OKX’s 2024 deal with Forteus and Komainu gave institutional traders a way to trade on OKX while keeping assets with a separate custodian. Forteus, the asset management arm of Numeus Group, could trade 24/7 while Komainu held its assets in segregated custody and cold storage.
On November 27, 2024, OKX’s institutional division announced the partnership in an X post, pointing to 24/7 trading, regulated custody, off-exchange settlement, and real-time balance mirroring. The deal built on OKX’s earlier work with Komainu Connect, which lets firms keep collateral with a custodian instead of sending it to a trading venue.
The setup matters because large firms often want fast market access without keeping all trading assets on an exchange. Komainu’s custody role separates asset storage from trade execution. That can reduce some counterparty risk, while the mirrored balance lets OKX know what collateral is available.
The collaboration builds on OKX’s integration with Komainu Connect, a collateral management platform launched in April 2023.
We’re pleased to announce a tripartite agreement between @OKX, @KomainuHQ and @numeusxyz for institutional trading:
1️⃣ 24/7 trading access on OKX
2️⃣ Regulated custody with Komainu
3️⃣ Off-exchange settlement
4️⃣ Real-time balance mirroring
Full details: https://t.co/uwKsrWYzAb— OKX Institutional (@OKXInsto) November 27, 2024
Why the custody model matters
Under the deal, Forteus could use OKX’s Liquid Marketplace for spot OTC trades, futures spreads, and options liquidity while Komainu kept the assets in custody. The goal was to remove the need for constant transfers between the custodian and exchange.
Moving crypto for every trade can take time and adds another point where something can go wrong. With off-exchange settlement, assets can stay in custody while their value is reflected on the trading platform.
OKX and Komainu had already tested this model before the Forteus deal. In June 2023, OKX joined Komainu Connect, giving institutional clients access to 24/7 trading while their assets remained under custody. OKX later expanded that work in November 2024.
The Forteus deal was therefore part of a larger change in institutional crypto trading. Exchanges handle execution, while separate custodians hold assets.
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OKX has expanded the model since 2024
OKX also named Standard Chartered as a third-party custodian for institutional clients in October 2024. That gave OKX another custody route for firms that wanted to keep assets away from the exchange.
In 2026, OKX took that model further. Its Standard Chartered collateral mirroring program lets institutional clients use crypto and tokenized money market funds as off-exchange collateral. The pilot operates within Dubai’s VARA framework, with Standard Chartered holding the collateral while OKX handles trading.
OKX also expanded into tokenized assets. In April 2026, it announced a framework with BlackRock and Standard Chartered that lets qualified investors use BlackRock’s BUIDL tokenized U.S. Treasury fund as trading margin while the assets can remain in regulated custody.
These changes show why the Forteus deal still matters. Institutional crypto trading is not only about market access. Firms also need clear rules around who holds assets, who executes trades, and how collateral is tracked.
Forteus remains active as Numeus Group’s digital asset management arm, while Komainu and OKX continue to build custody and trading links for institutional clients.
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