Celsius raises $400 million amid mounting regulatory pressure

Crypto lending firm Celsius Network has raised more than $400 million in a funding round led by growth equity firm WestCap, the company announced Tuesday. 

The raise—which values the firm at $3 billion—has closed as state regulators across the US are scrutinizing the company's offerings. In September, New Jersey's securities regulator ordered crypto lending platform Celsius to halt offerings of its interest accounts in the state. Subsequently, regulators in Texas, Alabama and Kentucky launched inquiries or ordered similar halts.

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That scrutiny hasn't appeared to halt Celsius growth, with the firm reporting more than $25 billion assets under its stewardship. 

"We are pleased by the response we received from many leading financial investors during this fundraise. The partnership with WestCap and CDPQ puts Celsius in a position to grow and further its mission to leverage blockchain technology to connect and decentralize the traditional finance," commented Alex Mashinsky, CEO of Celsius Network.

With fresh capital in hand, Celsius plans to expand its team from 486 employees to more than 1,000, according to a release. It also plans to make "strategic acquisitions."

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Frank Chaparro is Host of The Scoop podcast and Director of Special Projects. He also writes a biweekly newsletter. Chaparro started his career at Business Insider, where he specialized in the intersection of digital assets and Wall Street, market structure, and financial technology. Soon after joining Business Insider out of Fordham University, Chaparro was interviewing top finance and tech executives, including billionaire Mark Cuban, “Flash Boys” star Brad Katsuyama, Cboe Global Markets CEO Ed Tilly, and New York Stock Exchange President Tom Farley. In 2018, he become a sought after reporter in the crypto world, interviewing luminaries such as Tyler Winklevoss, the cofounder of Gemini, Jeremy Allaire, the CEO of Circle, and Fundstrat head Tom Lee. For inquiries or tips, email [email protected].