S&P Global has led a strategic investment in Kaiko, extending the Paris-based crypto market data provider’s Series B funding to $110 million as it expands its data infrastructure for tokenized financial markets.
The round also included BNP Paribas, Bpifrance, Broadridge, Canton Foundation, Coinbase Ventures, DRW Venture Capital, Nasdaq Ventures, Royal Bank of Canada, Stellar and Susquehanna Private Equity Investments.
Kaiko said the funding will support its core digital asset market data business and its push into onchain financial infrastructure, including data services for tokenized Treasury bills, money market funds, equities and bonds.
The participating investors will also join a Kaiko-led industry working group focused on developing data and infrastructure for tokenized financial products.
Kaiko CEO Ambre Soubiran said the investors span several key areas of digital asset markets, including pricing, trading, capital allocation and blockchain development, and would serve as partners in building infrastructure for institutional onchain finance.
The funding follows a series of moves by Kaiko to expand its institutional data business. The company acquired MiCA-regulated onchain infrastructure provider Cometh in May and US digital asset data provider Amberdata in June, after partnering with Bloomberg in February to bring licensed financial data onchain.
Related: Kaiko flags possible front-running before Robinhood token listings
Wall Street moves closer to tokenization
Kaiko’s funding comes as major US market operators and financial infrastructure firms expand their use of blockchain technology for trading, settlement and collateral management.
In March, New York Stock Exchange parent Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) signed an agreement with Securitize to develop infrastructure and standards for tokenized securities. The agreement builds on ICE’s January plan for a tokenized securities trading platform designed to support 24/7 trading and instant settlement.
That same month, Nasdaq received SEC approval to pilot trading of tokenized stocks and ETFs alongside traditional securities. Nasdaq also partnered with Kraken parent Payward to develop infrastructure connecting regulated equity markets with onchain tokenized equities.
In July, the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) conducted production trades using DTC-tokenized assets with more than 30 financial firms ahead of a planned October launch of its tokenization service. DTC, a DTCC subsidiary, provides custody and asset servicing for $114 trillion in securities.
The push toward round-the-clock markets has drawn attention from US regulators. The SEC is scheduled to hold a roundtable on Sept. 17 on preparations for 24-hour trading in US equities, including market readiness, operational resilience, investor protections and potential future expansion toward 24/7 trading.
One of three SEC panels scheduled for Sept. 17. Source: SEC
