George Kushner has never been one to take the easy road. The founder and CEO of H2cryptO, a next-generation cryptocurrency exchange, didn’t follow the textbook path into finance.
He didn’t graduate from an Ivy League school or have a built-in network of Wall Street elites paving his way. Instead, he hustled, knocked on doors, and cold-called his way into the financial world—at one point even dialing up the CEO of then-NationsBank in a bold move that would change the trajectory of his career.
“You have to have dog in you,” Kushner says with conviction, reflecting on the relentless determination that got him where he is today. “Even if they had never taken my call, that’s just one dead end. There are so many others out there. You just keep on going, and you’ll find a way.”
That grit is what ultimately led him to launch H2cryptO in 2021, a cryptocurrency trading platform designed to solve one of the industry’s biggest problems: accessibility. Before diving into the Web3 space, Kushner spent nearly three decades in traditional finance, building a career that spanned institutional bond trading, derivatives, hedge funds, venture capital, real estate and private equity. That experience, coupled with an unexpected epiphany about the future of blockchain technology, set the stage for his most ambitious venture yet.
From history major to Wall Street hustler
Kushner’s career path started far from the fast-paced world of trading floors and digital assets. Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia—something he notes is rare given the city’s transient nature—he grew up in a household that revolved around medicine. His father, uncle and grandfather are all physicians. But after witnessing his father’s growing concerns about the direction of healthcare, Kushner pivoted.
“I thought I wanted to go into medicine,” he recalls. “But my dad was really ahead of his time—he saw the challenges coming with socialized medicine and the insurance industry’s growing grip on healthcare. He was worried about the future, and eventually, I started to see it too.”
Instead, Kushner followed his natural curiosity into history, earning his undergraduate degree in the field. But finance was never far from his mind. One summer, his father handed him a book—Barbarians at the Gate, the infamous account of the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco. The story of high-stakes dealmaking lit a spark in him, one that would soon ignite a lifelong career in financial markets.
A chance visit to a brokerage firm in the early ‘90s sealed the deal. While shadowing a friend at Kidder, Peabody & Company, Kushner found himself mesmerized by the energy of the bond trading floor.
“I had no idea what those men and women were doing, but they had two telephones glued to their heads, yelling out orders, and I just knew—I want to do that,” he says.
However, breaking into Wall Street was no small feat, especially for someone without the traditional pedigree. Interview after interview, he faced the same questions: Do you have experience? Do you have your licenses? Do you have a book of business?
The answer to all of them? No.
“You get tired, you get down, you get dejected,” he admits. “But for whatever reason, I just kept sticking to it.”
The call that changed everything
After months of rejection, Kushner’s father spotted an ad in the newspaper for a job at NationsBank (now Bank of America). It was an operations role in the bond department’s back office—far from the adrenaline-fueled trading desk he envisioned. But he took it anyway, determined to work his way up.
For nearly two years, he put in 60- to 70-hour weeks, grinding away behind the scenes. Then, an opportunity arose in Houston—a front-office role in the bond department. He went through multiple interviews, even flying out to Dallas for final rounds. The hiring team told him they’d be in touch.
Weeks passed. Silence.
So Kushner did something unthinkable—he picked up the phone and called Hugh McCall, the CEO of NationsBank.
“I told them, ‘Look, I’ve been working here for two years, putting in crazy hours with no benefits. I have a wife. I’ll do this job for free. I’ll work in the mailroom if I have to—I just want a shot,’” he says.
A few days later, his phone rang. “Be at your desk Friday morning,” they told him.
That Friday, he was told to walk across the street to meet with a senior executive. “I don’t know what you did,” the executive told him, “but welcome aboard.”
It was the break he had been fighting for.
"What do you think about bitcoin?"
Kushner spent the next two decades navigating the evolving world of finance. He worked at major institutions, selling and positioning fixed income and derivatives sales to central banks, hedge funds, bank portfolios, asset managers and pension plans. His expertise took him deep into the world of private equity and hedge funds, ultimately leading to a senior role at Merrill Lynch’s alternative investment group.
