UK-based digital asset exchange, broker and custodian Archax is set to acquire Germany’s Deutsche Digital Assets (DDA) in a move that further extends its regulated presence across the EU. The deal builds on Archax’s 2023 acquisition of Spanish broker KSCM, supporting its goal to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets across the UK and Europe.
DDA is a BaFin-regulated digital asset manager with around $70 million in assets under management. The firm offers crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) and other institutional-grade investment solutions, and maintains active distribution partnerships with European banks and asset managers.
This strategic expansion into the crypto ETP space complements Archax’s established focus on the tokenisation of real-world assets (RWAs). This was recently demonstrated in a landmark UK-first transaction where Archax partnered with Lloyds Banking Group and Aberdeen Investments to complete a tokenised collateral FX trade. In that transaction, Archax’s technology was used to tokenise a money market fund which was then used as collateral, highlighting the firm’s capabilities in bridging traditional financial instruments with digital asset infrastructure.
The acquisition of DDA will give Archax a foothold in both Germany and France, expanding its EU regulatory permissions to include advisory, distribution, portfolio management, and contract brokerage. This complements Archax’s existing permissions and supports its strategy to offer a full spectrum of regulated digital asset services, from tokenised securities to on-chain crypto products.
The move also comes as the UK opens to crypto ETPs, following the Financial Conduct Authority’s approval of their listing for professional investors earlier this year. Archax says the DDA acquisition will enable it to provide end-to-end access to digital assets, combining regulated exchange services, institutional crypto ETPs, and tokenised RWAs.
Graham Rodford, CEO and co-founder of Archax, commented: “Archax is an ambitious business, and we believe that our regulatory structure is on the way to becoming one of the most extensive in the digital asset industry, and acquiring DDA furthers that ambition. Germany and France for example, two of the largest and most regulation-driven markets in Europe, are covered via DDA’s existing structure and relationships. Hence, I’m delighted to see them joining our Archax family.”
Maximilian Lautenschläger, Managing Partner at DDA, added: “We’ve known the team at Archax for several years and have always seen how complementary our strengths are. Joining their family creates incredible synergy: we bring deep access to institutional investors across Germany, France, and Switzerland who are actively looking for tokenised products. At the same time, Archax opens the door to the UK market, where crypto ETPs are now gaining momentum among professional and soon, retail investors. The timing couldn’t be better. Together, we’re building what we believe will become the leading European digital asset champion.”
Archax aims to position itself as a leading European platform by bridging traditional finance and blockchain-enabled investment products.
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