21X, a pioneer in regulated on-chain trading and settlement, has announced its entry into the American market with a new Delaware-incorporated entity and a primary office in New York. The company’s U.S. expansion marks the next phase of its global growth strategy and sets the stage for the launch of a fully regulated blockchain-enabled exchange for digital financial instruments. Building on its successful European debut in September 2025, 21X is preparing to replicate its model in the world’s largest capital market.
The move comes amid growing interest from regulators and institutions in the application of distributed ledger technology (DLT) for financial markets. Preliminary meetings with the U.S. Crypto Taskforce and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have allowed 21X to present its vision for capital markets characterized by faster settlement, reduced costs, and enhanced transparency. The company now plans to submit its application for SEC approval, a critical step toward bringing its U.S. exchange to life.
“I am incredibly excited to announce the next major step in the development of 21X,” said Max J. Heinzle, Founder and CEO of 21X. “Our European exchange has created a new benchmark for capital markets, and now we are using that knowledge as a springboard to deploy the same infrastructure in the U.S. and bring those benefits of on-chain trading to the world’s largest and most vibrant capital market.”
The United States is the largest and most influential capital market in the world, making it a natural target for blockchain innovation. With trillions of dollars transacted daily, even incremental improvements in settlement efficiency and transparency can have far-reaching effects. For 21X, establishing a regulated exchange in the U.S. represents both an opportunity to scale and a test of blockchain’s ability to meet the demands of the most sophisticated market participants.
The U.S. launch follows the success of 21X’s European platform, which went live after receiving its DLT Trading and Settlement System (TSS) license. By leveraging its European credentials, 21X intends to accelerate the regulatory process stateside. The firm sees its model as a blueprint for how blockchain exchanges can operate compliantly within major jurisdictions while transforming the mechanics of trading and settlement.
Heinzle emphasized: “This represents a major milestone in the growth strategy of 21X — to bridge globalized capital markets with the world’s most dynamic blockchain-enabled exchanges for investors wherever they are in the world.”
The forthcoming U.S. exchange aims to deliver a suite of benefits that could reshape how financial instruments are traded and settled. Chief among these is atomic settlement, reducing the current T+2 process to T+1 seconds. By cutting out traditional intermediaries, 21X promises to dramatically lower friction, compress workflows, and reduce costs across the trading lifecycle.
Transparency is another pillar. By recording transactions on a public, permissionless blockchain, the exchange will provide a level of auditability and trust not typically seen in traditional markets. This feature is expected to appeal to both regulators and investors seeking clarity in an increasingly complex financial landscape.
The exchange will also democratize access by allowing a broad range of participants — from institutional investors to corporates — to engage directly with digital financial instruments. Supported assets will range from tokenized equities and debt instruments to ETFs, mutual funds, and structured products. This breadth is intended to unlock liquidity in previously illiquid markets and create new channels for investment.
21X’s European exchange provides an important proof of concept. By securing regulatory approval and launching a live blockchain-based exchange, the company has demonstrated that its model can succeed under strict oversight. This experience strengthens its case with U.S. regulators, who are cautiously evaluating how blockchain can fit within existing frameworks while ensuring investor protection.
In Europe, the platform has already shown how on-chain settlement can reduce friction and increase efficiency. By transporting this model to the U.S., 21X aims to prove that blockchain can enhance — not disrupt — the stability of global capital markets. The firm’s approach mirrors broader trends in financial innovation, where technology is being harnessed not to bypass regulation but to embed compliance and transparency at the core of financial systems.
Regulatory engagement will be key. Having opened dialogue with the SEC and the U.S. Crypto Taskforce, 21X is positioning itself as a collaborative partner. By prioritizing compliance, the firm is working to align its ambitions with the priorities of regulators and policymakers concerned with stability, transparency, and investor safeguards.
The expansion of 21X into the U.S. underscores a broader shift in global finance. As blockchain technology matures, its role in capital markets is evolving from pilot projects to regulated, mainstream infrastructure. Exchanges like 21X illustrate how blockchain can underpin core financial functions such as trading, clearing, and settlement — potentially unlocking trillions in efficiency gains and new liquidity.
If approved by the SEC, 21X’s U.S. exchange could set a precedent for other blockchain-enabled venues seeking to enter regulated markets. The company’s strategy of compliance-first engagement may also serve as a model for bridging the gap between innovation and regulation in financial services. With its dual footprint in Europe and the U.S., 21X is positioning itself as a global bridge for capital markets in the digital era.
For market participants, the implications are clear: faster settlement, lower costs, greater transparency, and wider access. For regulators, the project offers a test case of how blockchain exchanges can operate within established oversight frameworks. For 21X, the U.S. launch represents both a milestone in its growth and an opportunity to influence the future direction of global capital markets.
