1/ Same vision, same team, new brand - introducing Areta! @areta_io

Welcome to the team, Toby! 🚀 Former British Army officer and senior operations leader across investment banking, fintech, and high-growth technology businesses. Toby joins @areta_io as Head of Operations, bringing deep experience in scaling businesses, building operating models, and embedding the systems, governance, and performance discipline required to support institutional growth. He has held senior leadership roles at Bitpanda Custody, Moelis & Co, and Barclays Investment Bank, spanning digital assets, M&A, capital markets, and regulated financial services. Toby holds an Executive Finance Programme qualification from Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, the CFA UK Investment Management Certificate, and an MA from the University of St Andrews. Please join us in welcoming Toby to Areta as he begins this next chapter with the team.

🇳🇱 Live from Amsterdam Our Co-Founder @KarlAhrend is on stage at @thestablecon discussing the future of stablecoins and how they are reshaping global financial infrastructure. From regulatory developments to institutional adoption and the evolving role of digital assets, the conversation is focused on where this market is headed next. If you're attending Stablecon and want to connect, send us a DM.

1/ The Ethereum Audit Subsidy A joint initiative with audit providers to subsidize the cost of audits for Ethereum builders. Security audits are a best practice, yet expensive. The subsidy program makes audits accessible and strengthens the Ethereum ecosystem.

Excited to be back in Cannes for EthCC this week 🇫🇷 If you’re around and want to discuss M&A, capital markets, or how you’re thinking about structuring your foundation or labs, feel free to reach out.

1/ We’ve been covering payments in digital assets for a while now and have spent time looking at how legacy players adapt as new financial rails emerge. This acquisition lines up closely with what we expected to see. @Mastercard has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire @BVNKFinance for up to $1.8BN, including $300m in contingent payments. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, with Mastercard indicating it expects the deal to close before the end of 2026.

Is token restructuring the new meta? Breaking down @AcrossProtocol’s proposed take-private Across Protocol is proposing a shift from a DAO structure to a U.S. C-corp, allowing ACX holders to exchange their tokens for company equity or redeem them for USDC at a premium. The key goal is to institutionalize the setup. On one hand, enterprise partners require enforceable contracts and clear legal counterparties, which a DAO cannot provide. On the other hand, moving to a corporate structure means token holders risk losing their economic position in the protocol unless they are given a path to become shareholders. This situation highlights two key challenges of crypto organizations: (1) Organizational complexity: operations split across Labs, Foundations, and DAOs often create friction for institutional expansion, partnerships, and execution, as Across’s case shows. (2) Dual capital structure: tokens create a parallel economic layer alongside equity, creating tension around ownership, control, and value creation as projects mature. To address this, Across is proposing what we describe in our latest report as a “token take-private”, a route for consolidating fragmented token economics into a single equity structure. We explore this topic in more detail in our recent Token-Equity M&A Playbook. Access the full report here: docs.areta.io/v/token-equity…

1/ How should tokens be treated in an M&A transaction? In 2025, we saw crypto M&A activity surge to record levels, driven by a shift toward a more constructive legislative posture and renewed strategic confidence. We at @areta_io have advised numerous leadership teams on equity and token transactions. While equity deals are typically straightforward, the involvement of tokens adds significant complexity. We’ve put our insights into a concise report covering, follow along 🧵

Welcome to the Team, Harish Chari! 🚀 Harish joins @areta_io as Vice President of Investment Banking, bringing a strong blend of advisory, operational, and financial expertise across digital assets, fintech, payments, and financial infrastructure. He brings extensive experience advising high growth fintech and crypto companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital raises, and broader strategic transactions. Prior to Areta, Harish was at Royal Park Partners in London, where he worked with fintech companies across crypto Harish also was part of the Strategic Finance team at Checkout (dot) com, partnering with senior leadership on financial planning, strategic initiatives, and M&A evaluation. Please join us in welcoming Harish to Areta as he begins this next chapter with the team.

Welcome to the Team, Sach Varu! 🚀 After discovering Bitcoin in 2017 and seeing crypto as the next frontier, Sach gradually moved from traditional capital markets into the digital asset space. Over the past several years, he has worked closely with leading crypto projects, supporting GTM for derivatives platforms, leading fundraising efforts, and helping perpetual futures exchanges scale with institutions, from liquidity strategy through to regulatory positioning. Sach brings deep experience across both traditional markets and on-chain finance. Before crypto, Sach spent 15 years across FX, OTC, and systematic trading at tier one firms including Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan, working across London, New York, and most recently Hong Kong, where he focused on building global distribution and institutional relationships. Please join us in welcoming Sach to Areta as he begins his journey with the team.

Our founder @jp_grabs perspective was featured in @block_stories coverage of @bitwise acquiring @ChorusOne and expanded on signals for further staking industry consolidation. JP’s core point is simple: consolidation in staking is structural, not opportunistic. Over the next few years, we expect further consolidation in the staking and infrastructure segments. Even as institutional participation grows and staked ETPs expand the addressable market, growth will concentrate among a smaller group of scaled, trusted operators.

