Soon-to-launch FX Trading Platform Secures $8.5M in Seed Funding

Vertex Protocol hopes to offer perpetual swap trading and a borrowing and lending facility with flexible collateral options

article-image

Blockworks exclusive art by Axel Rangel

share

key takeaways

  • Hack VC and Dexterity Capital led the round
  • The protocol hopes to be the first on the Terra blockchain to operate an on-chain orderbook with the automated market maker framework

Vertex Protocol, a decentralized FX protocol for multi-currency spot and derivatives trading, has closed an $8.5 million seed funding round ahead of its planned launch this summer.

Hack VC, the $200 million crypto seed fund headed up by Alex Pack and Ed Roman, and Dexterity Capital led the round. Other investors include Jane Street, Hudson River Trading, GSR and Huobi. 

“We are excited to partner with some of the top trading firms in the space alongside VC partners with deep knowledge in scaling new protocols,” Alwin Peng, co-founder of Vertex, said. “The capital and expertise provided will help propel our team forward and put Vertex at the forefront of [multi-currency] DeFi innovation.”

Currently, more than 99% of DeFi (decentralized finance) liquidity lies in US dollar-tied stablecoins, a spokesperson from Vertex said. While non-USD stablecoins exist, no viable protocol allows for trade between various fiat-linked tokens, which has hindered adoption and utility, the spokesperson added.

International traders looking to hedge currency risk between USD-denominated DeFi investments and their local currencies currently have few options for liquidity, and the Vertex team is hoping to change that. 

“As one of the largest liquidity providers in crypto, we recognize the potential of this protocol to contribute towards a vibrant market for investors worldwide,” Michael Safai, managing partner at Dexterity Capital, said. “We believe these products have a place in many DeFi portfolios, which is why we’re taking an approach to investment that will help ensure liquidity and growth for Vertex far beyond launch.”

Vertex plans to be the first decentralized trading protocol on the Terra blockchain to operate an on-chain orderbook with the automated market maker (AMM) framework. The protocol, once launched, hopes to provide traders with perpetual swap offerings and a borrowing and lending facility with flexible collateral options.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

  • Blockworks Daily: The newsletter that helps thousands of investors understand crypto and the markets, by Byron Gilliam.
  • Empire: Start your morning with the top news and analysis to inform your day in crypto.
  • Forward Guidance: Reporting and analysis on the growing intersection of crypto and macroeconomics, policy and finance.
  • 0xResearch: Alpha directly in your inbox. Market highlights, data, degen trade ideas, governance updates, token performance and more.
  • Lightspeed: Built for Solana investors, developers and community members. The latest from one of crypto’s hottest networks.
  • The Drop: For crypto collectors and traders, covering apps, games, memes and more.
  • Supply Shock: Tracking Bitcoin’s rise from internet plaything worth less than a penny to global phenomenon disrupting money as we know it.
Tags

Upcoming Events

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

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

Research Report Templates.jpg

Research

Bluefin possibly stands at an inflection point. The token is near an all-time low yet the protocol’s spot volume market share and derivatives exchange usage have been increasing month over month since its November launch. Given its current market position and the upcoming upgrades (for both Bluefin and SUI), there may be upside potential before the increased supply growth in December. However, strong opposition from existing competitors (like Cetus and Suilend), as well as new entrants (like Aftermath), pose key challenges to Bluefin’s medium-term success.

article-image

With a friendlier regulatory outlook and the airdrop flow being stemmed, some are looking to how new native tokens can become valuable assets

article-image

The recent action paints an uncertain picture for future monetary policy moves

article-image

Is the finance world becoming “more liquid”? Experts give their takes as TradFi players consider new moves

article-image

Ethereum core developers debated a major overhaul of the EVM, weighing complexity and benefits

article-image

Top Committee Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her opening statement accused Atkins of “helping billionaire CEOs like Sam Bankman-Fried”