Share this article
Cryptocurrency Exchange ShapeShift Acquires Bitcoin Wallet Startup
Cryptocurrency exchange ShapeShift has acquired the bitcoin hardware wallet startup KeepKey.
By Stan Higgins
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 6:50 a.m. Published Aug 16, 2017, 4:00 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Cryptocurrency exchange ShapeShift has acquired bitcoin hardware wallet startup KeepKey.
Announced today, ShapeShift will continue to use the KeepKey brand, and its staff will stay on to continue working on the hardware product line. KeepKey had originally integrated with ShapeShift by way of its API last summer.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
The deal – the terms of which were not disclosed – represents the first acquisition of a startup specifically focused on hardware products.
"This partnership will not only guarantee the future success of the KeepKey brand and product line, but joining the ShapeShift team will enable us to focus on continuing to work on developing better technology and security for crypto-holders," Ken Hodler, KeepKey's chief technology officer, said in a statement.
The deal comes months after ShapeShift closed a $10.4 million funding round. At the time, the exchange drew on a list of backers that included Earlybird Venture Capital, which led the round.
It also follows a move by KeepKey to end its support late last month for the long-running MultiBit bitcoin wallet. KeepKey first acquired MultiBit in May 2016.
Disclosure: CoinDesk is a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which has an ownership stake in ShapeShift.
Key image via Shutterstock
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Bitcoin and ether volatility trading gets easier with Polymarket's new contracts
Polymarket has launched new prediction markets tied to Volmex's bitcoin and ether 30-day implied volatility indices.
What to know:
- Polymarket has launched new prediction markets tied to Volmex's bitcoin and ether 30-day implied volatility indices, allowing users to bet on how high volatility will get in 2026.
- The contracts pay out if volatility indices reach or exceed a preset level by Dec. 31, 2026, letting traders wager on the intensity of price swings rather than market direction.
- Early trading implies roughly a one-in-three chance that bitcoin and ether volatility will nearly double from current levels.
Top Stories
