Crypto Data Platform The Tie Acquires Stakin in Cash-and-Equity Deal

The Tie, a crypto data and services platform for institutional clients, has acquired Stakin, a staking services provider with over $1 billion in assets under delegation. The deal marks The Tie's first acquisition and its entry into crypto infrastructure according to reports. Acquisitions in the crypto sector have been on the rise, with experts predicting a more active year for mergers and acquisitions in 2026 as per analysis.

The Tie CEO Joshua Frank stated that the acquisition expands the company's mission to build a unified institutional gateway to digital assets. Stakin operates non-custodial staking infrastructure across more than 40 blockchain networks and is based in Estonia according to data. The Tie has been net profitable since inception and financed the acquisition using its balance sheet and operating profits as reported.

The deal adds staking as a new business line under a newly launched infrastructure solutions division at The Tie. The Tie currently serves about 500 institutional clients, including hedge funds, asset managers, and venture capital firms as noted. The acquisition is expected to support growing demand for digital asset infrastructure as traditional finance firms increasingly seek access to crypto services.

Institutional participation in crypto has grown significantly in recent years, with traditional finance firms increasingly seeking access to digital asset infrastructure as observed. This shift coincides with a rise in mergers and acquisitions across the sector as firms look to broaden their offerings and consolidate capabilities according to market analysis.

The acquisition of Stakin aligns with The Tie's strategy to expand into infrastructure services, which include services like custody, staking, and compliance tools as stated. These infrastructure services earn revenue regardless of crypto price movements, making them less cyclical than trading-based businesses as reported.

Analysts expect 2026 to be a year of continued consolidation in the crypto sector according to forecasts. Experts predict that traditional market participants will become more active in M&A, while crypto acquirers may slow down as analysts suggest.

The Tie plans to expand its infrastructure offerings over time, with potential services including decentralized bridging, oracles, and remote procedure call (RPC) services as outlined. The company differentiates itself by offering a market intelligence platform rather than competing directly with custody or execution management systems as noted.

Regulatory clarity in 2026 is expected to be a major driver of M&A and institutional adoption as experts predict. As U.S. and international regulators continue to define the crypto landscape, more traditional firms are expected to enter the space according to market analysis.

Stakin will continue to operate independently, with no changes to its infrastructure or client delivery as confirmed. Commercially, staking services will now be bundled into The Tie's broader institutional platform as reported.

The acquisition is expected to support The Tie's growth strategy as it moves beyond its core market intelligence offerings into infrastructure services as noted. With the crypto market maturing, infrastructure services are seen as a key area of long-term growth as analysts suggest.

The Tie and Stakin plan to continue expanding into new areas of the digital asset ecosystem, including DeFi, tokenization, and stablecoin infrastructure as reported. Analysts suggest that 2026 could see the first major mergers of equals between crypto unicorns according to industry trends.

The acquisition of Stakin by The Tie reflects broader industry trends toward consolidation and infrastructure expansion as observed. As crypto markets continue to mature, more traditional financial institutions are expected to enter the space according to market analysis.

Goldman Sachs has upgraded Coinbase as it shifts from a trading-focused business to one centered on crypto infrastructure as reported. The firm expects Coinbase to grow revenue faster than peers over the next few years as analysts project.

Crypto advisory services and institutional players are increasingly viewing infrastructure services as a key growth area as noted. With regulatory clarity improving, more companies are expected to pursue acquisitions in infrastructure-related fields as market trends show.

The Tie's acquisition of Stakin is one of several developments in 2026 signaling a shift in the crypto market as observed. With clearer regulatory frameworks, more traditional financial institutions are expected to enter the space according to industry analysis.

The acquisition is also part of a broader trend of M&A in crypto infrastructure, with several companies expanding their offerings to include staking, custody, and compliance services as reported. This trend is expected to continue as more firms seek to offer a complete range of services to institutional clients according to market trends.

Analysts suggest that 2026 could see a new wave of institutional adoption driven by clearer regulatory frameworks and the expansion of infrastructure services as experts predict. As more traditional players enter the space, the crypto market is expected to become more institutionalized and less speculative as market analysis indicates.