Institutional crypto trading platform LMAX Group is working with Morgan Stanley (MS) and investment bank KBW, part of Stifel (SF), to evaluate strategic options, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The company is exploring a sale or public listing that could value the business at up to $5 billion, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the discussions are private.
While all options remain on the table, including a sale, SPAC merger and IPOs in the U.S. or Europe, a Nasdaq listing is currently the preferred route, one of the people said.
The company is in no rush to go public as crypto markets remain weak, with its core foreign-exchange business providing insulation from the downturn, another person said.
A company spokesperson said LMAX declines to comment on speculation. Morgan Stanley declined to comment. Stifel didn’t respond to a request for comment by publication time.
The London-based firm operates institutional trading venues for foreign exchange and digital assets, providing execution, liquidity and market infrastructure to banks, brokers, hedge funds and asset managers. Regulated by the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority, it is known for its agency execution model, transparent order books and low-latency trading infrastructure.
Connecting crypto to TradFi
Deal activity across the crypto sector has accelerated this year as exchanges, fintech companies and market infrastructure firms seek to strengthen their digital asset offerings and capture rising institutional demand.
Recent transactions include Kraken parent Payward’s agreement to acquire derivatives platform Bitnomial, as well as Bullish, the owner of CoinDesk, announcing a $4.2 billion purchase of Equiniti to expand into tokenization and transfer agency services.
Industry analysts expect further consolidation as firms compete to build out institutional-grade capabilities across custody, settlement, tokenization and stablecoin infrastructure.
In July 2021, LMAX announced that J.C. Flowers, a global financial services-focused private equity firm, would acquire a 30% stake in the company for $300 million, valuing the group at approximately $1 billion. The investment was designed to support LMAX’s continued expansion across institutional FX and cryptocurrency markets.
LMAX has expanded over the past year as it sought to position itself as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto markets.
In February, it unveiled a 24/7 multi-asset exchange allowing institutions to trade tokenized and traditional assets around the clock, broadening its business beyond spot crypto trading. The platform was designed to support foreign exchange, digital assets, commodities and tokenized securities.
That move followed January’s $150 million strategic investment from Ripple, which was intended to help expand institutional adoption of Ripple’s RLUSD stablecoin through LMAX’s trading and settlement network.
The partnership underscored LMAX’s growing role in institutional crypto market structure, particularly among firms seeking regulated venues and deeper liquidity pools outside retail-focused exchanges.