Key Takeaways
Crypto payment processor MoonPay acquired Israeli key management specialist Sodot for a reported $100 million to form the foundation of its new institutional-focused division. The all-stock deal underpins the launch of MoonPay Institutional, a platform designed to provide financial firms with a comprehensive suite of digital asset services.
"Boards and investors are asking management the same question: What is your digital asset strategy? MoonPay Institutional gives them the answer,” Caroline D. Pham, the former acting CFTC Chairman who will lead the new division as CEO of Moon Global Markets, said in a statement.
Sodot’s technology, which has secured over $50 billion in transactions across more than 10 million wallets for clients like BitGo and eToro, will provide the security infrastructure for the new platform. The new institutional offering aims to unify wallet infrastructure, custody, trade execution, and compliance tools into a single service, addressing a fragmented market. The acquisition follows a period of surging institutional interest, with Goldman Sachs reporting that 71% of asset managers plan to increase their digital asset exposure.
The move marks a significant strategic shift for MoonPay, pushing it beyond its retail payment roots to compete as a core infrastructure provider for the wave of institutional capital entering the digital asset market. By integrating Sodot's SOC 2 Type 2 certified security stack, MoonPay is looking to build a one-stop shop for regulated firms, a market that competitors like Fireblocks and Copper also target. The success of this division will depend on its ability to convert institutional interest into long-term clients within a highly competitive field.
Ivan Soto-Wright, CEO and Founder of MoonPay, described the institutional arm as "the next stage" for the company. The acquisition aims to solve a key challenge for institutions, which currently must stitch together services from multiple vendors to manage digital assets. MoonPay Institutional will offer a unified platform covering everything from KYC and compliance to DeFi access and stablecoin settlement.
"Joining MoonPay gives us the scale to expand our reach and make our technology central to how financial institutions secure and move digital assets," said Ido Sofer, CEO and co-founder of Sodot.
MoonPay's expansion is timed to coincide with significant growth in institutional crypto activity. The company noted that stablecoin transaction volumes reached $33 trillion in 2025 and exceeded $28 trillion in the first quarter of 2026 alone. This data, combined with survey findings from firms like Nomura Securities showing over two-thirds of institutional investors now seek DeFi yield exposure, highlights the substantial market MoonPay Institutional aims to capture.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
