Key Takeaways
- • Komainu, a digital asset custodian, closed a $25 million Series A fundraise led by billionaire hedge fund manager Alan Howard, signaling institutional capital flowing into crypto custody infrastructure.
- • The round included strategic investors Galaxy Digital, NOIA Capital, and Nomura Research Institute, expanding Komainu's investor base beyond its original founding partners (Nomura, Ledger, and CoinShares).
- • Komainu manages over $3 billion in assets under custody, positioning it as one of the leading institutional-grade digital asset custodians globally.
- • Proceeds will fund expansion of custody services, global reach, and digital asset prime brokerage offerings—critical infrastructure for institutional adoption of crypto assets.
- • The fundraise reflects growing confidence among legacy finance and alternative asset managers in regulated custody solutions as a bridge between traditional finance and digital assets.
Summary
Digital asset custodian Komainu announced the closure of a $25 million Series A fundraising round on March 9, 2021, led by Alan Howard, the billionaire co-founder of Brevan Howard Asset Management and Elwood Asset Management. The round represents a significant institutional endorsement of Komainu's custody platform and reflects accelerating capital deployment into crypto infrastructure serving professional investors.
Komainu was established in 2018 as a joint venture between Japan's Nomura bank, digital asset security firm Ledger, and crypto investment firm CoinShares. The three founding partners retained participation in this latest funding round. Beyond Howard's lead investment through Elwood, the Series A included strategic investors Galaxy Digital, NOIA Capital, and Nomura Research Institute, each of which became formal strategic partners to the firm.
The company currently manages over $3 billion in assets under custody, establishing it as one of the leading institutional digital asset custodians globally. Howard's participation underscores the level of confidence among hedge fund managers and asset allocators in Komainu's regulatory framework and operational capabilities. In his statement, Howard highlighted the firm's role in bridging legacy finance and digital assets, a positioning that aligns with broader institutional adoption trends in early 2021.
Komainu intends to deploy the $25 million capital raise to expand custody services and geographic footprint while scaling its digital asset prime brokerage business. Prime brokerage services—combining custody, financing, and settlement capabilities—represent a critical infrastructure gap for institutional investors seeking integrated digital asset solutions comparable to traditional prime brokers.
Komainu was established in 2018 as a joint venture between Japan's Nomura bank, digital asset security firm Ledger, and crypto investment firm CoinShares. The three founding partners retained participation in this latest funding round. Beyond Howard's lead investment through Elwood, the Series A included strategic investors Galaxy Digital, NOIA Capital, and Nomura Research Institute, each of which became formal strategic partners to the firm.
The company currently manages over $3 billion in assets under custody, establishing it as one of the leading institutional digital asset custodians globally. Howard's participation underscores the level of confidence among hedge fund managers and asset allocators in Komainu's regulatory framework and operational capabilities. In his statement, Howard highlighted the firm's role in bridging legacy finance and digital assets, a positioning that aligns with broader institutional adoption trends in early 2021.
Komainu intends to deploy the $25 million capital raise to expand custody services and geographic footprint while scaling its digital asset prime brokerage business. Prime brokerage services—combining custody, financing, and settlement capabilities—represent a critical infrastructure gap for institutional investors seeking integrated digital asset solutions comparable to traditional prime brokers.
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