Then, in 2015, a BlackRock colleague asked him a simple question: “What do you think about Bitcoin?”
Kushner scoffed.
“I thought it was the biggest crock of… well, you can figure out the rest,” he laughs. “I dropped the mic and walked away, thinking I was the smartest guy in the room.”
But over the next few years, blockchain technology kept creeping into conversations. By 2017, he realized he needed to take a deeper look. He dove into research, signing up for every industry email, watching YouTube videos, and reaching out to blockchain experts on LinkedIn.
Eventually, the light bulb went off.
“This technology is literally going to change the world,” he says.
Building a crypto exchange that puts users first
As Kushner immersed himself in crypto, he encountered a frustrating reality: the user experience was abysmal.
“I tried to set up an account on an exchange, and immediately ran into issues,” he recalls. “There was no support—just an email form. I sent a request, and guess what? Here we are in 2025, and I’m still waiting on that reply.”
That moment inspired H2cryptO.
“I realized, if someone like me—who spent 30 years in finance—couldn’t figure this out, what hope did the average person have?” he says.
H2cryptO launched with a mission to fix that. Its four pillars of differentiation set it apart:
- 24/7, 365 Customer Support – A rarity in the crypto world, users can reach a live human anytime.
- Non-Custodial Asset Security – Partnering with a U.S. chartered trust company, ensuring client funds remain secure.
- Unmatched Liquidity – Tapping into 30 of the largest liquidity providers globally.
- Ethical Trading Practices – No internal trading desk, eliminating conflicts of interest.
Looking Ahead: The Future of H2cryptO and Crypto Adoption
As regulatory clarity improves and the crypto industry matures, Kushner envisions H2cryptO playing a pivotal role in mainstream adoption. The company is already developing trading bots, real-world asset tokenization, and expanded institutional offerings to meet growing demand.
“The blockchain is going to change everything,” he says. “From financial markets to real estate, logistics, and even personal records—it’s only a matter of time. We’re building H2cryptO to be the bridge that helps people and businesses get there.”
For Kushner, this isn’t just another business venture. It’s a mission—one that combines his deep experience in traditional finance with his passion for innovation in Web3.
“People deserve better,” he says. “We’re here to give them a crypto exchange they can finally trust.”
With stablecoins on the rise and the regulatory landscape shifting, Kushner believes mass adoption is on the horizon.
“Within 36 months, every retailer on the planet will be taking stablecoins,” he predicts. “Crypto is going mainstream—it’s just a matter of time.”
Kushner says H2cryptO isn’t just a business. It’s the culmination of decades of experience, a deep belief in blockchain’s potential, and the relentless determination that has defined his career.
George's perspective on life and success
While Kushner is deeply immersed in the world of finance and cryptocurrency, he knows the importance of balance. A creature of habit, he starts each day with exercise, which he credits as a key to managing stress and maintaining focus. “Exercise is absolutely critical for me,” he says. “It’s my way of cooling the engines.”
He also enjoys reading and constantly expanding his knowledge—a habit that played a major role in his self-taught journey into blockchain and Web3.
When it comes to advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, Kushner emphasizes mental fortitude and the power of persistence.
“You’re going to have the highs of highs, but nothing compares to the lows of the lows,” he says. “You’ll question yourself, face rejection, and get told ‘no’ a thousand times. But remember—all you need is one ‘yes.’ Keep knocking, and the right door will open.”
Interested in partnering with George and H2CryptO?
Here's how: Whether you're an institution looking for a reliable trading platform, a business exploring crypto payments, or an investor wanting an easier and safer way to trade digital assets, H2cryptO is ready to help.
With its next-generation trading platform, unmatched security measures, and live 24/7 support, H2cryptO is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between traditional finance and Web3.
Kushner and his team are on a mission to make crypto accessible, understandable, and secure—ensuring that users at every level can participate with confidence. Visit H2cryptO.io to learn more about H2cryptO and you can register and open an account at H2cryptO.Exchange.
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