Choices buying and selling platform Deribit has reportedly drawn curiosity from potential consumers and is working with FT Companions to discover strategic alternatives, Bloomberg Information reported on Jan. 14, citing sources acquainted with the matter.
The platform has seen a meteoric rise in buying and selling exercise, with its whole buying and selling quantity almost doubling to $1.2 trillion in 2024. As of this yr, Deribit companies institutional purchasers immediately by way of its Dubai-based entity, Deribit FZE, whereas a Panamanian subsidiary manages retail purchasers.
The sources mentioned that FT Companions, initially retained in early 2023 to rearrange secondary inventory gross sales for Deribit’s traders, has expanded its function to incorporate assessing potential bids for the complete agency.
Whereas Deribit has not formally up on the market, the corporate acknowledged receiving curiosity in strategic investments from numerous events. The corporate mentioned in an announcement:
“Over time, we’ve acquired curiosity in strategic investments from quite a lot of events, which we won’t disclose.”
Kraken has reportedly explored buying Deribit however finally determined to not proceed. One supply estimates Deribit’s valuation might vary from $4 billion to $5 billion. FT Companions and Kraken declined to remark.
In line with CoinGlass information, Deribit had registered over $26 billion in month-to-month buying and selling quantity for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) choices contracts as of Jan. 13.
Surging M&A strikes
The curiosity in Deribit comes amid a surge in crypto-related mergers and acquisitions (M&A), fueled partially by a post-election rally in digital asset markets.
Publicly introduced M&A exercise within the crypto sector climbed to $1.2 billion within the fourth quarter of 2024, a pointy improve from $400 million throughout the identical interval a yr earlier, in line with Architect Companions.
Current offers embody crypto brokerage FalconX buying derivatives startup Arbelos Markets and acquisitions by MoonPay and Chainalysis.
President-elect Donald Trump’s favorable stance towards digital property has additional buoyed the business. He has promised to place the US as a world hub for crypto innovation.
With vital curiosity from potential consumers and a thriving enterprise mannequin, Deribit is poised to play a central function within the subsequent part of crypto M&A growth.
