Share this article

Hedge Fund Manager Alan Howard Leads $25M Raise for Crypto Custodian Komainu

Galaxy Digital, NOIA Capital and Nomura Research Institute also joined the round, becoming strategic partners.

Updated May 9, 2023, 3:16 a.m. Published Mar 9, 2021, 10:49 a.m.
Alan Howard, co-founder of Brevan Howard Asset Management LLP
Alan Howard, co-founder of Brevan Howard Asset Management LLP

Digital asset custodian Komainu has closed a $25 million Series A fundraise led by billionaire hedge fund manager Alan Howard.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters

  • According to an announcement Tuesday, other participants in the fundraising round included Galaxy Digital, NOIA Capital and Nomura Research Institute, which have now become strategic partners to the firm.
  • Komainu was established in 2018 as a joint venture involving Japan's Nomura bank, digital asset security firm Ledger and crypto investment firm CoinShares, which all contributed to this latest round of financing.
  • Komainu will use the investment to expand its custody services and global reach as well as provide more services within its digital asset prime brokerage business.
  • "With over $3 billion in assets under custody, Komainu has become one of the leading digital assets custodians globally. I am pleased to support Komainu in its mission to bridge the gap between legacy finance and the digital assets class," said Howard, co-founder of Brevan Howard Asset Management and Elwood Asset Management.

Read more: Coinbase Valuation Nears $100B Ahead of March Nasdaq Listing: Bloomberg

More For You

KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market

16:9 Image

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

Tom Lee urges BitMine shareholders to approve share increase ahead of January 14 vote

Screenshot of Tom Lee on CoinDesk TV (CoinDesk)

The chairman of the former bitcoin miner-turned-ether treasury firm reiterated his view that Ethereum is the future of finance.

What to know:

  • Tom Lee, chairman of Bitmine Immersion (BMNR), urged shareholders to approve an increase in the company's authorized share count from 500 million to 50 billion.
  • Lee assured shareholders that the increase is not intended to dilute shares, but instead to enable capital raising, dealmaking, and future share splits.
  • Shareholders have until January 14 to vote on the proposal, with the annual meeting scheduled for January 15 in Las Vegas.