Antonio Juliano has returned as CEO of dYdX, six months after stepping down, emphasizing the need for founder-led leadership.

DYdX founder Antonio Juliano has resumed his role as chief executive officer of the decentralized exchange after a six-month hiatus, citing the importance of founder-led leadership to revitalize the company amid tough competition and market challenges.

In a blog post on Oct. 10, Juliano explained that he had stepped away from his role earlier this year, contemplating three potential outcomes: being called back to lead, finding new freedom, or returning with renewed purpose. As it turned out, all three scenarios materialized, ultimately leading him back to the helm of the company he founded.

“Vision is essential to unite and inspire. In my time away from dYdX, execution went well but I saw everyone slowly start to ask ‘wait.. what are we really doing here again?’”

Antonio Juliano

Juliano to navigate dYdX via new “chapters”

With a renewed sense of direction, the dYdX CEO aims to steer the exchange through its next chapter, though he acknowledged he does not know “where that story will take us.”

Juliano originally stepped down as CEO in May to take on the roles of chairman and president at dYdX Trading. During his absence, Ivo Crnkovic-Rubsamen, previously the operating partner of dYdX, took over as CEO. The current status of Crnkovic-Rubsamen within the organization remains unclear.

Founded in 2017, dYdX is a decentralized exchange that enables users to trade crypto and engage in various financial services, such as margin trading and lending, without the need for a centralized intermediary like rivals such as Coinbase or Binance.