Architect Financial Technologies Raises $35M in Series A Round to Scale Perpetual Futures Exchange AX

Rhea-AI Summary

Architect Financial Technologies (COIN) completed a $35 million Series A strategic financing on December 23, 2025 to scale AX, the company’s centralized exchange for perpetual futures on traditional asset classes.

AX launched last month and is operated by Architect Bermuda Ltd. under the Bermuda Monetary Authority regulatory regime. The round was anchored by Miami International Holdings (MIAX) and Tioga Capital, with participation from Galaxy Ventures (GLXY), ARK Invest, VanEck, Trumid, Geneva Trading and renewed backing from Coinbase Ventures (COIN) plus other prior investors. Architect completed prior rounds of $5M pre-seed (2023) and $12M seed (2024).

Positive

• $35M Series A completed on December 23, 2025
• AX launched last month as a centralized perpetual futures exchange for traditional assets
• Round anchored by MIAX and Tioga Capital, with strategic participants including GLXY, ARK Invest, VanEck
• Operates under the Bermuda Monetary Authority regulatory regime

Negative

• AX is currently available only to institutions in eligible jurisdictions
• Trading platform operations are routed through Architect Bermuda Ltd.

Key Figures

Series A funding $35 million Strategic Series A round for Architect Financial Technologies

Pre-seed round $5 million Pre-seed funding completed in 2023

Seed round $12 million Seed funding completed in 2024

COIN share price $247.90 Price before Series A news publication

Daily price change 1.13% 24-hour move prior to this news

Trading volume 6,098,979 shares Today’s volume vs 8,538,748 average (20 days)

200-day MA $284.27 Technical reference level before this announcement

Market capitalization $66,098,474,344 COIN market cap before this news

Market Reality Check

$23.40 Last Close

Volume Volume 6,098,979 vs 20-day average 8,538,748, at 0.71x typical trading activity. normal

Technical Shares at $247.90, trading below 200-day MA of $284.27, and 44.25% under 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

COIN was up 1.13% with major exchange/data peers also positive (CME +1.75%, ICE +0.81%, NDAQ +2.20%, MSCI +1.68%, MCO +1.61%), but no peers appeared in the momentum scanner, pointing to stock-specific rather than broad momentum.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Dec 11	Wrapped assets bridge	Positive	-2.2%	Coinbase chose Chainlink CCIP to power cross-chain Coinbase Wrapped Assets.
Dec 09	Bank crypto access	Positive	+1.1%	PNC launched direct bitcoin trading for private bank clients via Coinbase CaaS.
Dec 03	Investor conference	Positive	-0.6%	CFO participation in Nasdaq London Investor Conference fireside chat disclosure.
Dec 03	Crypto literacy push	Positive	+5.2%	Partnership to provide free crypto literacy resources to underserved communities.
Dec 02	Conference appearance	Positive	+1.3%	Announcement of CFO fireside chat at Goldman Sachs Financial Services Conference.

Pattern Detected

Recent COIN news skewed positive, with 3 of the last 5 upbeat announcements seeing aligned price gains and 2 experiencing short-term selloffs despite constructive catalysts.

Recent Company History

This announcement adds another ecosystem-related milestone to Coinbase’s recent news flow. In December, COIN highlighted integrations such as Coinbase Wrapped Assets using Chainlink CCIP, PNC’s bitcoin access via Coinbase Crypto-as-a-Service, and multiple conference appearances, alongside a crypto literacy initiative. Today’s article emphasizes Coinbase Ventures’ continued participation in Architect’s funding, reinforcing Coinbase’s strategy of backing infrastructure and derivatives platforms connected to digital and traditional asset markets.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlights Coinbase Ventures’ continued role in building institutional trading infrastructure through Architect’s $35M Series A to scale the AX perpetual futures exchange. For context, recent Coinbase news has centered on wrapped assets, banking partnerships, and education initiatives, along with routine regulatory filings on insider activity and reincorporation. Investors may watch how AX adoption, further institutional partnerships, and Coinbase’s broader integration efforts evolve alongside these ecosystem developments.

Key Terms

perpetual futures financial

"first centralized exchange for perpetual futures on traditional asset classes"

Perpetual futures are contracts that let investors bet on an asset’s price without a set expiration date, combining the ability to use borrowed funds with a recurring small payment or receipt that keeps the contract price close to the actual market price. They matter because they offer continuous, high-leverage exposure and deep liquidity—useful for quick trading and price discovery—but also raise the risk of forced exits and amplified losses, so they change how investors manage risk.

centralized exchange financial

"the financial industry's first centralized exchange for perpetual futures"

A centralized exchange is a market platform run by a single company that matches buyers and sellers, holds users’ funds, and records trades—much like a mall operator who manages stores, handles payments and keeps the receipts. For investors it matters because this setup can offer faster trade matching, deeper liquidity and customer protections, but also creates reliance on the operator for security, custody and regulatory compliance, affecting risk, fees and access to funds.

perpetual contracts financial

"AX offers institutional clients novel perpetual contracts on foreign currencies"

A perpetual contract is a financial agreement that lets traders bet on the future price of an asset without any set expiry date; unlike a standard futures contract, it can be held indefinitely. It matters to investors because it provides continuous, often highly leveraged exposure to an asset’s price — like keeping an open tab where small periodic payments are made to keep the position active — which can amplify gains but also increase the risk of large losses and forced liquidation.

