Bakkt Acquires Stablecoin Infrastructure Provider in $178M Stock Deal

Bakkt Holdings announced the acquisition of Distributed Technologies Research (DTR), a stablecoin and fiat payments infrastructure provider, on January 12, 2026. The move is part of Bakkt's broader strategy to consolidate its stablecoin settlement infrastructure and expand its financial platform according to Cointelegraph.

The acquisition is structured as an all-stock deal, with Bakkt issuing approximately 9.13 million shares of its Class A common stock to DTR shareholders. This represents 31.5% of the "Bakkt Share Number" as defined in the cooperation agreement.

Bakkt also announced plans to rebrand as "Bakkt, Inc." effective January 22, 2026. The company is preparing for an investor event on March 17, 2026 to further detail its strategy and progress.

Why the Move Happened

The acquisition aims to accelerate Bakkt's time-to-market for stablecoin settlement and reduce reliance on third-party providers. DTR's infrastructure is expected to support Bakkt's expansion into payments and banking use cases in 2026 according to Investing.com.

The deal follows a comprehensive review by an independent special committee of Bakkt's board. Intercontinental Exchange, Bakkt's largest shareholder, has pledged to support the transaction.

How Markets Reacted

Bakkt's stock price surged more than 20% in the 24 hours before the announcement. At $19.54 per share, the deal is valued at over $178 million.

The acquisition aligns with a broader trend of increasing M&A activity in the crypto sector. In 2025, the industry saw $8.6 billion in deals, including major transactions like Coinbase's acquisition of Deribit.

What Analysts Are Watching

The deal requires regulatory and shareholder approval. Analysts are closely monitoring how the market reacts to the integration of DTR's technology into Bakkt's platform.

The rebranding to Bakkt, Inc. and the planned investor day will be key milestones to watch. These events may influence investor sentiment and stock performance.

The acquisition also positions Bakkt to compete more effectively in the growing stablecoin and digital finance markets. Analysts will be looking for updates on revenue growth and market share expansion in the coming quarters.