Mary-Catherine Lader, President and Chief Operating Officer of Uniswap Labs, has officially stepped down from her executive role at the decentralised exchange builder, marking the end of a significant four-year chapter in the company.
Lader, known as “MC,” announced her departure via a post on X, stating, “After four incredible years as President & COO of Uniswap, I’m starting something new… I’m excited to scale from here. Stay tuned.”
Her announcement comes as Uniswap continues to solidify its position as a key player in decentralised finance (DeFi), boasting over $5.3 billion in total value locked and a monthly trading volume of $83 billion in June, according to DeFiLlama.
Lader confirmed to Bloomberg that while she’s stepping down, she will remain in an advisory role as she prepares to launch a new venture. A Uniswap Labs spokesperson thanked Lader “for her four years of leadership,” adding that the company will continue to build on her contributions with a sharp focus on users, partners, and the broader DeFi community.
Joining Uniswap in 2021 after leaving BlackRock, where she led Aladdin Sustainability, Lader represented one of Wall Street’s early bets on crypto at a time when DeFi was still wrestling with scepticism and systemic risk. At Uniswap, she played a pivotal role in scaling operations, expanding the team, and navigating the regulatory challenges that surrounded the platform.
Her exit follows a period of regulatory resolution for Uniswap. In early 2024, the U.S. SEC dropped its investigation with no enforcement action, and by September, the firm settled with the CFTC over derivatives offerings with a $175,000 fine. With regulatory clarity improving under a pro-crypto U.S. administration, Uniswap finds itself in a stronger, more stable position.
As Uniswap turns the page, Lader’s departure signals not just a leadership shift but a broader maturing of the DeFi sector and a potential new chapter for one of its most seasoned champions.
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