Gurhan Kiziloz does not give many interviews. The founder of Nexus International and BlockDAG has generally preferred to let results speak rather than explain himself to journalists. But with a net worth now reaching $1.7 billion and operations spanning gaming and blockchain, the interest in how he thinks has grown difficult to avoid. In a recent conversation, Kiziloz offered a window into the approach that built his fortune, and the mindset that sustains it.
On the topic of his success, Kiziloz is notably unromantic. He does not frame his journey as a story of inspiration or perseverance against odds. When asked about the path to $1.7 billion, his response is practical rather than philosophical. “I built things that worked,” he says. “I moved fast. I didn’t wait for permission.” The simplicity of the statement belies the complexity of what it required, but Kiziloz appears uninterested in elaborating on the difficulty.
His views on decision-making are similarly direct. Kiziloz describes an approach that prioritises speed over deliberation. “If something makes sense, we go. If it doesn’t work, we adjust.” There is no committee structure at Nexus or BlockDAG. Decisions flow through him, and execution follows quickly. He acknowledges this concentrates responsibility but views that as a feature rather than a flaw. “I’d rather be accountable than wait for consensus.”
When asked about the scepticism he faced in the early years, Kiziloz is dismissive without being defensive. He recalls the doubts, about his credentials, his methods, his staying power, but does not dwell on them. “People have opinions. I had work to do.” The implication is that engaging with critics would have been a distraction from building. The results, in his view, rendered the debates irrelevant.
On competition, Kiziloz is more engaged. He speaks about Bet365 and Stake in gaming, and Solana and Ethereum in blockchain, with the respect of someone who has studied his opponents carefully. But respect does not translate to deference. “They’re good at what they do. We’re building something better in specific ways.” The confidence is matter-of-fact, not boastful. He appears to genuinely believe that execution quality will determine outcomes, and that his organisations execute at a level competitors do not match.
His leadership style comes through in how he discusses his teams. Kiziloz sets high expectations and does not apologise for them. “Not everyone fits. That’s fine. The people who stay know what we’re building and how we build it.” He describes an environment where performance is the measure and where underperformance is addressed quickly. The culture is demanding, but Kiziloz frames it as self-selecting, those who thrive under pressure stay, and those who prefer different environments find them.
On the topic of money, Kiziloz is surprisingly indifferent. The $1.7 billion net worth is acknowledged as a milestone but not celebrated as an achievement in itself. “It’s a measure of what we’ve built. It’s not the whole point.” When pressed on what the point is, he returns to building, creating platforms, entering markets, solving problems that competitors have not solved. The wealth, in his telling, is a byproduct of that focus rather than its purpose.
Looking forward, Kiziloz offers little in the way of specific plans but makes clear that the pace will not slow. Nexus continues to expand. BlockDAG continues to develop. New opportunities are being evaluated. “We’re not done,” he says. “We’re not close to done.” The ambition remains intact, undiluted by the success already achieved.
What emerges from the conversation is a portrait of a founder whose approach has remained consistent even as the scale has changed. The same principles that guided early decisions, speed, accountability, focus on execution, continue to govern how he operates. The $1.7 billion has not altered the method. If anything, it has reinforced it.
Kiziloz ends the conversation the way he began it, without ceremony. There is work to do. The next milestone is ahead. The interview is a pause in a process that does not pause often.
For those trying to understand how Gurhan Kiziloz built what he has built, the answer is not hidden. He has been doing the same thing, the same way, for years. The $1.7 billion is simply what it added up to.
