OKX Partners with Forteus and Komainu for Institutional Crypto Trading Solutions
The global cryptocurrency exchange OKX has partnered with Forteus, a digital asset management firm, and Komainu, a regulated custody service provider, to enhance institutional trading and secure custody of digital assets.
As stated in a press release from November 27, this partnership enables Forteus to trade continuously on OKX's platform while ensuring its digital assets are securely held in segregated custody by Komainu.
A New Era of Institutional Trading
Komainu will provide qualified custody and cold storage services for Forteus’s assets. The Nomura-backed company offers verifiable custody solutions to corporate investors involved in crypto trading.
Komainu plans to acquire Propine, a licensed custodian in Singapore, to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific region, leveraging Propine's regulatory licenses to enter new markets.
This partnership combines Komainu's secure custody services with OKX's trading infrastructure, offering off-exchange settlement through mirrored balances. Forteus gains access to OKX’s liquidity network, including the Liquid Marketplace for spot OTC, futures spreads, and options, without the need for constant asset transfers between custody and trading platforms.
Mitigating Risks and Expanding Opportunities
The collaboration includes legal frameworks designed to enhance transparency and confidence among institutional investors.
Key features include optimized capital use via real-time collateral mirroring and intraday settlements, improving liquidity and trading efficiency for institutional clients.
Forteus President Nicolas Vanhoutteghem emphasized that the agreement addresses institutional concerns: “This tripartite model provides our clients with secure asset custody through a regulated provider while delivering 24/7 market access. It’s critical in mitigating counterparty risk for investors seeking crypto's alpha opportunities.”
This partnership aligns with OKX's strategy to expand its institutional services. In June 2023, OKX collaborated with Komainu Connect, a collateral management platform enabling continuous trading of segregated assets.
Additionally, OKX partnered with Standard Chartered to offer institutional-grade custody solutions, designating Standard Chartered as its official institutional banking partner for integrating digital assets into traditional finance.
This collaboration has enhanced OKX's suite of institutional services, which includes advanced trading tools, robust risk management systems, and secure custody options.