Bermuda Monetary Authority regulatory

"under the comprehensive regulatory regime of the Bermuda Monetary Authority"

The Bermuda Monetary Authority is the island's financial regulator and currency supervisor—think of it as the referee and traffic controller for banks, insurers, investment firms and the money system in Bermuda. Its rules, licenses and oversight affect how financial companies operate, how risky they appear, and how stable the market is, so investors watch its actions for signals about regulatory risk, compliance costs and the health of firms operating under its supervision.

hedge funds financial

"available to institutions — including hedge funds, market makers, family offices"

Hedge funds are private investment pools run by professional managers who use a wide range of tactics—such as borrowing, betting that a stock will fall, or using complex contracts—to try to earn higher returns than ordinary funds. They matter to investors because they can move large amounts of capital quickly, influence market prices and volatility, and offer the potential for outsized gains or losses along with higher fees and less transparency than typical mutual funds.

family offices financial

"including hedge funds, market makers, family offices, asset managers"

A family office is a private wealth-management firm that handles the finances, investments, taxes and estate planning for one wealthy family, acting like a household’s dedicated finance team or personal bank. They matter to investors because family offices can move large amounts of capital quietly and for the long term, become stable buyers or sellers in private deals and markets, and often back companies or funds in ways that affect valuations and access to funding.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

CHICAGO, Dec. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Architect Financial Technologies Inc. ("Architect" or "the Company") today announced the completion of a $35 million strategic Series A investment round. The funding will accelerate the growth of AX, the financial industry's first centralized exchange for perpetual futures on traditional asset classes, launched by the Company last month. Operated by Architect's Bermuda-based affiliate Architect Bermuda Ltd., AX offers institutional clients novel perpetual contracts on foreign currencies, interest rates, single stocks, stock indexes, metals, and other commodities, with the security of transacting under the comprehensive regulatory regime of the Bermuda Monetary Authority.

Architect's Series A round was anchored by Miami International Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MIAX) and Tioga Capital, with participation from a consortium of preeminent global financial services companies including Galaxy Ventures (Nasdaq/TSX: GLXY), ARK Invest, VanEck, Trumid, Geneva Trading, and other trading firms. The Company also received substantial renewed support from its earlier investors Coinbase Ventures (Nasdaq: COIN), Strobe Ventures, CMT Digital, and Third Kind Venture Capital. Broadhaven served as advisor to the transaction. Architect previously completed a $5 million pre-seed round upon its establishment in 2023 and a $12 million seed round in 2024.

Brett Harrison, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Architect, commented on the news, "Our team is excited to initiate AX's next critical phase of growth with the support of this strong group of strategic partners. We are grateful for their expertise and guidance as we advance toward the shared goal of catalyzing a new era in global derivatives trading."

AX is currently available to institutions — including hedge funds, market makers, family offices, asset managers, insurance and reinsurance companies, and lenders — in eligible jurisdictions. To learn more about AX and onboard to the exchange, visit https://architect.exchange or contact sales@architect.co. Sophisticated individual traders interested in trading on AX can access a waitlist at https://architect.exchange.

About Architect

Architect Financial Technologies Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides institutional trading technology, US electronic brokerage services, and a global perpetual futures exchange. Architect Securities LLC is a FINRA-registered Introducing Broker-Dealer for SEC-regulated securities and security derivatives. Architect Financial Derivatives LLC is an NFA-registered Independent Introducing Broker for CFTC-regulated derivatives. Architect Bermuda Ltd. is regulated under the Bermuda Monetary Authority and operates AX, a multi-asset perpetual futures exchange for institutional customers.

To learn more, please visit https://architect.exchange and https://architect.co.

This communication is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute a recommendation, investment, or legal advice. Readers should consult their investment, fiduciary, and/or legal advisors for guidance in making investment or business decisions.

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SOURCE Architect Financial Technologies Inc

FAQ

What did Architect Financial Technologies announce on December 23, 2025 (COIN)?

Architect announced a $35 million Series A funding round to scale AX, its centralized perpetual futures exchange.

Who led the $35M Series A for Architect and which strategic investors participated?

The round was anchored by Miami International Holdings (MIAX) and Tioga Capital, with participation from Galaxy Ventures (GLXY), ARK Invest, VanEck, Trumid, Geneva Trading and others, plus renewed support from Coinbase Ventures (COIN).

What assets does AX offer on the new exchange launched by Architect?

AX offers perpetual contracts on foreign currencies, interest rates, single stocks, stock indexes, metals and other commodities.

Under which regulator does AX operate and who runs it?

AX is operated by Architect Bermuda Ltd. and transacts under the Bermuda Monetary Authority regulatory regime.

Is AX available to retail traders or only institutions (COIN)?

AX is currently available to institutions—including hedge funds, market makers, family offices, asset managers, insurers and lenders—in eligible jurisdictions; sophisticated individuals may join a waitlist.

What prior funding rounds did Architect complete before the $35M Series A?

Architect previously raised a $5M pre-seed in 2023 and a $12M seed in 2024.