Zebec Acquires Gatenox for In-House Compliance Tools

Zebec Network, a leading financial infrastructure company, has acquired Gatenox, a compliance and identity platform. This strategic acquisition aims to integrate core regulatory infrastructure in-house, enabling Zebec to expand into more tightly regulated markets. The deal brings native Know Your Customer (KYC), Know Your Business (KYB), and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) tools directly into Zebec's Web3 payment stack. Neal Padhye, the head of mergers and acquisitions at Zebec, highlighted the importance of regulation in the infrastructure, stating, “With Gatenox, we’re embedding compliance into the foundation of programmable finance, making Zebec faster, safer and ready for institutional scale.”

The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but it was confirmed to be an all-cash transaction. Zebec intends to leverage Gatenox’s technology to pursue regulatory registration under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) and with the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) later in 2025. Although Gatenox is not currently registered with any financial authorities, the team possesses extensive experience at regulated financial institutions. The founders of Gatenox, who previously established BLIK, the largest mobile payment platform in Eastern Europe, and Coinfirm, will join Zebec and advise on its compliance program.

This acquisition follows Zebec’s earlier purchase of Science Card, a platform designed to empower students and researchers with financial tools. The company streamlines campus spending, research grants, and budgeting. The move to acquire Gatenox allows Zebec to phase out reliance on third-party compliance providers, replacing them with Gatenox’s proprietary technology. Zebec will be migrating away from Sumsub, a direct competitor to Gatenox, after this acquisition.

Since its inception in 2021, Zebec Network has attracted significant investment, securing $35 million from notable investors including Circle, Coinbase, Solana Ventures, Breyer Capital, Republic, and Lightspeed Venture Partners. The company’s native token is actively traded on various exchanges. This strategic acquisition positions Zebec to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape more effectively, ensuring compliance and readiness for institutional-scale operations.