Japanese Financial Giant Invests in Bitcoin Exchange Kraken
Japanese venture capital firm SBI Investment is leading a Series B funding round in bitcoin exchange Kraken.
While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, Kraken said that a "multi-million dollar" investment had been agreed upon with SBI. Kraken did not say when it expected the Series B round to be completed.
"It’s a fantastic first step toward completing Series B, which will ultimately enable us to scale our business worldwide," said Kraken CEO Jesse Powell.
The announcement comes shortly after Kraken disclosed that it was acquiring New York bitcoin exchange Coinsetter in an undisclosed deal.
Kraken closed a Series A funding round in March 2014, raising $5m in a round led by Hummingbird Ventures, an early-phase venture capital firm.
Disclosure: CoinDesk is a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which has an ownership stake in Kraken.
DISCLOSURE
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.

