Robinhood backs $1.5 billion talos funding round as institutional crypto trading scales up
Amid accelerating institutional interest in digital assets, Robinhood is joining talos funding in a move that deepens its exposure to crypto market infrastructure.
Robinhood joins extended Series B round for Talos
Robinhood (HOOD) is investing in Talos, an institutional trading technology provider for digital assets, through an extended Series B round that values the New York-based firm at about $1.5 billion. The deal underscores how trading platforms are racing to secure institutional-grade partners as volumes in crypto markets recover.
Talos first raised $105 million in its Series B in May 2022, at a valuation of $1.25 billion. However, the newly announced extension lifts the total capital raised in that same round to $150 million, according to a company press release. That said, the valuation step-up highlights investor confidence in the firm despite recent market volatility.
The $45 million Series B extension includes fresh strategic capital from Robinhood Markets, Sony Innovation Fund, IMC, QCP and Karatage. Moreover, existing backers a16z crypto, BNY and Fidelity Investments also joined, reinforcing prior commitments to the company.
Institutional infrastructure and Robinhood’s crypto push
Talos provides institutional-grade crypto trading infrastructure for professional investors, pooling liquidity across exchanges, over-the-counter (OTC) desks and prime brokers. Its platform offers a single interface and API for trade execution, risk management and post-trade settlement, designed for brokers, banks and asset managers that require robust compliance and operational tooling.
In a statement, CEO and co-founder Anton Katz said, “We extended our series B round to accommodate interest from strategic partners who recognize Talos’s role in providing core institutional infrastructure for digital assets.” However, Katz also framed the move within a broader migration of traditional markets to blockchain rails, noting that these partners “wanted to be more closely aligned with our growth.”
Commenting on the Robinhood talos deal, Johann Kerbrat, SVP and GM of Crypto at Robinhood, said Talos “flexibility and rapid adaptability allow us to deepen our liquidity and deliver even more advanced features to Robinhood Crypto customers.” Moreover, the partnership is expected to enhance Robinhood’s access to diversified liquidity pools and execution tools.
Robinhood builds out blockchain and derivatives strategy
Robinhood has been steadily expanding its presence in crypto and blockchain infrastructure as part of a broader growth strategy. The company is developing its own blockchain network built on Arbitrum, signaling a long-term bet on scaling solutions and on-chain execution for both retail and institutional users.
In Europe, Robinhood has rolled out tokenized stock trading alongside other crypto products, while also introducing new staking and perpetual futures offerings. Moreover, the brokerage has reported increased trading volumes and higher product engagement as it leans further into crypto-native finance. That said, the firm remains exposed to regulatory scrutiny as authorities sharpen their focus on digital asset platforms.
Beyond trading, Robinhood has seen growth in areas such as prediction markets, which could ultimately benefit from more sophisticated market data and execution services. In that context, the alignment with Talos and its connectivity stack helps support Robinhood’s push into more complex product verticals.
Talos client base and market footprint
Talos positions itself as a full-stack technology provider for the digital asset trading lifecycle, from order routing to settlement. The company serves hundreds of clients across roughly 35 countries, including professional traders, prime brokers and global banks that require secure, high-availability systems.
Traditional finance institutions have become a significant growth driver. Over the past year, 60% to 70% of new customers have come from that segment, according to Katz. Moreover, asset managers using the platform collectively represent about $21 trillion in assets under management (AUM), he told investment bank Jefferies during a client call in November.
The original Series B round in 2022 was led by General Atlantic, with participation from BNY, Citi, Wells Fargo Strategic Capital and DRW Venture Capital. Additionally, crypto-focused investors such as SCB 10x and LeadBlock Partners backed the financing, alongside existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, PayPal Ventures, Fidelity Investments and Castle Island Ventures.
M&A strategy and on-chain data capabilities
The latest talos funding extension comes as the company continues an aggressive M&A strategy to broaden its product stack. Most recently, Talos acquired Coin Metrics for over $100 million, adding onchain analytics, market data and benchmark indexes in its largest deal to date. However, that transaction also positions Talos as a more comprehensive data and execution provider for institutions entering digital assets.
Before the Coin Metrics purchase, Talos had already acquired D3X Systems, Cloudwall and Skolem as part of its expansion plan. Moreover, this talos acquisition spree reflects growing demand for integrated trading, risk and analytics platforms rather than standalone point solutions, especially among banks and asset managers looking to minimize vendor complexity.
Market participants see these moves as building blocks for an institutional crypto infrastructure layer capable of supporting tokenization, derivatives and cross-venue liquidity management at scale. As more traditional assets shift onto digital rails, firms with consolidated execution, data and settlement capabilities are likely to gain a competitive edge.
Outlook for Talos and institutional crypto markets
For Talos, the combination of fresh strategic capital, acquisitions and a growing institutional client base strengthens its positioning in the evolving digital asset ecosystem. The talos funding round with Robinhood, Sony Innovation Fund and others signals that large players expect institutional adoption to continue, despite regulatory and macroeconomic headwinds.
Going forward, the firm is poised to leverage its expanded liquidity network, on-chain data tools and global footprint to capture a larger share of institutional flows. Moreover, as Robinhood and other partners deepen their crypto offerings, Talos’s role as a core infrastructure provider is likely to become even more important.
In summary, the extended Series B financing, rising traditional finance engagement and active M&A pipeline underscore Talos’s ambition to be a central hub for digital asset trading, data and settlement in the institutional market.
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