Consensys Software Inc. (CSI) has announced plans to split into two independent companies, each with a separate focus and leadership team.

 

Announcing the split in a press release published on the MetaMask blog, Consensys Software Inc. said it will be rebranded as MetaMask, with Joe Lubin serving as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

 

The second company, which will retain the Consensys name, will be a newly formed entity comprising CSI’s Protocols Group and institutional blockchain infrastructure business, including Linea and its broader portfolio of enterprise and Ethereum protocol infrastructure. Mike Kriak will serve as CEO, David Cunningham as President, and Joe Lubin as Executive Chairman.

 

Speaking about what both companies are expected to become, Joe Lubin, Chairman and CEO of MetaMask and Executive Chairman of Consensys, said MetaMask will grow beyond being just a self-custodial wallet and become a platform where users can not only hold their assets but also manage their money in diverse forms and across different aspects of their financial lives.

 

As for the new Consensys entity, Lubin said the company will continue to operate as a protocols company, with the newly formed team bringing Ethereum, Hyperledger Besu, and Linea protocol development together to enable enterprises and institutions to collaborate more effectively.

 

What Comes Next for Both Companies

 

MetaMask will continue to be an Ethereum first product company, providing self-custody services that allow users to hold and manage their assets on the platform.

 

The team will also continue working on its Open Money platform, which represents the company’s vision of transforming the wallet into a platform where users can hold, move, spend, save, invest, and grow their money in one place. As a step toward this goal, the team launched the MetaMask Money Account in June, enabling users to gain greater control over their finances.

 

Consensys will continue playing a key role in advancing Ethereum and other Ethereum related protocols, including the development of decentralized applications and protocols on the Ethereum blockchain network.

 

The team will also expand its work helping financial institutions and enterprises deploy blockchain infrastructure, including helping institutions such as banks, asset managers, payment providers, and market infrastructure firms access tokenized financial markets and stablecoins.

 

Standard Chartered, the British multinational banking and financial services group, has expanded its presence in the UAE by launching institutional spot trading for Bitcoin and Ether.

 

While this is not the first time institutional BTC and ETH spot trading has been launched in the UAE, Standard Chartered’s launch is unique, as it is the first Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) to offer institutional Bitcoin and Ether deliverable spot trading in the region and is currently the only global bank offering such capabilities in the Emirates.

 

By launching these institutional grade spot trading services, Standard Chartered enables eligible institutional clients to access deliverable Bitcoin and Ether spot trading through its electronic trading channels.

 

“The UAE has developed a clear digital assets regulatory framework that supports institutional participation and innovation,” Rola Abu Manneh, Chief Executive Officer, UAE, Middle East and Pakistan at Standard Chartered, said.

 

“Extending our Bitcoin and Ether spot trading capability to institutional clients is a significant step in broadening our regulated digital asset proposition in the market. By combining execution with secure custody, governance and the connectivity of a global bank, we are providing clients with a more integrated way to participate in digital asset markets.”

 

The launch of Standard Chartered’s institutional spot trading service came just a few days after the bank became the first authorized bank distributor of the HKD-backed stablecoin developed by Anchorpoint Financial Limited.

 

Standard Chartered has also been involved in several pro crypto and tokenization friendly moves, launches and partnerships. Notable among these was its acquisition of Zodia Custody in May, a move designed to support institutional clients.

 

Global cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase has launched derivatives contracts for eligible Canadian investors seeking to trade and speculate on a trusted platform.

 

 

The derivatives contracts, which will be offered through Coinbase Financial Markets, are the first of their kind from a crypto native platform in Canada, giving investors access to highly liquid and regulated contracts, including 23 perpetual and dated futures covering assets such as Bitcoin, ETH, and SOL; five commodity futures covering gold, silver, and oil; and index futures.

 

Regarding the features of the newly launched derivatives contracts, Coinbase said in a blog post that the contracts are regulated by its financial markets arm, an entity registered with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The contracts will also be flexible, with nano sized contracts designed for investors with lower upfront capital requirements.

 

Coinbase’s derivatives contract launch comes at a time when the exchange has rolled out more customizable charting and interface features on Coinbase Advanced.

 

Rather than forcing every trader to use the same chart setup, the rollout is aimed at making it easier for traders to customize their trading screens. Traders can switch between candlestick and line charts, change time frames, adjust chart settings and technical indicators, and use drawing tools.

 

The benefits of these features are that traders can spot market trends faster, identify potential entry and exit points, and analyze market movements more effectively.