CoinShares Buys Regulated Crypto Firm, Opening Door to Fund Sales Across EU

The deal concludes nearly seven months of consultation with the regulator following CoinShares’ acquisition of Napoleon in December

article-image

Blockworks Exclusive Art by axel rangel

share
  • Purchase of Napoleon Asset Management could also help CoinShares expand product range
  • “Our regulated status in a growing number of jurisdictions is one of CoinShares’ principal strengths,” CEO said

Digital asset investment firm CoinShares said Monday it has wrapped up its acquisition of an EU-regulated crypto company, opening the door for the firm to market its products and services across the region.

Following receipt of approval from French financial regulator AMF on Sunday, CoinShares has picked up Napoleon Asset Management, one of the EU’s first digital asset managers regulated under the bloc’s Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFM).

The acquisition bolsters CoinShares‘ offerings by leveraging algorithmic trading investment strategies and artificial intelligence developed by Napoleon, the firm said in a statement. The move also allows CoinShares to pursue its ambition to become a full-service digital asset investment and trading group, operating within a strong regulatory framework, it said.

As a licensed company under AIFM regulation, Napoleon is authorized to conduct business in other EU member states through what is known as “passporting.”

Once regulated by EU member states, passporting allows a firm registered in the European Economic Area to operate in another state without the need for further authorization from national regulators.

The deal concludes nearly seven months of consultation with the regulator following Jersey-based CoinShares’ acquisition of Napoleon in December. On Nov. 30 last year, CoinShares entered into a sale and purchase agreement to acquire the entirety of Napoleon and its subsidiaries for $14.5 million. The transaction was completed a little over two weeks later, whereby it awaited approval from the French regulator.

During that time, the EU has undergone significant regulatory changes, including a landmark approval by policymakers on the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) bill last week. MiCA seeks the implementation of supervisory provisions, consumer protections and environmental safeguards, among other measures.

Policymakers also reached a deal late last month on a new bill aiming to clamp down on crypto money-laundering activity by requiring exchanges and the like to collect and send customer data on transactions with no minimum threshold.

“After the recent events in the digital asset sector, it has never been more clear that strong regulation is needed for crypto to thrive,” CoinShares’ CEO Jean-Marie Mognetti said in the statement, referencing recent market turmoil spurred on by crypto lender bankruptcy filings and sector-related layoffs.

“Our regulated status in a growing number of jurisdictions is one of CoinShares’ principal strengths; it reassures our clients and demonstrates our plans to lead Europe’s digital asset sector,” the CEO said.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Unlocked by Template (1).jpg

Research

As AI supercharges surveillance, privacy becomes a prerequisite and the winning stack will combine confidentiality with selective disclosure. Zcash’s Tachyon, composable standards on Ethereum/Solana, and compliance-aware pools aim to make private rails the new norm.

article-image

Bain Capital Crypto and Haun Ventures co-led the round as demand grows for Bitcoin-denominated savings and annuities

by Blockworks /
article-image

NYSE owner’s investment values the prediction market at $8–9 billion, signaling Wall Street’s entry into event-based trading

by Blockworks /
article-image

Pineapple begins deploying its $100 million Injective Digital Asset Treasury, staking INJ to earn yield and fund onchain mortgage ambitions

by Blockworks /
article-image

Staking levels in the ether funds will depend on protocol unstaking queue times and anticipated redemption activity, firm says

article-image

ETF inflows, miner strength, and tightening supply drive Bitcoin past its prior peak amid renewed demand for scarce assets

by Blockworks /
article-image

The Guidestar team, led by Alex Nezlobin, will join Uniswap Labs to enhance automated market maker design and smart order routing

by Blockworks /