Who is Caitlin Long? Bio, Net Worth & Avanti’s Vision

Caitlin Long strides into the crypto world like a Wyoming wind—fierce, unyielding, and carrying the scent of change. She’s not a Silicon Valley stereotype or a Wall Street caricature; she’s a 22-year finance veteran who’s swapped pinstripes for blockchain, founding Avanti Financial Group (now Custodia Bank) to fuse digital assets with the dollar system. A Bitcoin evangelist since 2012, she’s turned her native Wyoming into a crypto haven, crafting laws that make it America’s blockchain oasis. For beginners peering into crypto’s wild frontier, Long’s your trailblazer—a Harvard-trained lawyer and policy wonk who’s betting big on a decentralized future where banks don’t choke innovation.

This isn’t a tale of overnight fame or reckless gambles—it’s a slow burn of grit, brains, and a vision to fix a creaky financial system. As of March 24, 2025, we’ll unpack her journey—from Laramie’s plains to Wall Street’s towers—her net worth, a modest stash spiced with crypto potential, and Avanti’s bold mission to bridge two worlds. With USD figures grounding the stakes, this guide is your map to Caitlin Long: a woman who’s less about hype and more about rewriting the rules. Let’s dive into her bio, tally her wealth, and explore how Avanti aims to reshape finance’s frontier.

From Laramie to Wall Street’s Edge: Caitlin Long’s Bio

Caitlin Frances Long was born in 1969 in Laramie, Wyoming—a rugged college town nestled between snow-capped peaks and endless prairie. Her parents shaped her roots: her father, an electrical engineering professor at the University of Wyoming for 40 years, and her mother, an elementary school teacher to miners’ kids, gave her a home steeped in learning and grit. Growing up, Caitlin wasn’t chasing trends—she was dissecting systems, a kid with a mind wired for how things work. Laramie, with its cowboy soul and academic hum, bred in her a mix of independence and curiosity that’d carry her far.

Education was her launchpad. At 18, she enrolled at the University of Wyoming, her dad’s turf, earning a BA in Political Economy from 1987 to 1990—a field blending power, money, and ideas. She wasn’t done. At 21, she headed east to Harvard, tackling a joint JD/MPP program—Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and Master in Public Policy from the Kennedy School, both nabbed in 1994. It was a grind—four years of late nights, legal briefs, and international finance—but she aced it, graduating with distinction. Her thesis likely wrestled with trade or markets (details are scarce), prepping her for a career that’d straddle law and lucre.

Wall Street beckoned in 1994. Fresh from Harvard, she landed at Salomon Brothers, a New York titan known for its bond-trading swagger. For three years, she cut her teeth as an associate—think 80-hour weeks, learning the ropes of high-stakes finance. In 1997, she jumped to Credit Suisse, a Swiss giant, climbing from analyst to senior roles over a decade. She thrived there—structuring deals, managing risk—until 2007, when Morgan Stanley snagged her as Managing Director. For nine years, she ran its Pension Solutions Group, overseeing billions for retirees, and chaired its blockchain task force in 2014, sniffing out crypto’s potential early.

Bitcoin hit her radar in 2012. An article on BTC wallets—$5 a coin—hooked her; by 2013, she’d set up her own, mesmerized by its promise of trustless money. Wall Street’s sheen was fading; the 2008 crash had exposed its cracks—too big to fail, too slow to fix. In 2016, she ditched Morgan Stanley for Symbiont, a blockchain startup, as Chairman and President. There, she led a project delivering market data to Vanguard via smart contracts—a taste of finance’s future. But Wyoming called her back. In 2017, she co-founded the Wyoming Blockchain Coalition, and from 2018–2020, as a gubernatorial appointee to the Blockchain Task Force, she helped pass 20 crypto-friendly laws, making Wyoming a digital asset darling.

In 2020, at 51, she launched Avanti Financial Group (rebranded Custodia Bank in 2022) as Founder and CEO—a Wyoming-chartered bank to bridge crypto and fiat. She’s a public voice too—160,000+ X followers (@CaitlinLong_) catch her takes on BTC, regulation, and finance’s flaws. A Forbes “50 Over 50” honoree (2021), she’s single (no public spouse or kids), splitting time between Cheyenne and Laramie. From pensions to blockchain, her bio’s a steady climb—a Wyoming girl who’s rewriting banking’s script.

Net Worth: A Modest Haul with Crypto Kicker

How much is Caitlin Long worth? It’s a quieter fortune than crypto’s flashier titans, but as of March 24, 2025, estimates peg her at $10 million to $50 million—a range reflecting her Wall Street tenure, Avanti’s stakes, and a crypto portfolio she won’t flaunt. She’s not on Forbes’ billionaire list; her wealth’s a blend of earned cash, equity, and BTC bets, not a gaudy pile. For beginners, it’s a peek at crypto’s subtler winners—less about Lambos, more about long-game plays.

Wall Street laid the base. At Salomon (1994–1997), she likely pulled $100,000–$200,000 yearly—call it $450,000 total. Credit Suisse (1997–2007) bumped her to senior ranks—$500,000–$1 million annually with bonuses, maybe $7–$10 million over a decade. Morgan Stanley (2007–2016) was her peak—Managing Director salaries hit $1–$2 million yearly, plus equity and perks. Nine years there? $10–$20 million, leaning high for her pension role. Add it up: $17.5–$30 million from 22 years in finance, pre-tax, pre-spending.

Avanti’s her wildcard. Founded in 2020, it raised $44 million—$37 million Series A in 2021 from Coinbase Ventures, Morgan Creek, and others. As CEO and founder, her stake’s hush-hush—say 20–40% of a firm valued at $100–$200 million by 2025 (post-charter, pre-FDIC fight). That’s $20–$80 million in equity, though unvested or illiquid. Her salary’s modest—$200,000–$500,000 yearly, $1–$2.5 million since 2020. Symbiont’s stint (2016–2018) and a personal Series A investment there add $1–$5 million, assuming a small exit or stake.

Bitcoin’s the spice. Active since 2012, she bought early—$5–$20 per BTC in 2013. If she nabbed 1,000 BTC at $10 ($10,000), that’s $67.5 million at $67,500 (late 2024). A 5,000 BTC stash—plausible for an evangelist—hits $337.5 million, but she’s coy on holdings. More likely, 500–2,000 BTC ($33.75–$135 million), aligning with her “portfolio” hints on X. Wyoming real estate—Laramie roots, Cheyenne base—adds $1–$5 million.

Low-end math: $17.5 million Wall Street, $20 million Avanti equity, $1 million salary, $33.75 million (500 BTC), $1 million extras—$73.25 million, adjusted down to $10–$15 million post-tax and lifestyle. High-end: $30 million Wall Street, $40 million Avanti, $2.5 million salary, $135 million (2,000 BTC), $5 million extras—$212.5 million, trimmed to $40–$50 million realistically. She’s likely $15–$30 million—BTC’s volatility and Avanti’s growth could swing it