Ex-Cointelegraph Chief Takes Over as Phase CEO and Co-Founder

This appointment comes right on the heels of the rollout of Phase’s Layer 1 blockchain mainnet and AI agent offerings, which are supported by $45 million in founder backing.

SAN FRANCISCO, November 11, 2026 — Phase, a technology firm developing the operating layer for the AI agent economy, revealed today that former Cointelegraph CEO Yana Prikhodchenko has come on board as co-founder and CEO. Collaborating with founder Kirill Eves, she will direct company strategy, global growth, and commercial operations as Phase expands its decentralized infrastructure geared toward autonomous AI agents.

Prikhodchenko transitions to Phase following a tenure of nearly five years at Cointelegraph. During her time as CEO, she directed a worldwide team exceeding 200 staff members and guided the organization’s evolution from a digital currency news site into a multifaceted enterprise encompassing marketing, media, research, acceleration, and sector events. Prior to her time at Cointelegraph, she spent more than ten years holding senior executive positions within prominent financial and insurance institutions, such as Allianz.

Phase creates the operating foundation for the AI agent economy, supplying autonomous AI agents with all the tools necessary to function independently—ranging from navigating the open web and coordinating AI models to executing computational assignments and processing financial transactions. These capabilities operate on Phase’s Layer 1 blockchain, driven by a decentralized network of standard devices whose participants receive incentives for verifying transactions alongside sharing connectivity and processing capacity.

“AI agents are moving from answering questions to performing real tasks on our behalf, but the infrastructure they depend on was not built for autonomous systems. Phase is building an open, decentralized network that anyone can participate in. My focus is to bring this technology to developers and businesses worldwide and build the ecosystem needed to support the next generation of AI agents,” stated Yana Prikhodchenko, co-founder and CEO of Phase.

“Yana brings extensive leadership experience across media, technology and financial services, along with the operational expertise and industry relationships needed to take Phase into its next stage of growth. As we bring our technology to market, she will lead the company’s commercial development and global expansion,” remarked Kirill Eves, founder of Phase.

About Phase

Phase is a technology company building the operating layer for the AI agent economy, with four integrated services that give AI agents everything they need to operate autonomously, from accessing the open web and orchestrating AI models to performing computing tasks and making payments. The platform runs on its own Layer 1 blockchain, powered by a decentralized network of everyday devices. Phase has received $45 million in funding from its founder, Kirill Eves.

Phase Proxy enables AI agents acting on behalf of users to access websites that restrict automated traffic through mobile and residential internet connections. Phase Router intelligently directs requests across leading AI models to optimize quality, performance and cost. Phase Compute harnesses the processing power of devices across the network to run open-weight AI models, while on-chain settlement enables autonomous payments using stablecoins and PHASE, the network’s native token. Phase is building its own AI model to serve as the platform’s central intelligence, capable of advanced reasoning, solving complex tasks independently and orchestrating other AI models.

Unlike most blockchain networks that require dedicated servers or token staking, Phase allows anyone to become a validator simply by downloading the app, without specialized hardware or upfront investment. Its reputation-based consensus and randomized validator selection secure the network and prevent control from concentrating in the hands of a few powerful operators. Phase rewards device owners with PHASE tokens for validating blocks and contributing connectivity and computing power, enabling millions of people to help build the AI economy and share in the value it creates.

For more information, visit phase.xyz.

Media Contact

press@phase.xyz

Short FAQs

Who is the new co-founder and CEO of Phase?
Yana Prikhodchenko, the former CEO of Cointelegraph, has joined Phase as co-founder and CEO.

What is Phase building?
Phase is building the operating layer for the AI agent economy, featuring a Layer 1 blockchain and decentralized infrastructure that gives autonomous AI agents the tools to operate, compute, and make payments.

How much funding has Phase received and from whom?
Phase has received $45 million in funding from its founder, Kirill Eves.

What role did Yana Prikhodchenko previously hold?
She served as the CEO of Cointelegraph for nearly five years, and before that spent over a decade in senior leadership roles at major banking and insurance firms like Allianz.

How does Phase allow users to become network validators?
Users can become validators simply by downloading the app, requiring no specialized hardware, upfront investment, or token staking.