Crypto services platform Nexo shared its plans to reenter the United States market on Monday, marking the eighth major crypto firm to announce such plans since US President Donald Trump took office at the start of the year.
Firms like Circle, Binance and OKX are banking on favorable regulatory clarity in 2025 to herald their US expansion. Bills like the STABLE Act and the GENIUS Act are advancing in Congress, which, if implemented, will lay the groundwork for swift success.
Trump and his family are actively involved in some of these planned expansions. Nexo’s recent announcement was backed by Donald Trump Jr., who said, “We see the opportunity for the financial sector and want to ensure we bring that back to the US.”
Amid concerns of conflicts of interest and blatant token shilling by the Trump family, it remains to be seen whether these upcoming regulations will adequately protect everyday investors. Regardless, these are the eight firms that have banked on big bucks in the US this year.
Binance.US resumes USD services; CZ seeks clemency
Binance.US officially reinstated USD deposit and withdrawal services less than a month into Trump’s presidency.
They were halted on June 13, 2023, on the back of a civil enforcement action by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), claiming willful evasion of US laws and operating illegally in the country. Binance later settled for $2.7 billion; then-CEO Changpeng Zhao paid $150 million.
Soon after halting USD on- and off-ramps, the Securities and Exchange Commission sued Binance and its then-CEO, Changpeng Zhao, with a lawsuit. The agency claimed Zhao and Binance “engaged in an extensive web of deception, conflicts of interest, lack of disclosure, and calculated evasion of the law.”
In November 2023, Binance and CZ agreed on a settlement with the Department of Justice that included pleading guilty to federal charges, including violating Anti-Money Laundering laws, a $4.3-billion fine, CZ’s dismissal as CEO and a prison sentence.
Zhao has sought clemency from President Trump, who has pardoned a number of crypto executives.
Zhao (right) discusses his clemency request. Source: Farokh Radio
eToro files for US IPO after 2024 enforcement action
Online trading platform eToro publicly filed its registration statement for a proposed initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “ETOR.” The IPO is anticipated to occur as early as Q2 2025, pending market conditions, with eToro seeking a $4-billion valuation with plans to raise $500 million by offering 10 million Class A shares.
The trading platform ran into some trouble with the SEC in 2024, when the agency claimed eToro “operated an unregistered broker and unregistered clearing agency in connection with its trading platform that facilitated buying and selling certain crypto assets as securities.”
As a result, eToro paid a fine and agreed to reduce its crypto offerings for US customers to Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Ether (ETH).
The move signals growing investor confidence in the future of retail cryptocurrency trading platforms in the US as the jurisdiction reorients its rules defining cryptocurrencies and loosens restrictions that made it more difficult for such platforms to receive banking services.
OKX relaunches in the US months after $500-million settlement
OKX, a major global cryptocurrency exchange, announced its reentry into the US market in April 2025. The company is implementing a phased rollout plan throughout the year and has established a new regional headquarters in San Jose, California. The firm also named Roshan Robert, recently of Barclays, as head of its US operations.
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The relaunch comes just months after the firm announced a settlement with the US Department of Justice (DOJ). US attorneys alleged that the platform “knowingly violated anti-money laundering laws and avoided implementing required policies to prevent criminals from abusing our financial system” for over seven years.
OKX paid a hefty $500-million fine, pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business, and agreed to pay for an external compliance consultant. In a statement, OKX said, “There were no allegations of customer harm, no charges against any Company employee and no government appointed monitor as part of the settlement.
Related: OKX to restart DEX with anti-abuse upgrades after Lazarus ‘misuse’
Robert told Fortune that the firm was ramping up its compliance and risk management infrastructures ahead of the relaunch.
He also cited the improving regulatory landscape as a contributor to the relaunch. “The rulemaking will take some time, but there is a path that we can see,” he said.
Nexo returns to US markets after deadlock with regulators
Nexo, a global digital assets wealth platform, announced its return to the US market on April 28, 2025, at an event in Sofia, Bulgaria. According to industry media, US customers will have access to Nexo’s asset-backed credit lines, crypto savings accounts and advanced trading options.
Nexo left the US in 2022 after 18 months of negotiations with federal regulators reached an impasse. Eight different state regulators had charged Nexo with allegedly failing to register its Earn Interest Product.
Nexo co-founder Antoni Trenchev credited the crypto-friendly approach of President Trump with his firm’s relaunch: “America is back — and so is Nexo.”
“Nexo is returning to America — stronger, smarter, and determined to win,” he added.
Circle relocates to NYC ahead of IPO
Circle, the issuer of the USDC (USDC) stablecoin, is relocating its global headquarters from Boston to New York City in early 2025. The move to One World Trade Center aligns with Circle’s plans for an initial public offering and reflects its commitment to integrating with traditional financial markets.
Circle filed for its IPO on April 1 and plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange. JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup are serving as lead underwriters. The firm is seeking a $5-billion valuation.
Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said, “Our new headquarters near the top of One World Trade Center is a symbol of the trust, security and stability we’re building as a critical infrastructure provider for the future of finance.”
Circle initially sought to go public via a blank-check firm in 2022, but the deal fell through. The deal would have valued Circle at $9 billion at the time.
Crypto.com introduces stock and ETF trading
Crypto.com is expanding its services in the US throughout 2025, including introducing trading for stocks and ETFs.
The company is rolling out these offerings in phases as part of its 2025 roadmap, including significant expansions of its banking, crypto, stock and credit card services for US customers.
The plan shows the company’s broader strategy of integrating crypto with traditional finance, a theme recurring with many crypto and finance firms operating in the US.
Travis McGhee, Crypto.com managing director and head of global capital markets, said that the firm is letting clients “marry up that capability [trading stocks and ETFs] with your crypto trading, as well as your crypto derivative trading.”
McGhee added that “there’s a lot of tailwinds” pushing the industry ahead, including an “administration that is […] looking to put a regulatory framework into place.”
“That just bodes well for a strong market and a strong future for crypto.”
a16z returns to US after initial UK move
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) announced that it is closing shop in the UK and focusing its efforts on the US.
In a Jan. 24 X post, Anthony Albanese, chief operating officer of Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto arm, said the firm will be closing its UK branch despite the “enthusiasm for crypto building and adoption” in the country.
According to Sifted, the UK government had spent five years wooing a16z to move to London, just for the firm to leave 18 months after it opened its offices there.
Related: A16z leads $25M funding for Miden blockchain project
A16z launched offices in London in 2023, citing the regulatory environment under former President Joe Biden as too unfriendly to the blockchain industry. Albanese said there was “strong momentum” behind the crypto industry with the inauguration of President Trump.
Per TechCrunch, other factors driving a16z’s relocation were the slow progress on crypto in the UK and the Labour government shifting its priorities away from digital assets.
Coinbase acquires Deribit in bid to capture derivatives market
US-based crypto exchange Coinbase bought crypto derivatives platform Deribit for $2.9 billion on May 8.
The merger makes Coinbase the largest crypto derivatives platform by open interest, per an exchange blog post.
The deal comes as major crypto exchanges like Coinbase, Kraken and Robinhood jockey to dominate the growing global crypto derivative market. On the day of the announcement, Coinbase’s international derivatives exchange saw $10 billion in trading.
Source: Coinbase
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