21 Mar 2022
The high crypto M&A activity continues into 2022
We have seen many crypto-related mergers and acquisitions so far in 2022, and with 41 deals YTD, we're currently on par to reach last year's record-breaking levels by year-end.
So far, in 2022, we have has seen 41 crypto-related M&A transactions. We are heading towards a total of around 160 crypto-related M&As this year, given that the current pace in M&A activity continues.2021 was a record-breaking year with a whopping 174 crypto M&As, almost three times as many as the previous record holding year of 2018. As the high crypto-related M&A activity has continued into 2022, it looks likely to end up close to the 2021 record, or even higher.The most significant crypto-related M&A by value in 2022 is the London Stock Exchange’s purchase of digital asset-focused trading system Tora for $325 million. In second place follows crypto payments provider Shift4’s $300 million acquisition of crypto donation platform The Giving Block. Still, in most of the M&As, the transactional value is not publicly disclosed, so there might be several bigger ones.Crypto exchanges have been particularly active on the M&A front so far in 2022, being the acquirers in eight of the 41 transactions. Coinbase, Gemini, Mercado Bitcoin, BitMEX, FTX, and Bitpanda have acquired other companies to improve their tech, access custody solutions, or expand into new markets by getting operating licenses.