Crypto.com Raises $400 Million From Citadel Securities

Citadel Securities is taking a stake in the Singapore-based exchange, which plans to use the capital for tokenized securities and derivatives. The deal fits into the growing institutional focus on crypto infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

• Crypto.com raised $400 million from Citadel Securities, valuing the exchange at $20 billion.
• The capital is meant to accelerate expansion into tokenized securities, derivatives, and other investment products.
• The deal reflects the broader trend of traditional finance firms getting more involved in crypto infrastructure.

Crypto.com has secured a $400 million strategic investment (€349 million) from market maker Citadel Securities. The deal values the crypto exchange at $20 billion (€17.4 billion) and marks its first institutional funding round since the company launched 10 years ago.

More Capital for New Markets

The company says the fresh funding will help it move faster on tokenized securities, derivatives, and other investment products. Crypto.com is aiming to bring traditional and digital markets closer together with trading infrastructure that runs around the clock.

The timing is notable because traditional financial firms have been getting more active in crypto infrastructure. Since spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024, Wall Street firms have stepped up their work in digital trading, tokenization, and custody, while institutional investors are also preparing for larger crypto allocations, according to EY. Other platforms are making similar moves toward tokenized assets; Alpaca recently raised capital to keep building that infrastructure.

Citadel Is Looking for More Crypto Exposure

The investment also fits a wider pattern of established financial firms deepening their crypto presence. Citadel Securities has been showing up more often in the sector, including through investments in major crypto exchanges such as Kraken and EDX Markets.

That is relevant for Crypto.com because the company has long tried to serve both retail and institutional users. Founded in 2016 and based in Singapore, the exchange is now one of the largest crypto platforms in the world and continues to build products for professional traders.

Why This Matters for Europe

For European crypto readers, the deal is another sign that the line between crypto and traditional markets is getting thinner. Tokenization, derivatives, and institutional trading services are increasingly being built into the same infrastructure, which could have implications for European platforms and investors as well. It also shows that capital is still flowing toward companies that connect crypto with the existing financial system.