This Gen Zer dropped out of NYU at just 19 to launch his blockchain—now, his $1.3 billion company is backed by Mark Cuban and he never takes a day off

Before joining the Success desk, she co-authored Fortune’s CHRO Daily , extensively covering the workplace and the future of jobs

Emma has also written for publications including the Observer and The China ject, publishing long-form stories on culture, entertainment, and geo

But what is it to be a top executive when you’re off the clock? Fortune’s series, The Good Life, shows how up-and-coming leaders spend their time and money outside of work

Today we meet Eric Chen, the CEO and cofounder of financial blockchain Injective Foundation

Hype around cryptocurrency has been growing for years—and Wall Street is now finally embracing it

Chen’s company vides investors a secure platform to reinvent global ; he says his Layer 1 blockchain is one of the largest crypto networks ever built, leading the industry in user activity, transactions, and monetary volume

More impressively, he launched the company at just 19 while enrolled in New York University

Chen was studying finance and mining Ethereum in his dorm room, all while interning at Innovating Capital on a hedge-fund desk

Cboe Global —the largest options exchange in America—also submitted a request to list the fund, signaling strong institutional interest and placing Injective among networks with potential U.S.-listed ETFs

Due to his ’ massive growth, Chen says he can’t remember a time when he was fully away from his work

He never buys groceries, opting to eat out in New York City or Doordash his food

Taking very few swanky vacations, he s a globetrotting lifestyle through his , with trips to Seoul, London, Toronto, Abhu Dhabi, and Singapore this year

It enables me to be maximally efficient with sleep and minimize chances of ductivity drop off due to poor sleep quality

And the worst? I wouldn’t say there’s been a single ‘worst’ investment so far

Every decision, whether it’s worked out or not, has taught me something valuable and shaped how I think going forward

I try to apach everything with a learning mindset, which helps turn even the less successful bets into long-term upside

How do you commute to work? I in New York, so my commute is usually a quick walk from to the office

How much is in your wallet? Do you have any fun credit cards you’d recommend? Fiat [government tender, the U.S. dollar] is dying so I actually never carry any cash! Do you invest in s? I mainly only buy and hold crypto via apps on Injective

I dollar-cost-average into my favorite assets and use various grammable AI-driven bots to automate most trades, since I’m normally very caught up with work to the closely these days

The best apach is to learn by doing, while keeping risk low at the start

There are many great resources online including tutorials, s, and forums that can help you build a strong foundation

Most platforms also offer paper trading, which allows you to practice with simulated money and no real financial risk

Use that experience to gain confidence before actual funds

Make sure you feel prepared to handle the ups and downs of the market before jumping in

What personal finance advice would you give your 20-year-old self? Invest more in Bitcoin

What’s the one subscription you can’t without? My Oura ring subscription

It’s great for tracking daily calories and sleep, which honestly is a godsend

Where’s your go-to wristwatch from? I love my Apple watch

The necessities How do you get your daily coffee fix? Back when I first started Injective in college, I was running almost entirely on Red Bull

We even had a Red Bull fridge in our first office to keep a steady supply

These days I’ve made the switch to Celsius or double-espresso to keep me going

What eating on the go? with my workouts, I try to be pretty disciplined stepping away from my desk for lunch when I can

Most days, I’ll eat in our communal office kitchen

It’s a good break and gives me a chance to catch up with the team

That said, there are definitely days when things are non-stop and I end up eating at my desk or on the go

I used to order take-out a ton since I have no time to cook, but recently I’ve started to meal prep

So, usually I just eat that at my desk while catching up on news at the same time

Where do you buy groceries? This is going to sound horrible, but I am not sure I ever really buy groceries

I off of meal prep and Doordash most days

There’s always something new to try, and so many great spots nearby

Any go-to restaurants or takeaways near you? One of my favorites right now is Barlume, a Mediterranean place near our office that I go to pretty regularly

Where do you shop for your work wardrobe? Comfort has always been my priority

My style has definitely changed since college—whose hasn’t? Back then I’d just throw on whatever I got from conferences or hackathons

These days, I still keep it comfortable, but now I’ll reach for something Sporty & Rich

What would be a typical work outfit for you? I wouldn’t say I have a set everyday wardrobe

Some days it’s gym shorts, a polo, and flip-flops, especially if it’s a more casual day

Other times, if I have an important meeting, I’ll opt for a shirt and chinos

It really depends on what the day calls for

Are you the ud owner of any futuristic gadgets? I’m not sure if it counts as futuristic, but my guilty pleasure is definitely the racing simulator I have at

It’s the biggest gadget I own, and it does an insanely good job of simulating the real thing

The treats How do you unwind from the top job? If I have the time, I love playing tennis

It’s one of the few things that really helps me unplug and re-energize

It’s physically active but also mentally engaging, which makes it the perfect combination for me

Even just hitting for an hour s my head and gives me a second wind

What’s the best bonus treat you’ve bought yourself? After hosting a big Injective event in Belgium, I booked a few hours on a real race track with my friends

The simulator practice paid off

How do you treat yourself when you get a motion? I usually don’t buy myself anything physical as a reward to be quite honest

Getting to go to a concert with my friends or checking out interesting performances in the city is the closest thing to a bonus reward I would say

Take us on holiday with you: What’s next on your vacation list? My next vacation will actually be to Northern Macedonia to attend the wedding of one of our original Injective developers

It’s a special full-circle moment, and I’m excited to celebrate with someone who’s been part of the journey since the early days

Usually my “vacations” are just work conferences around the world

This year alone, I will have been in Seoul, London, Toronto, Abhu Dhabi, and Singapore for talks I am giving

Even when I might be at a friend’s housewarming or visiting a new city, I am 24/7 terminally online

Fortune wants to hear from leaders on what their “Good Life” looks

Explore this year's list.