Bitwise Asset Management, which manages over $15 billion in client assets, has acquired Chorus One to expand its multichain capabilities. Announced on February 24, 2026, the deal integrates Chorus One’s $2.2 billion in staked assets into the Bitwise Onchain Solutions (BOS) division.
With this acquisition, Bitwise can now offer professional staking services on over 30 proof-of-stake networks, such as Solana, Avalanche, Sui, and NEAR. This is a key step in Bitwise’s plan to become a full digital asset platform, not just a fund issuer.
About 50 technology professionals from Chorus One will join the Bitwise team, while Chorus One co-founder Brian Crain will transition into an advisory role. Financial terms of the transaction remain undisclosed, though the merger brings Bitwise’s global workforce to nearly 200 employees.
Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley noted that staking represents one of the most compelling growth opportunities for clients holding spot crypto assets. By integrating Chorus One’s infrastructure, Bitwise aims to provide institutional investors and family offices with deeper research coverage and a fiduciary-first approach to protocol governance. Chorus One, founded in 2018, has built a reputation for technical rigour and reliability, supporting over 100,000 delegators globally.
This acquisition follows Bitwise’s previous purchase of Ethereum staking provider Attestant in November 2024, which initially launched the BOS division. The addition of Chorus One broadens this scope beyond Ethereum, catering to the growing demand for yield-producing digital assets. Bitwise now serves over 5,000 private wealth teams and institutional investors, providing them with direct access to validator infrastructure.
The integration of professional staking services highlights a broader industry shift where asset managers are seeking direct control over validator infrastructure. This reduces reliance on third-party providers and allows for more robust reporting for tax and audit compliance.
Proof-of-Stake networks are a major pillar of today’s digital economy, as DeFi Planet has covered before. One important update is the launch of the ESP token by Espresso Foundation, which is moving toward decentralized proof-of-stake. This move solidifies Espresso’s position as a base-layer protocol specifically designed for rollups.
This transition is timely, as Layer-2 infrastructure has become crucial to Ethereum’s scaling strategy.
