Deribit, a leading crypto options exchange, is considering offers from potential buyers, Bloomberg reports. American cryptocurrency giant Kraken expressed interest in acquiring an options trading platform, but did not proceed further.
The deal could be valued at $4 billion to $5 billion.
“Not for sale”
Deribit did not disclose any plans to sell, but acknowledged that it had received investment interest.
“In short, Derivit is not for sale,” Derivit told the publication. “Over time, we have received strategic investment interest from various parties, which we will not disclose.”
To explore the potential sale, the options exchange hired Financial Technology Partners to conduct its first transaction in early 2023 to facilitate a secondary share sale to existing investors.
An option is a derivative contract that allows a trader to buy an underlying asset at a specific price on a specific date. However, such contracts are not mandatory, so traders can opt out if the price of the underlying asset moves against them.
Crypto options trading volume soars
Founded in 2016 by John and Marius Janssen of the Netherlands, Deribit has become one of the largest cryptocurrency derivatives marketplaces. Total trading volume on the platform, including options, futures and spot trading, nearly doubled to $1.2 trillion in 2024, the company said. The total notional value of options also increased by 99% to $743 billion.
Meanwhile, the company moved its base to Dubai in early 2025. As previously reported by Finance Magnates, the exchange revealed that it will consolidate all flows and activities into its Dubai entity from January 1st. The Dubai-licensed company currently offers a full range of products including spot, perpetual, futures, options and post-trade services.
Additionally, we have begun onboarding all eligible institutional customers under Dubai regulations. However, the company continues to serve retail customers through a Panama-based entity and currently operates as a broker member of a Dubai-based entity.
This article was written by Arnab Shome from www.financemagnates.com.
Source link
