Interview

Dan Thompson’s journey into finance began with a simple moment of realization at fifteen years old. While earning $2.50 an hour in landscaping, he overheard a conversation that changed his entire perspective on money, effort, and opportunity. From leveraging insurance into real estate and energy to building a Bitcoin mining and tokenization platform through Yields Holdings, Dan continues to position himself at the leading edge of financial innovation. Today, he is focused on what he believes is the next major shift in the global economy: tokenization.

Q: Dan, for those who may not know you yet, tell us a bit about your background and how you got into finance?

I have been a financial advisor since 1986, so I have been in this space for a long time. Early on, most of my work focused on leveraging life insurance into other assets like real estate, oil and gas, and equipment leasing. More recently, I moved into Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining, which led to the creation of Yields Holdings. That has become our main focus today.

A big influence on me growing up was my dad. He was one of the hardest workers I have ever known, but he never really made much money. I remember being 15 years old, sitting in the backseat of the car while he talked with a friend who mentioned he had made $30,000 in one month in the stock market. At the time, I was landscaping for $2.50 an hour. I quickly realized it would take me about nine years to make what this man made in 30 days. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to become a stockbroker somehow, some way.

Q: You joined BA after already being well established. What originally brought you into the community?

We were in the process of raising capital, and one of the advisors in our network told us about BA. He said what we were building could be a great fit and suggested I come speak at a local BA event in Los Angeles. I did a short presentation there, and it went well. A few weeks later, as my partner and I got more serious about scaling Yields Holdings, we connected with Mike and decided to officially join through the Dallas event.

“BA is filled with real operators. What I like most is the interaction. Wheather it is at dinner or in the breakouts, you get to have real conversations.”

Q: What has stood out to you about BA?

There are a lot of groups out there with people who want to be successful, and then there are groups filled with people who really are successful. BA is filled with real operators. What I like most is the interaction. Whether it is at dinner or in the breakouts, you get to have real conversations. You hear people’s stories, they hear yours, and real opportunities come out of that. Between my partner and me, we already have close to 20 people we plan to speak with after this event.

Q: Where is yields Holdings headed, what challenges do you see, and how can business owners learn more about tokenization?

Our long-term vision is tokenization. The financial world is moving in that direction quickly. NASDAQ projects that roughly $160 trillion in assets could be tokenized in the coming years, with plans to list tokens on the exchange by late 2026. We started by wanting to tokenize ourselves for shareholders and investors, but that quickly evolved into helping other businesses do the same.

Right now, we’re building the first mineral-backed stablecoin alongside a Bitcoin mining-backed token. If someone is earning five to six percent cash flow from one asset, we can place our token underneath it to increase that return while paying out monthly in Bitcoin. That combination sets us apart in the market.

The biggest challenge is exposure and education. Business owners need to understand there’s a better way to create liquidity, raise capital, and structure cash flow. I compare this to the early days of the internet; having a website once seemed optional, but now not having one is unthinkable. Tokenization is moving in the same direction.

If you have assets that appreciate, raise capital, or have investors, it’s important to educate yourself on tokenization. You don’t have to jump in immediately, but you should understand what’s coming. The best place to start is online.

Q: What excites you most right now about where the industry is headed?

I honestly feel like I am sitting on the early version of the internet all over again. Innovation is happening daily, and it is impossible not to be energized by it. One of the most exciting parts for me is Bitcoin mining. Our mining company produces Bitcoin every day that goes directly into the app and into your wallet. You literally watch it happen on your phone. What we want to do is plug that capability into businesses so they can receive Bitcoin daily as part of their operation.