BTCI as a more productive financial layer for Bitcoin liquidity, launching the MUSD stablecoin, introducing vaults for passive yield strategies, and expanding integrations with platforms like Upshift and Threshold. Co-founders Luongo and Harshan Singh discussed their journey from building Fold to acquiring Loi, emphasizing Bitcoin’s transition from a store of value to a productive credit asset, enabling users to borrow, earn, and finance their lives without selling their holdings. They highlighted the importance of safety, transparency, and long-term utility, positioning Mezo's offerings—such as the 1% indefinite loans and native stablecoin MUSD—as vital tools for mainstream adoption and real-world use. They also shared plans to grow the ecosystem through community-driven initiatives such as the Supernormal Foundation, new liquidity pools, and innovative yield strategies, aiming to democratize access to Bitcoin finance, improve infrastructure, and foster engagement through gaming and regional onramps. Throughout the discussion, they stressed building for "Bitcoin adults," focusing on trust, stability, and scalable solutions that bridge traditional finance with the emerging Bitcoin economy. ^[15]