XBTO announces acquisition of digital asset custody & trading platform Stablehouse

Acquisition accelerates XBTO’s capability to offer institutional investors a comprehensive suite of digital assets services

Bermuda (10 August 2023) - XBTO Global (XBTO), a comprehensive platform for digital assets and tailored investment solutions, has today announced its strategic acquisition of Stablehouse*, subject to regulatory approval. Stablehouse is the secure digital assets custody and trading platform that helps institutions mitigate risk with security, bankruptcy protection and regulatory compliance.

The acquisition of Stablehouse will power the custody offering of XBTO’s platform, and expands the suite of digital asset services that can be offered to institutional investors. This will now include everything from custody and institutional trading, to asset management, and designated market making. Stablehouse was originally incubated by XBTO Group and was funded by several industry-leading venture capital funds in 2019. In addition to being CEO of Stablehouse, Philippe Bekhazi will now assume the role of CEO of XBTO Global.  

“XBTO’s acquisition of Stablehouse represents a significant moment for both companies, in our joint mission to help drive new technologies and services that are key to institutional adoption of digital assets,” commented Philippe Bekhazi, Founder & CEO of XBTO. “In light of the recent turmoil and challenges in the industry, institutions need to trust the underlying security of their digital assets in order to allocate to the asset class with confidence. By acquiring Stablehouse, XBTO is now able to offer a one-stop digital assets platform catered to sophisticated non-US investors and institutions.”

The Stablehouse custody infrastructure incorporates omnibus custody accounts with integrated trading. It also offers segregated vaults where assets are verifiable on the blockchain at all times, and is built upon a warm storage solution where the keys are protected across distributed environments. The platform ensures an end-to-end bankruptcy remote state between custody and trading.

This suite of solutions enables XBTO to bridge the gap between traditional finance and digital assets and offers large institutions access to its white label service that integrates custody and trading for a seamless user experience.

“XBTO’s mission through its regulated subsidiaries is to increase institutional access to digital assets, and develop the digital asset economy which is very much aligned with Stablehouse’s vision. The decision to join forces really was a simple one,” said Michael Chauliac, President and General Manager of Stablehouse. “By working together, we can provide an integrated, comprehensive digital assets platform at a crucial time.”

Both XBTO and Stablehouse are under the oversight of the Bermuda Monetary Authority (BMA), one of the most advanced and robust regulatory frameworks globally. Since its founding in 2015, XBTO has made regulation fundamental to its comprehensive suite of services.

The acquisition is subject to the regulatory approval of the Bermuda Monetary Authority under both the Exchange Control Act and Digital Asset Business Act, and applicable ancillary regulations.