Kevan Burns
Deterministic Capital Infrastructure Architect
XRPL · Multi-Chain · RWA Systems
Executive Summary
Infrastructure architect and operator with extensive experience spanning commodity trading, trade finance, and institutional capital operations. Architect of UnyKorn L1 — a sovereign, 22-crate Rust-based Layer 1 runtime that orchestrates custody, compliance, settlement, and issuance deterministically for tokenized capital markets. Principal at FTH Trading, specializing in institutional-grade financial infrastructure, cross-border settlement systems, and real-world asset digitization. Operate at the intersection of traditional finance operations and next-generation deterministic infrastructure — building systems where compliance is consensus-level, custody is multi-rail, and every operation produces a complete audit trail from intent to finality.
Core Competencies
Systems & Languages
Blockchain & DLT
Institutional Custody
AI & Automation
Compliance & Standards
Infrastructure & DevOps
Professional Experience
Founder & Chief Infrastructure Architect
UnyKorn L1
2024 – Present
Norcross, GA
- Designed and built a 22-crate Rust workspace implementing a sovereign Layer 1 blockchain purpose-built for institutional capital operations — zero unsafe blocks, 166+ tests passing
- Architected the FundingEngine: deterministic multi-rail routing across XRPL, Fireblocks MPC, BitGo Multi-Sig, and Circle USDC/CCTP — one API call, one audit trail
- Implemented consensus-level compliance with 2-of-3 policy quorum validation — non-compliant transactions rejected before mempool admission, eliminating settlement reversal risk
- Built native XRPL bridge implementing XLS-38d sidechain protocols: bidirectional asset transfer, XRP escrow, trust line management, DEX order book access, and cross-chain settlement with 3-of-5 threshold signing
- Developed AI-driven policy server and fee optimization engine for intelligent compliance routing and dynamic transaction cost management
- Created trade finance module implementing full ICC UCP 600 Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits — digitizing letters of credit, bills of lading, and conditional payment instruments
- Engineered 5-layer architecture: Core Infrastructure → Consensus & State → Domain Modules → Funding & Finance → Application — independently testable, deterministic builds
Principal & Operator
FTH Trading
Ongoing · 50+ Years in Operations
Norcross, GA
- Direct institutional commodity trading operations across precious metals, energy, and agricultural markets with cross-border settlement infrastructure
- Operate trade finance origination including letters of credit, documentary collections, and supply chain financing instruments across international jurisdictions
- Manage institutional custody relationships with Tier-1 custodians for multi-asset portfolio operations
- Oversee regulatory compliance programs spanning SEC, FinCEN, and international commodity trading regulations
- Developed the FTH Trading Boutique OS — a comprehensive digital operating system for institutional trading with 8 integrated modules
Digital Capital Infrastructure Architect
Independent · Multi-Platform
2024 – Present
Remote
- Built and deployed the Digital Empire Index — a 13-platform portfolio system tracking institutional-grade digital infrastructure assets, deployed to IPFS with IPNS addressing
- Designed and implemented 6 enterprise service offerings with 4 institutional pricing tiers for infrastructure consulting
- Engineered automated IPFS/IPNS deployment pipelines with deterministic CIDv1 content addressing and persistent name resolution
- Deployed institutional web properties to Cloudflare Pages with full SEO authority stack: JSON-LD, OpenGraph, structured data, canonical domains
Architecture Portfolio
UnyKorn L1
22 Rust Crates · 166+ Tests · 0 UnsafeSovereign Layer 1 runtime for tokenized capital markets. Five-layer architecture with deterministic funding engine, consensus-level compliance, multi-rail custody, and XRPL bridge.
https://github.com/FTHTrading/UnyKorn-L-1Digital Empire Index
13 Platforms · IPFS Deployed · IPNS AnchoredInstitutional portfolio tracking system for digital capital assets. Services, blog, press, and revenue tiers with enterprise pricing. Deployed to content-addressed persistent storage.
https://kevan-burns.comFTH Trading Boutique OS
8 Modules · Full Trading StackComprehensive digital operating system for institutional commodity trading. Risk analytics, compliance automation, settlement management, and portfolio intelligence.
https://fthtrading.comEducation & Certifications
Certifications, licenses, and educational credentials available upon request.
Objective
Seeking opportunities to design, build, and lead deterministic capital infrastructure at the institutional level — specifically in multi-chain settlement systems, custody abstraction architectures, real-world asset tokenization platforms, and compliance-first blockchain infrastructure. Available for Chief Architect, VP of Engineering, and Principal Architect roles at organizations building the next generation of regulated digital capital markets infrastructure.