Hassan Maishera
TL;DR
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Citadel Securities has invested $400 million in Crypto.com, valuing the crypto exchange at $20 billion.
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The funding will support Crypto.com's expansion into tokenized securities and crypto derivatives.
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The deal marks Crypto.com's first institutional funding round in its 10-year history.
Citadel Securities has announced a $400 million strategic investment in Crypto.com, valuing the cryptocurrency exchange at $20 billion as institutional interest in digital assets and tokenized finance continues to grow.
The funding will help Crypto.com accelerate its expansion into tokenized securities, derivatives, and other blockchain-powered financial products, reinforcing its ambition to bridge traditional finance with the digital asset economy.
Funding to Support Tokenized Assets and Institutional Growth
Crypto.com said the investment will strengthen its efforts to build infrastructure for tokenized financial markets as blockchain technology increasingly reshapes global capital markets.
"We are thrilled to work with Citadel Securities to continue driving the crypto industry into a new era of institutionalization," said Crypto.com Co-founder and CEO Kris Marszalek.
Thrilled to announce our first institutional funding round with a $400 million strategic investment from Citadel Securities valuing https://t.co/pFc4Pz8PQj at $20 billion. An incredible milestone 10 years in on our journey and the beginning of a new phase of growth. Grateful to…
— Kris (@kris) July 16, 2026
He added that the opportunity for blockchain-based finance continues to expand as cryptocurrencies become foundational infrastructure for modern financial services.
The company described the deal as its first institutional funding round, despite operating for nearly a decade.
Unlike many major cryptocurrency exchanges, Crypto.com has raised comparatively little outside capital.
According to PitchBook, the company previously secured:
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A $13 million early-stage funding round.
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A Series A and angel investment round with undisclosed amounts.
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Approximately $26.7 million through its 2017 initial coin offering (ICO), when the company operated under the Monaco brand.
Crypto.com later rebranded and consolidated its ecosystem around the CRO token after retiring its original MCO token in 2020.
Crypto.com Expands its Ecosystem
The exchange has steadily broadened its product offerings beyond cryptocurrency trading.
In 2026, Crypto.com introduced tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs through its core application, giving users blockchain-based exposure to dozens of traditional financial assets. The company also offers its widely used Visa prepaid and credit cards, which allow customers to spend digital assets in everyday transactions.
Crypto.com has also become an active investor through its venture capital division, expanding its investment fund to $500 million in 2022 to support blockchain startups and emerging Web3 projects.
Citadel Strengthens its Crypto Portfolio
The investment represents another significant step in Citadel Securities' growing commitment to digital assets.
The market-making giant has expanded its presence across the crypto industry through several high-profile investments, including:
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A $200 million investment in Kraken at a $20 billion valuation.
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Participation in Ripple's $500 million strategic funding round, alongside Fortress Investment Group, which valued Ripple at $40 billion.
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Multiple investments in Digital Asset, the company behind the Canton Network blockchain.
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Strategic backing of tokenization startup Alpaca, including participation in its $150 million Series D financing.
Bloomberg previously reported that Citadel's investment in Ripple included downside protection, allowing investors to sell their equity back to Ripple after several years at a guaranteed annual return if the company does not complete an initial public offering.
Citadel Securities President Jim Esposito said the partnership reflects the increasing convergence between traditional capital markets and blockchain infrastructure.
According to Esposito, tokenized assets and digital market infrastructure have the potential to improve market efficiency while supporting the broader institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies.
The investment comes as major financial firms continue exploring tokenization, which many industry participants view as one of the next major growth areas for blockchain technology.
For comparison, Coinbase, the first major publicly listed cryptocurrency exchange, currently has a market capitalization of approximately $43 billion, highlighting the scale of Crypto.com's latest valuation as competition intensifies among global crypto trading platforms.
