Loading organizations...
Key people at Deribit.
Deribit was founded in 2015 by Marius Jansen (Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer) and John Jansen (Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer).
Deribit operates a cryptocurrency futures and options exchange, providing a high-capacity matching engine, low latency, and robust risk management for digital asset trading. Its product suite includes inverse options, futures, and perpetual contracts for Bitcoin and Ethereum, alongside USDC-settled altcoin offerings, spot markets, and DVOL futures. The platform is designed to facilitate sophisticated derivative strategies for its user base.
Established in June 2016 after two years of development, Deribit was founded by John and Marius Jansen. Their insight into the nascent crypto market’s demand for institutional-grade derivative products, especially options, which were largely unavailable, led to creating the world's first dedicated cryptocurrency options exchange. This pioneering approach addressed a critical need for advanced financial instruments in the emerging digital asset space.
The exchange serves professional and institutional traders seeking tools for hedging, arbitrage, and speculative strategies in the volatile crypto landscape. Deribit aims to remain at the forefront of the cryptocurrency derivatives market, continuously refining its offerings. The company envisions a future where cryptocurrencies achieve widespread adoption and are actively traded by millions globally.
Deribit was founded in 2015 by Marius Jansen (Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer) and John Jansen (Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer).
Deribit is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives exchange specializing in options, futures, and perpetual contracts primarily for Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH), with expanded support for altcoins like SOL, spot markets, and volatility index futures.[1][2][5] It serves professional traders, institutions, and experienced retail users seeking high-leverage (up to 50x) trading in a low-latency environment with rock-bottom fees (-0.02% maker rebates to 0.05% taker fees) and superior liquidity, solving the need for reliable, high-volume crypto derivatives amid volatile markets.[2][5] Deribit dominates the crypto options space with the majority of global open interest (OI) and volume—recently reported at ~$60 billion OI and over $1 trillion in notional volume—while maintaining zero socialized losses through advanced risk management.[1][6] Now part of Coinbase as of 2025, it manages ~$1.46 billion in assets and continues expanding products like USDC-settled contracts and yield-bearing spot assets.[1][4][6]
Deribit was founded in 2016 in the Netherlands by brothers John Jansen (CEO) and Marius Jansen (COO), alongside Sebastian Smyczýnski (CTO), with John bringing decades of traditional options trading experience from the Amsterdam Exchange since 1999.[1][2][3] The idea emerged in 2012 when John discovered Bitcoin and identified a gap for dedicated crypto options trading; by early 2014, he partnered with Sebastian, launching the world's first cryptocurrency options exchange in June 2016 after two years of development despite intense challenges.[1][3] Initially BTC-focused from its Dutch roots (Ermelo address), it evolved from inverse BTC/ETH options to a broader suite including perpetuals, altcoin futures, spot, and DVOL futures, relocating headquarters to Dubai (with offices globally) and legally basing as DRB Panama Inc. for crypto-friendly operations.[1][2][4] Early traction came from high matching engine capacity and liquidity leadership, sustaining growth through product expansions and a perfect security record (99% cold storage, no hacks).[1][3] In 2025, Coinbase acquired it, boosting its global reach.[6][7]
Deribit rides the explosive growth of crypto derivatives, which now dwarf spot trading volumes, fueled by institutional adoption, DeFi maturation, and Bitcoin/ETH as "digital gold/oil."[1][2][6] Its 2016 launch timed perfectly with Bitcoin's rise and options demand, preempting rivals like BitMEX while enduring bear markets through tech superiority.[3] Favorable forces include regulatory clarity in hubs like Dubai/Panama, Coinbase integration unlocking US/EU liquidity, and macro trends like ETF approvals driving volatility trading.[6][7] As #1 options platform, it shapes pricing discovery, hedging standards, and ecosystem liquidity—empowering institutions (e.g., via colo services) and influencing DeFi protocols mimicking its perpetuals model.[1][5][6]
With Coinbase's backing, Deribit is poised to scale globally, potentially integrating more fiat on-ramps, expanding altcoin/ tokenized real-world asset derivatives, and capturing tokenized securities flows amid clearer regs.[6][7] Trends like AI-driven trading, RWA tokenization, and BTC/ETH ETF volatility will amplify its edge, while mobile/institutional tools drive retail-to-pro migration. Its influence could evolve from niche leader to derivatives backbone, much like CME for tradfi, solidifying crypto's financial primitives for mass adoption—proving early visionaries like the Jansens built infrastructure primed for trillions in notional flow.[1][5][6]
Key people at Deribit.
| Date | Company | Round | Lead Investor(s) | Co-Investor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 2024 | StablR | $3.6M Seed | — | Blocktech Ventures, Folkvang, Maven 11, Theta Capital |
| Feb 16, 2024 | Ethena | $14.0M Other Equity | Brevan Howard Digital, Dragonfly, Maelstrom | Avon Ventures, Bybit, Franklin Templeton, Gemini, PayPal Ventures |
| Jul 1, 2023 | Ethena | $7.0M Seed | Dragonfly | 8VC, Dragonfly Capital Partners, Paradigm, Balaji Srinivasan, Arthur Hayes, Bybit, Gemini, HTX Ventures, OKX |
| Mar 1, 2022 | Thetanuts Finance | $18.0M Seed | John Jansen, Rahul Maganti, Darius Sit, Kyle Davies | — |
| Aug 10, 2021 | Horizen Labs | $7.0M Seed | Kenetic Capital | Artist Capital Management, Deus, Barry Silbert, Liberty City Ventures, LionTree Partners, Sound Ventures |