DeFi Technologies secures Nasdaq listing as Valour expands ETP ecosystem across Europe

Why Is DeFi Technologies Listing on Nasdaq Considered a Strategic Breakthrough?

DeFi Technologies Inc. has announced that it has received formal approval to list its common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market, with trading scheduled to commence on May 12, 2025, under the ticker symbol “DEFT”. The Toronto-headquartered fintech company, which operates at the convergence of traditional finance and decentralized blockchain ecosystems, described the uplisting as a transformative moment in its corporate evolution. The shares will simultaneously cease trading on the U.S. OTC Markets and continue to trade on the CBOE Canada Exchange (CBOE CA: DEFI) and Börse Frankfurt (GR: R9B).

Chief Executive Officer Olivier Roussy Newton said the Nasdaq listing marked a “significant milestone” that would increase institutional visibility, unlock liquidity benefits, and expand the investor base across both retail and professional segments. This strategic uplisting follows years of product development and regulatory groundwork aimed at legitimizing DeFi as an asset class within established capital market structures.

The listing is not associated with any fundraising activity, as the company maintains a strong balance sheet. As of April 30, 2025, DeFi Technologies held C$61.9 million (approximately US$44.7 million) in cash, USDT, and digital assets in its treasury. According to company filings, this provides sufficient runway to sustain operations and product expansion through 2025 and beyond.

What Governance Structures and Nasdaq Exemptions Apply?

In conjunction with its Nasdaq debut, DeFi Technologies filed a Form 40-F Registration Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has now been declared effective. While transitioning to Nasdaq compliance, the company will operate under several corporate governance exemptions permitted for foreign private issuers.

Specifically, DeFi Technologies will rely on the governance framework set forth by Canadian securities law and CBOE Canada rules instead of three Nasdaq provisions—namely, the independent director oversight of nominations (Rule 5605(e)(1)), compensation committee composition (Rule 5605(d)(2)), and shareholder meeting quorum rules (Rule 5620(c)). The company’s Compensation, Nomination and Governance Committee currently includes a mix of independent and non-independent directors, aligned with Canada’s National Instrument 52-110 standards.

The company intends to reconstitute its board committees after its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders on June 30, 2025. This step is expected to enhance governance alignment with Nasdaq’s corporate standards, further solidifying investor trust in the company’s U.S. capital markets positioning.

How Does Valour’s European ETP Growth Strengthen DeFi Technologies’ Business Model?

Alongside its listing, DeFi Technologies is also scaling its product ecosystem through its wholly owned subsidiary Valour Inc., a specialist issuer of regulated digital asset exchange-traded products (ETPs). On May 7, 2025, Valour announced the launch of two new products on Sweden’s Spotlight Stock Market: the Valour Curve DAO (CRV) ETP and the Valour Litecoin (LTC) ETP.

The CRV token underpins Curve Finance, a stablecoin-focused decentralized exchange (DEX) that facilitates low-slippage trades and provides critical infrastructure for automated liquidity in DeFi. The CRV ETP provides retail and institutional investors with regulated exposure to this protocol without direct token custody, governance risk, or wallet management.

Litecoin, long considered the “digital silver” to Bitcoin’s “digital gold,” brings with it over a decade of blockchain heritage. The new LTC ETP allows investors to access Litecoin through traditional brokerage platforms with reduced custody complexity and enhanced transparency.

These listings increase Valour’s Nordic footprint and support its broader objective of making compliant digital asset investment accessible across regulated financial markets. Each product carries a management fee of 1.9%, consistent with industry norms for actively maintained digital asset products.

What Other ETP Products Are Part of Valour’s 2025 Roadmap?

As of May 2025, Valour has surpassed 65 live ETP listings and is aggressively working toward a strategic milestone of 100 products by year-end. Several upcoming offerings include:

Single-Asset ETPs:

Future listings will include the Valour Tron (TRX) ETP, targeting investors focused on high-throughput blockchain infrastructure for decentralized apps, and the Valour Stellar (XLM) ETP, focused on low-cost cross-border financial transactions. The company is also preparing ETPs for MANTRA (OM) and Move (MOVE), available in SEK and EUR denominations.

Thematic Basket ETPs:

Valour is developing diversified thematic baskets such as a Digital Gold Basket—featuring Bitcoin (BTC), Paxos Gold (PAXG), and Tether Gold (XAUt)—and a Real-World Asset Tokenization Basket combining projects like Ondo, BUIDL, Centrifuge, and Maple, aimed at bridging off-chain assets to blockchain rails.

Leveraged ETPs:

To meet demand from more sophisticated traders, Valour is set to introduce 2x leveraged ETPs for both Bitcoin and Ethereum, offering amplified daily price movement exposure. These products are expected to appeal to investors pursuing tactical strategies amid increasing crypto market volatility.

In addition to expanding product lines across European exchanges such as Börse Frankfurt and Euronext, Valour is planning listings in new jurisdictions across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. This expansion aligns with the rising demand for institutional-grade exposure to digital assets, especially in emerging markets.

How Is the Market Responding to DeFi Technologies’ Nasdaq Listing and Valour’s Expansion?

Investor sentiment toward DeFi Technologies has been increasingly constructive, driven by confidence in the firm’s ability to operate at the nexus of regulatory compliance and digital innovation. The Nasdaq uplisting is expected to enhance trading volumes, trigger potential inclusion in indexes and ETFs, and broaden analyst coverage, thereby improving valuation multiples over time.

From an institutional perspective, DeFi Technologies’ listing lowers the barrier for asset managers, fintech-focused ETFs, and venture-aligned funds seeking U.S.-based exposure to blockchain infrastructure firms. Unlike many crypto-native companies still grappling with regulatory clarity, DeFi Technologies presents a clean listing narrative supported by compliance, transparency, and asset diversification.

In Europe, Valour’s new ETP launches have been met with optimism. According to Johanna Belitz, Head of Nordics at Valour, regional investors are increasingly moving beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum and seeking secure exposure to altcoins with real-world utility and governance relevance. The CRV and LTC products reflect this evolving appetite and help position Valour as a frontrunner in Europe’s institutional crypto adoption story.

Elaine Buehler, Head of Products at Valour, indirectly indicated that the selection of Curve and Litecoin reflects strong asset fundamentals and long-term use cases, reinforcing the company’s product development thesis that balances innovation with investor demand.

What Is the Strategic Outlook for DeFi Technologies and Valour in 2025?

Looking ahead, DeFi Technologies is expected to leverage its Nasdaq presence to attract broader institutional capital while maintaining operational flexibility through its existing dual listings. Analysts believe the company is poised to capitalize on the convergence between regulated financial instruments and blockchain-native innovation—a segment projected to grow significantly over the next decade.

Valour’s ETP roadmap will remain central to this strategy. The addition of leveraged, thematic, and multi-asset baskets could help it gain significant market share across the regulated crypto investing space, particularly as MiCA regulations and ESG-aligned fund mandates reshape European capital flows.

The company’s financial foundation, product cadence, and regulatory discipline offer it a competitive edge in a fragmented market of DeFi and crypto finance ventures. With over C$60 million in digital treasury holdings and no near-term capital needs, DeFi Technologies enters the second half of 2025 with a strengthened balance sheet and a sharply defined expansion path.

Should crypto market momentum continue and macroeconomic sentiment stabilize, DeFi Technologies and Valour are likely to be key beneficiaries of the next wave of institutional adoption in digital finance.