Jon Stein

Jonathan Stein is an American fintech entrepreneur and the founder and chairman of Betterment, the largest independent online financial advisor in the United States with over $18 billion in assets under management. Stein launched Betterment in 2008 during the Great Recession, when the financial industry was still reeling from the crisis.

Before founding Betterment, Stein held advisory roles at banks and brokerage firms, working on risk management and product strategy. He entered finance reluctantly, after giving up a medical career when he realized he could not stand the sight of blood. What he found in the industry deepened his frustration. The products on offer were rarely designed with the customer in mind. He saw an opportunity to build something better, and that conviction led him to launch Betterment from his own experience and observation.

Stein served as Betterment's CEO for 13 years, pioneering fractional shares, goal-based investing, and smart asset allocation. In December 2020 he transitioned to executive chairman, naming Viacom COO Sarah Kirshbaum Levy as his successor. He lives in Pound Ridge, New York.