Standard Chartered Arm Invests in One Trading for Regulated Crypto Futures in Europe

One Trading, a Netherlands-based crypto exchange, has secured a strategic investment from SC Ventures, Standard Chartered’s innovation and fintech investment arm.

According to the company’s announcement from Sept. 17, the investment will fuel One Trading’s expansion in the European Union (EU) as it prepares to launch the first crypto perpetual futures trading venue under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II).

We are excited to announce that @scventuresDNA have made a strategic investment in @OneTradingEU. As part of this round, existing investor @middlegamevc have also increased its stake in One Trading, while Valar and @speedinvest also participated. pic.twitter.com/E73WTdbTvK

— One Trading (@OneTradingEU) September 17, 2024

Existing investors MiddleGame, as well as Valar and SpeedInvest, also participated in this investment round. The terms of the deal were, however, not disclosed.

MiFID II-Compliant Crypto Derivatives Platform

One Trading offers a more efficient and user-friendly alternative to traditional crypto derivatives. Unlike futures products available on exchanges like CME or Eurex, One Trading’s derivatives are designed to be simpler and require less capital.

The fresh investment will enable One Trading to further develop its infrastructure, enhance its technology, and expand its product offerings.

“Financial innovation should not come at the cost of consumer protection,” said Alex Manson, CEO of SC Ventures. “We look forward to One Trading providing much needed infrastructure to all participants in the EU and further afield.”

In July, One Trading secured an Organized Trading Facility (OTF) license from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM). The OTF license positions One Trading as the only perpetual futures trading venue in Europe, including the United Kingdom.

We are delighted to announce @OneTradingEU has been granted an Organised Trading Facility (OTF) License by the Dutch financial regulator bringing crypto futures onshore in the EU.

With this new licence, One Trading becomes the only perpetual futures trading venue in the EU. pic.twitter.com/hzkAVwmlce

— One Trading (@OneTradingEU) July 29, 2024

As a MiFID II trading venue, One Trading is subject to a comprehensive set of regulations designed to enhance market transparency, protect investors, and ensure fair and orderly financial markets.

Joshua Barraclough, Founder and CEO of One Trading, stated that this milestone represented years of “hard work and innovation.” He added:

“The long-term vision of the company is to enable all customer types to go long or short on any asset, use any asset as collateral, settle everything instantly, and perpetually roll contracts.”

Bitpanda’s Spin-Off

One Trading, formerly known as Bitpanda Pro, was established in 2019 as a subsidiary of the Austrian digital asset platform Bitpanda.

In June 2023, One Trading spun off from Bitpanda, following a Series A funding round led by Valar Ventures, raising €30 million (around $33 million).

Leading the investment round was Peter Thiel’s Valar Ventures, which has been a long-time investor in Bitpanda. Other participants included Speedinvest, MiddleGame Ventures, Keyrock, and Wintermute Ventures. Wintermute has also had a long-standing relationship with the Viennese fintech: co-founder Yoann Turpin participated in an expansion of Bitpanda’s Series B round in spring 2021.

In January 2024, Bitpanda also launched Bitpanda Wealth, a platform designed for European institutions and high-net-worth individuals seeking exposure to digital assets.