Quick Breakdown
- Capital One will acquire Brex in a $5.15B cash-and-stock deal expected to close in mid-2026.
- The deal brings Brex’s stablecoin payments capabilities into a major US bank.
- Stablecoin adoption is accelerating as regulatory clarity boosts TradFi interest.
Major US lender Capital One has agreed to acquire fintech firm Brex in a $5.15 billion transaction that combines cash and stock, marking one of the biggest fintech takeovers in recent years.
Today, we’re excited to share that Brex and @CapitalOne are joining forces in the largest bank-fintech deal in history.
This is an important milestone for Brex and a meaningful step forward for our customers. With Capital One’s scale and resources behind us, we’ll be able to…
— Brex (@brexHQ) January 22, 2026
Capital One said the acquisition is expected to close by mid-2026, subject to regulatory approvals. The deal brings Brex’s stablecoin-enabled payments technology under the umbrella of one of the largest financial institutions in the United States, highlighting how traditional banks are accelerating their push into crypto-linked services.
Capital One founder and CEO Richard Fairbank said the move supports the bank’s long-term ambition to modernise payments infrastructure, particularly for businesses.
“Since our founding, we set out to build a payments company at the frontier of the technology revolution,”
said Capital One’s founder and CEO, Richard Fairbank.
“Acquiring Brex accelerates this journey, especially in the business payments marketplace.”
Stablecoin strategy comes into focus
The acquisition could also strengthen Capital One’s exposure to stablecoins. In October, Brex announced plans to become the first global corporate card provider to support native stablecoin payments, starting with USDC.
Brex co-founder and CEO Pedro Franceschi said he will continue leading the company after the deal closes, noting that the partnership would allow both firms to scale faster and deliver more advanced tools to underserved businesses.
Interest in stablecoins has surged across traditional finance since US lawmakers passed clearer regulatory frameworks last year, including the GENIUS Act.
According to CoinGecko, the global stablecoin market has grown 18.6% since the legislation passed in July 2025, reaching a record $314 billion in market capitalization.
Meanwhile, Electronic brokerage giant Interactive Brokers broadened its crypto services, allowing clients to fund their trading accounts using stablecoins as part of a push to simplify global market access. The firm announced on Thursday that it has partnered with stablecoin infrastructure provider zerohash to enable account funding with USD Coin (USDC) across the Ethereum, Solana, and Base blockchains.
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