Japan's SBI Holdings has invested $76 million in EDX Markets, the Chicago-based institutional crypto trading and clearing firm announced on July 7, 2026. The Series C round, led solely by SBI, marks the first time EDX has publicly disclosed a funding size. The company plans to use the capital to expand its trading, clearing, and settlement services, accelerate product development, and grow internationally.
Strategic investment from SBI
EDX CEO Tony Acuña-Rohter said the company was "pleased to welcome SBI as a strategic partner." SBI acted as the sole investor in the equity round, though EDX did not disclose its valuation or other terms. Previous backers include Charles Schwab, Citadel Securities, Fidelity Investments, Sequoia Capital, Paradigm, and other market firms. SBI chairman Yoshitaka Kitao stated that "trusted market infrastructure will serve as a critical foundation for institutional adoption."
Institutional infrastructure and products
EDX operates an institutional-only crypto marketplace and a central clearinghouse, with a U.S. venue for spot trading and EDXM International offering perpetual futures to eligible non-U.S. institutions. The company follows a traditional exchange market structure that separates trading from some clearing and custody functions. The new funding will support infrastructure for banks, trading firms, and other professional clients, including improvements to clearing processes, settlement systems, and risk controls. Earlier in 2026, EDX launched EDX FlowConnect, a crypto-as-a-service product that lets companies offer digital asset trading to their customers without building a full exchange. The Series C capital will help expand this service.
Trust bank charter and global expansion
EDX has applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to form EDX Trust, National Association, with the application received on March 26, 2026. If approved, the national trust bank would provide custody, clearing, settlement, and risk management as a separate regulated entity. The company also plans to grow operations outside the United States. The funding round follows EDX's integration with Ripple Prime, announced in May 2026, which gives institutional clients unified access to EDX spot liquidity and EDXM International perpetual futures through one prime brokerage system. The companies also plan to use RLUSD for settlement and collateral on EDX.
SBI's own digital asset strategy includes the yen-based JPYSC and support for dollar stablecoins such as RLUSD and USDC in Japan. The $76 million round gives EDX more capital as it targets large financial institutions, while SBI gains a strategic position in a trading and clearing company built for professional clients. EDX will now focus on product delivery, international growth, its FlowConnect service, and the pending EDX Trust application.