Virtu Financial has joined BitGo Prime’s institutional digital asset trading network, marking another major traditional market maker’s entry into regulated crypto infrastructure. The partnership, announced July 15, 2026, separates custody from execution—a departure from the bundled model typical of centralized crypto exchanges. BitGo handles qualified custody and settlement while Virtu provides liquidity and pricing, allowing assets to remain in custody while execution routes through Virtu’s network.
Both firms hold European regulatory authorization under MiCA. Virtu Financial Ireland secured MiCA passporting rights across all 27 EU member states, disclosed June 2, 2026, while BitGo Europe has held a BaFin MiCAR license since May 2025. The move reflects broader institutional infrastructure buildout, with Standard Chartered also developing crypto prime brokerage services. Virtu disclosed strong Q2 preliminary results alongside the announcement: $285 million expected net income and $718 million adjusted net trading income.
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FXnCO Insight
** Traditional finance firms with existing regulatory credentials are rapidly capturing institutional crypto market share, potentially marginalizing unregulated crypto-native platforms.
Source: Finance Magnates