OKX Joins Forces with Forteus and Komainu to Redefine Institutional Crypto Trading

As an analyst with extensive experience in the digital asset space, I find this strategic partnership between OKX, Forteus, and Komainu to be a significant step forward for institutional trading in the crypto industry. My past experiences have taught me that collaboration between key players is crucial in addressing the unique challenges faced by institutional investors, such as mitigating counterparty risks while capitalizing on alpha opportunities.


As an analyst, I’m excited to announce that I’ve played a role in forging strategic alliances between OKX, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, Forteus, a digital asset management firm, and Komainu, a trusted custodial service provider. The goal of this collaboration is to bolster institutional trading capabilities and fortify the security measures surrounding digital asset custody.

As stated in a release from November 27th, this partnership enables Forteus to continuously trade on the OKX platform, all while keeping their digital assets safely deposited in segregated storage through Komainu.

A New Era of Institutional Trading

Under this three-part system, Komainu will offer reliable custody and secure storage solutions for Forteus’s digital assets. Known for their expertise, the company backed by Nomura offers verified custody services to institutional investors involved in cryptocurrency transactions.

In October, it was revealed that Komainu is planning to buy Propine, a licensed custodian company based in Singapore, as part of an effort to increase its presence in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. This acquisition aims to utilize Propine’s regulatory licenses to gain access to new markets throughout Asia.

In a new development, Komainu’s partnership with OKX follows a unique path. The contract combines Komainu’s secure vault services with OKX’s advanced trading platform, providing off-exchange settlement via synchronized balances. This setup provides Forteus with access to OKX’s vast liquidity network, including the Liquid Marketplace for spot OTC trades, futures spreads, and options, all without continuous asset shifts between custody and trading systems.

Mitigating Risks and Expanding Opportunities

The partnership also incorporates robust legal frameworks designed to enhance transparency and instill confidence among institutional investors.

The main aspects of this contract involve maximizing capital utilization with instant matching of collateral and same-day transactions, which are designed to enhance liquidity and streamline trading operations for large-scale clients.

According to Nicholas Vanhoutteghem, President of Forteus, the main focus of this agreement lies in resolving institutional issues.

He explained that this three-part system ensures safe storage of assets using a licensed entity, offering continuous market availability around the clock. This is an essential move for those investors seeking to minimize risk from counterparties as they explore lucrative investment prospects in the cryptocurrency market.

At the same time, this collaboration supports OKX’s wider goal of enhancing its offerings for institutional clients. In June 2023, OKX joined forces with Komainu Connect, a service that facilitates around-the-clock trading of segregated assets.

Furthermore, OKX has teamed up with Standard Chartered for providing top-tier custody services. This partnership, announced in October, designates Standard Chartered as OKX’s primary banking partner for institutions, aiming to seamlessly blend digital assets with conventional finance.

Partnering with the bank has expanded OKX’s extensive collection of institutional offerings, encompassing sophisticated trading instruments, strong risk management frameworks, and safe storage solutions.

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2024-11-27 18:36