Stablecoin issuer Paxos acquires Fordefi to strengthen institutional DeFi access

Paxos purchases an institutional wallet provider in a $100M deal.
The move leverages Fordefi’s MPC wallet for a regulated custody framework.
DeFi is increasingly becoming part of the mainstream monetary infrastructure.

Paxos, a reputable blockchain infrastructure company behind multiple stablecoins, confirmed the acquisition on Forderfi late on Tuesday.

While the firms didn’t reveal the transaction’s value, sources close to the matter suggest that the deal exceeds $100 million, reflecting one of the most aggressive and strategic expansions in recent years.

The team emphasized:

For context, Fordefi is a thriving enterprise wallet and custody provider.

This acquisition comes as institutions are moving to on-chain operations at an unprecedented pace.

Companies exploring blockchain technology like tokenized assets, complex DeFi strategies, and stablecoin settlements are seeking secure, modular custody.

Paxos aims to satisfy this demand by merging its compliant custodial infrastructure with Fordefi’s policy-centered MPC (multi-party computation) wallet tech.

Commenting on the strategic purchase, Paxos co-founder and CEO Charles Cascarilla said:

Paxos enriches its enterprise playbook

Businesses venturing into the blockchain and crypto sectors have leveraged Paxos for compliant infrastructure and custody.

The firm maintains a high-end regulatory model, with supervision from Singapore’s MAS, the NYDFS in the US, Abu Dhabi’s FSRA, and FIN-FSA in Europe.

Moreover, its tokenization and stablecoin systems power fiscal settlements for leading companies, including MasterCard, Nubank, PayPal, and Interactive Brokers.

Now, Paxos is integrating Fordefi to offer its customers a unified platform that supports everything from asset tokenization and issuance to streamlined access to DeFi protocols.

CEO Cascarillar added:

The fast-growing Fordefi

Fordefi has grown into a reputable institutional wallet provider in the DeFi industry since its 2021 launch.

The platform boasts two crucial features.

First and foremost, Fordefi’s MPC-based address model reduced single-point failure risks.

On the other hand, the policy engines enable enterprises to handle compliance rules, risk management, and permissions across decentralized and centralized setups.

Fordefi currently secures over $120 billion in monthly transactions, supporting nearly 300 enterprises, including hedge funds, crypto-native companies, and trading desks.

Josh Schwartz, CEO of Fordefi, believes Paxos will heighten its reach while aligning with its primary missions. He said:

For now, Fordefi will operate independently as Paxos pursues a phased integration.