Prometheum, a market infrastructure provider for blockchain-based securities, and EDX Markets, an institutional digital asset trading venue with a central clearinghouse, are both offering crypto-as-a-service to traditional financial institutions wanting to enter onchain ecosystems.

This year Prometheum secured an additional $23m from a group of high-net-worth investors and institutions. The firm said in a statement that the new capital will support Prometheum in bringing digital asset products, including crypto, tokenized assets, and onchain securities into mainstream financial markets.

Aaron Kaplan, co-chief executive of Prometheum, told Markets Media that the funding will be used to build out distribution channels by integrating with different broker-dealers. He said: “It is our belief that distribution is one of the keys towards the transition to digital markets.”

In June last year subsidiary Prometheum Capital, a Finra member firm and SEC-registered special purpose broker-dealer, was authorized to provide correspondent clearing services to third-party broker-dealers.

Kaplan argued that this is a differentiator. Before receiving the authorization, Prometheum Capital could only serve its own customers. Correspondent clearing allows the firm to provide clearing, custody, execution and record keeping services to other broker-dealers.

“Our goal is to allow institutions to build out their digital businesses on both the issuer side and the broker-dealer side, as they have been looking to give their clients access to digital assets,” he said.

Prometheum was built to use the methodologies and standards of the brokerage industry such as FIX messaging or API integration their regulatory and compliance requirements.

The firm is onboarding its initial correspondent clearing relationships, according to Kaplan. He added that Prometheum is also working with major issuers of structured products, money market funds and onchain securities.

“We are a ‘one stop shop’ that allows issuers and broker-dealers to use our infrastructure as a service in order to build their digital business,” he added. “We allow this to be done through a fully vertically integrated platform including distribution, custody, clearing and settlement.”

There is competition from crypto-native firms who provide technology, as well as traditional financial infrastructures entering the digital asset space. Kaplan believes incumbents will choose to partner with firms such as Prometheum so they do not have to build a new technology stack.

“Major companies coming in demonstrates growth and shows that the space is being taken seriously,” he added. “I think it is a very positive sign for things to come.”

EDX FlowConnect

EDX Markets, an institutional digital asset trading venue with a central clearinghouse, said in a statement on 27 January 2026 that it is launching crypto-as-a-service. EDX FlowConnect provides access to institutional-grade liquidity, trading infrastructure, clearing and settlement without institutions having to build and operate their own infrastructure.

“Clients can choose from the out-of-the-box turnkey solution or a “bring-your-own-provider” approach – making it the market’s only fully flexible crypto as a service product,’ added EDX. “Additionally, by operating exclusively as an institutional-only trading venue, EDX serves as an unconflicted partner for retail firms.”

EDX FlowConnect was described as a fully configurable platform that supports trading in spot and perpetual contracts, third-party clearing and stablecoin on-ramp/off-ramp workflows.

Tony Acuña-Rohter, chief executive of EDX Markets, said in a statement that institutions are increasingly demanding infrastructure that reflects the standards of traditional financial markets. He added: “By combining established market structure principles with flexible, ready-to-launch capabilities, FlowConnect enables firms to bring crypto offerings to market faster while operating within the standards institutions rely on.”

Changing financial infrastructure

Hybrid financial services firms, formed by merging traditional finance incumbents with blockchain-native firms could become a new industry standard according to a report from Dfns, which provides wallets-as-a-service, in partnership with consultancy BCG.

The report, The Future is Onchain, said hybrid onchain financial institutions can integrate capabilities in riskmanagement, compliance, balance sheet management, client coverage and regulatory engagement from tradFi with programmability, composability, 24/7 global reach, and the ability to innovate quickly on shared infrastructure from blockchain.

“It could develop new forms of capital formation, liquidity provision and user experience,” added the report.

TradFi institutions are entering onchain ecosystems and adopting DLT to replace or complement their current technology stack. Crypto-native exchange platforms are already seeking regulatory approval for digital banking licenses for stablecoin deposits, yield farming, and DLT-based payments.

The report described the scale of opportunity as “significant” with estimates that the global blockchain services market will exceed $20bn this year.

“The regulators are harmonizing the rules for banks and digital asset  service providers,” said the report. “Under this scenario, a single set of regulations would govern both types of financial services firms.”