This is my 5th year full-time in crypto, and I‘m more excited than ever about the industry and how well Areta is positioned in its institutional era. We’re hiring across multiple positions - come join us just in time for our next global offsite in Madrid 🇪🇸 - Head of Operations - Marketing Lead - Investment Banking Intern - Investment Banking VP

Episode X of Builder’s Diary with @jp_grabs from @areta_io is live now. JP shares his journey from elite private equity to building in crypto, the discipline behind risk-taking & institutionalization. A calm look at conviction & long-term thinking: youtu.be/mF0XDPUmJPI

We're hiring at @areta_io ⚡️ We’re looking for dedicated professionals to join our team in a fast-paced environment at the leading digital assets investment banking firm. We’re growing fast and building the institutional backbone of digital assets. Open roles across the firm: 🔹 Investment Banking Intern 🔹 Investment Banking VP 🔹 Head of Operations 🔹 Marketing Lead If you've worked at the intersection of digital assets and traditional finance, strong analytically, and ready to work on meaningful mandates; we’d love to chat. Apply by sending your resume to careers@areta.io

No doubt the hottest topic on the street these days: Crypto Payments Yet “crypto payments” is often used loosely. Between M&A, fundraising, and partnership announcements, it’s increasingly hard to separate signal from noise. We are fixing this and will keep you up to date with our bi-weekly newsletter: "Crypto Payments: The Connective Layer Between Legacy Systems and On-Chain Rails" Simply comment on this post or drop anyone on the Areta team a note, and we'll make sure you never miss news or major trends. Leaving a sneak peek here of what you can expect 👇

As the first month of 2026 comes to an end, we have another milestone to share: @DefiLlama has acquired @0xbulletin, a platform for crypto private markets and OTC data, catering to institutional investors. @mirzdame and I met a few years ago in London, when he was leading web3 investments at a European VC. He understood very early that the crypto secondaries market - similar to secondaries in other asset classes - had been growing very quickly, while being opaque with no reliable data sources. When he started building Bulletin, it became clear that, as one of the most active secondaries firms in crypto, we had to partner strategically with him and support his mission to become the go-to platform bringing much-needed transparency to private market valuations and OTC crypto transactions. Two years later, Bulletin has now been acquired by Defillama, a leading DeFi data aggregator with millions of monthly users. It's been great to support David on this transaction, and we're excited for Bulletin's next chapter as part of the Defillama Group.

Thrilled to share that we have advised @StakinOfficial, a leading staking provider with $1.5bn in assets under delegation, on its acquisition by @TheTieIO. I first met @EdouardL during the 2022 bear market, and have since been nothing but impressed by the business he and @tyootiago have built. Edouard and Tiago are exceptional entrepreneurs and have successfully navigated the company through various industry cycles, establishing Stakin as one of the largest staking providers globally with a seven-year track record delivering secure, enterprise-grade staking infrastructure across 40 networks. The combination with The Tie, a leading provider of institutional solutions for digital assets with over 500 customers, creates a highly comprehensive institutional platform spanning proprietary intelligence and validator infrastructure. It represents a meaningful vertical integration in institutional digital asset services and addresses the evolving needs of institutional market participants. We are proud to have supported Stakin in one of the most significant staking M&A transactions, and are excited to continue shaping the evolution of the digital assets industry in 2026. Congratulations to the teams at Stakin and The Tie!

Very excited to share that @areta_io has advised @CoinMENA, the largest local crypto exchange in the Middle East and North Africa, on its acquisition by @ParibuCom, Türkiye’s leading digital asset platform, in a transaction valued at up to USD 240 million. The deal marks Türkiye’s largest fintech acquisition to date and the country’s first cross-border crypto platform transaction - a major milestone in the ongoing institutionalization and consolidation of the sector globally. Regional market leaders are increasingly pursuing scale, regulatory strength, and multi-jurisdiction footprints. CoinMENA, serving more than 1.5 million users across 45 countries and operating under Bahrain’s Central Bank and Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), represents exactly this profile. Following our announcement of the first institutional private equity buyout in the sector earlier this month, this marks another significant milestone for the industry and our eighth M&A deal globally in 2025. Massive congratulations to @tabbaa4, @DinaSaman_, and the entire CoinMENA team for building an incredible business. It's been a huge privilege to work alongside you and witness your relentless drive, exceptional leadership, and resilience. We wish you all the best as you embark on this exciting next chapter!

Spent some time in NYC earlier this month - it's refreshing to witness firsthand the progressive attitude of the US toward new technologies and the resulting thriving crypto ecosystem in the world's leading center for finance/tech. I had the chance to join Andrew Moss from @Jefferies, @JaschaSamadi from @greenfield_cap, @dsedacc07 from @PolkadotCG, and @0xArnav from @BanklessVC for a panel discussion on protocol valuation. We spoke about valuation considerations for protocols, market inefficiencies, fundamental valuation methodologies, network effects, and the broader market forces that shape how protocols are priced and understood today (full recording will be online soon). Shoutout to @TheTieIO for hosting an amazing conference once again with leaders from the largest TradFi institutions (banks, asset managers, trading firms, etc.) as well as founders and investors from the crypto industry. Look forward to the next one!

Incredible milestone for the whole crypto industry Our team has advised Bridgepoint on the first notable private equity transaction in crypto history

Grateful to have been contributing to this transaction with @areta_io ! It marks the beginning of the next wave of M&A in the digital assets sector: private equity investors partnering with leaders in their respective sub-verticals. As former Blackstone private equity investors ourselves, we love seeing the participation of the leading investment firms in our industry - it’s been one of our key motivations to start Areta and it’s incredibly rewarding to shape our space in this meaningful way! Congratulations to everyone involved!!