Core Insights - Paxos is acquiring Fordefi, an institutional crypto wallet startup, for over $100 million to meet rising demand for regulated access to decentralized finance (DeFi) products [1][3] Company Overview - Paxos is known for issuing stablecoins, including PayPal USD, and aims to enhance its offerings in the crypto economy through this acquisition [1][6] - Fordefi operates multi-party computation (MPC)-based wallets, providing secure crypto custody and DeFi protocol interaction for approximately 300 clients [2] Strategic Implications - The acquisition allows Paxos to integrate Fordefi's technology into its custody infrastructure while Fordefi continues to operate independently [2][3] - This deal marks Paxos' second acquisition in the past year, following the purchase of Membrane Finance, indicating a trend of growing institutional interest in tokenized assets and decentralized lending [4] Product Expansion - Since 2023, Paxos has launched several new stablecoins, including PayPal's PYUSD, USDG, and USDH, with plans for further growth in 2025 [5] - The acquisition reinforces Paxos' strategy to provide customers with more ways to engage in the crypto economy, including stablecoins, custody, and DeFi solutions under regulatory oversight [6]