Several international cryptocurrency companies, including Dubai’s Deribit and others based in the Seychelles and Bulgaria, plan to launch operations in the U.S. due to shifting regulatory attitudes under President Trump’s administration. This follows years of caution due to strict regulations post-FTX collapse. The move signals a newfound confidence in the U.S. market, coinciding with increasing mainstream acceptance of cryptocurrencies.
The latest buzz in the crypto industry suggests significant movements as foreign firms eye the American market. Deribit, the world’s largest crypto options exchange based out of Dubai, has recently indicated that it’s eyeing opportunities in the U.S. CEO Luuk Strijers shared this news in an interview with the Financial Times, spurred by what he describes as a new, friendlier regulatory environment in the U.S.
Deribit isn’t alone; other major crypto players — like Seychelles-based OKX and Bulgaria’s Nexo — are also hopping on the bandwagon, setting their sights on the U.S. market. Major market makers, notably Switzerland’s Wintermute and Dubai’s DWF Labs, are gearing up to establish U.S. offices as well. This all comes on the heels of accumulated pressures; for years, many firms had shied away from the U.S. largely due to strict regulatory scrutiny following the highly-publicised failure of the FTX exchange.
What makes this shift particularly significant? Well, President Donald Trump has shown a keen interest in changing the tide for the U.S. as a digital asset haven. His administration has made pledges to position the U.S. as the “crypto capital of the world.” Since the elections, the SEC has paused or ended several prominent enforcement actions, while the Department of Justice dismantled its unit focused on cryptocurrency enforcement.
The Trump family is also diving into crypto waters, launching a variety of ventures from stablecoins to Bitcoin mining and memes. David Rutter, the CEO of British blockchain firm R3, voiced optimism about the newfound regulatory clarity, noting that the introduction of Trump’s memecoin signalled a noticeable change in the U.S. landscape.
As crypto careens into a new era of mainstream acceptance, recent legislative moves are noteworthy. The Arizona State Legislature has put forth initiatives that could lead to the first state-level Bitcoin reserve in the U.S. Meanwhile, Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, is planning to raise a staggering $84 billion to acquire additional Bitcoin, hinting at confidence in the asset’s future.
On another front, Brown University has unveiled a $4.9 million stake in BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, indicating a broadening acceptance of cryptocurrencies within traditional investment portfolios.
Amidst these developments, there’s a discernible shift in the way digital assets are viewed — not merely as speculative tools anymore. Voice from market analysts suggests that bitcoin ETFs are becoming integral elements of diverse investment strategies, and the once idealistic dream of decentralisation in crypto seems to be evolving into a realm of orderly integration while regulatory frameworks gain definition.
