Nexo Relaunches in the U.S. as a Crypto Services Platform

Nexo is set to relaunch its digital asset services and crypto exchange platform in the United States on Monday, reviving a business footprint it abandoned more than three years ago amid a regulatory climate that proved inhospitable for crypto firms. The reboot is framed around clearer rules for digital assets in the U.S. and relies on a partnership-driven model designed to meet licensing and compliance benchmarks while offering a mix of yield programs, a spot trading venue, crypto-backed credit facilities, and a loyalty program for U.S. customers, according to Eleonor Genova, Nexo’s head of communications.

Key takeaways

• Nexo plans a U.S. relaunch anchored in Florida, with a management team to be announced, and a trading backbone provided by Bakkt to serve institutional-grade trading needs.
• The new structure includes services delivered through licensed U.S. partners, with certain activities supported by a third-party SEC-registered investment adviser to ensure compliance under U.S. securities laws.
• The move marks a notable reversal after Nexo exited the U.S. market in December 2022 due to what it described as a hostile regulatory posture toward blockchain firms during the Gary Gensler era.
• Regulatory dynamics in Washington—framing a potential pathway for crypto clarity—have evolved, with debates over framework bills like the CLARITY Act and ongoing White House-brokered discussions on stablecoins and market structure.
• The U.S. relaunch follows high-profile political events and promises to reintroduce crypto offerings into a market where policy signals have gradually tilted toward clearer, if still evolving, compliance standards. An April 2025 event featuring Donald Trump Jr. highlighted the strategic attention around crypto in U.S. political discourse.

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Sentiment: Neutral

Market context: The re-entry arrives as Washington weighs a regulatory framework for crypto markets, with the CLARITY Act gaining traction but facing political hurdles. A White House-facilitated meeting between crypto and banking representatives aimed at aligning stablecoin provisions underscores a broader push for market clarity that could shape how platforms operate going forward.

Why it matters

The renewal of Nexo’s U.S. footprint underscores a broader industry trend: companies that paused or scaled back operations a few years ago are testing the waters again as policymakers signal a willingness to formalize crypto rules. Florida’s selection as the operational base aligns with state-friendly licensing environments and a growing focus on local compliance infrastructure, a shift that could influence other platforms evaluating U.S. re-entry.

Crucially, Nexo’s architecture emphasizes regulated partnerships rather than a single, fully in-house regime. The company has articulated that certain services will be conducted through licensed U.S. providers and that advisory services will be furnished by an SEC-registered adviser in accordance with applicable securities laws. This approach signals a deliberate effort to align crypto offerings with traditional financial-market standards while preserving access to yield programs and crypto-backed credit tools that drew users to its platform in the first place. The move also reflects a broader industry trend toward asset custody, insurance considerations, and compliance-led product design as firms seek to reassure investors and regulators alike.

The regulatory backdrop remains nuanced. While Washington has advanced discussions around crypto market structure and clarity, the Senate has yet to assemble what it regards as sufficient bipartisan support to move ahead with major legislation. In the meantime, industry participants point to ongoing regulatory dialogues and evolving enforcement expectations as critical signals for strategic planning. The White House has described the need for compromise on crypto policy and has supported efforts to pass a comprehensive framework before midterm elections, arguing that stable and well-defined rules are essential for investor protection and market integrity. In parallel, a productive but unresolved dialogue between crypto and banking stakeholders on stablecoins highlights the complexity of reconciling innovation with consumer safeguards.

Nexo’s earlier exit in 2022 was framed by the firm as a response to an environment where “the U.S. refuses to provide a path forward for enabling blockchain businesses,” despite assurances from industry participants that constructs could be built to satisfy regulatory expectations. The company subsequently faced legal and regulatory actions tied to its Crypto Earn product, including a $45 million settlement with the SEC over unregistered interest-bearing crypto rewards and an additional $22.5 million multi-state securities settlement related to the earn program. These actions culminated in the shuttering of Crypto Earn for U.S. users shortly after the settlements were announced, illustrating the kind of enforcement risk that the new U.S. launch seeks to mitigate through governance, licensing, and robust advisory relationships.

The newly announced U.S. relaunch, with its emphasis on compliant, licensed pathways and a curated ecosystem of services, reflects both a reputational recalibration and a pragmatic strategy to re-enter a market that remains vital for global retail and institutional participants alike. The narrative around Nexo’s return is also part of a broader conversation about how crypto firms can navigate federal and state regimes in a way that balances innovation with accountability, a topic that has shaped many of the industry’s recent regulatory dialogues and enforcement actions.

“Nexo’s US offering is structured through partnerships with appropriately licensed US service providers. Certain services are made available via a third-party Securities and Exchange Commission-registered (SEC) investment adviser, which provides advisory services under applicable US securities laws.”

The Florida-based relaunch underscores a strategic intent to localize operations while leveraging external compliance rails. Bakkt’s involvement as the trading infrastructure provider will bring institutional-grade liquidity and risk controls to a platform that seeks to appeal to both retail enthusiasts and professional traders. The arrangement with a registered adviser is designed to ensure that advisory services align with U.S. securities rules, potentially expanding the scope of products that can be offered without triggering unregistered security concerns. These elements collectively indicate a cautious but purpose-driven path back into a market that remains critical to the broader crypto ecosystem’s growth curve.

What to watch next

• The timing and terms of the Florida-based management team’s appointment and whether any licenses or registrations are filed or announced publicly.
• The go-live timeline for the Bakkt-powered trading interface and the rollout of yield, lending, and loyalty products in a compliant framework.
• Formalization of the SEC-registered adviser relationship and the exact product mix that will be offered to U.S. customers.
• Regulatory milestones tied to U.S. crypto policy, including any movement on the CLARITY Act or related market-structure discussions.

Sources & verification

• Nexo’s official communications on its gradual departure from the United States and the rationale cited for exiting in 2022.
• Information on the 2023 SEC settlement and related multi-state securities settlements tied to the Crypto Earn program.
• California Department of Financial Protection & Innovation (DFPI) fine related to the firm’s lending activities.
• Ongoing policy discussions in Washington around crypto market structure, including the CLARITY Act and White House–brokered talks on stablecoins.
• The April 2025 exclusive event featuring Donald Trump Jr. announcing or signaling the U.S. re-entry, as reported in accompanying coverage of Nexo’s re-entry plan.

Nexo’s U.S. relaunch signals a new phase for compliant crypto services

The relaunch marks a deliberate pivot toward a compliance-first model designed to align with U.S. securities laws and state licensing requirements while preserving access to services that attracted users in previous years. By anchoring operations in Florida and building a framework around licensed partners and a registered adviser, Nexo aims to reduce the kind of regulatory friction that curtailed its U.S. ambitions in the past. The arrangement with Bakkt signals a preference for institutional-grade infrastructure, which may help the platform weather a market characterized by heightened scrutiny and cautious capital deployment.

In the broader context, the resumption of U.S. activities by Nexo sits at the intersection of regulatory caution and market demand. The sector continues to push for clarity on what constitutes a security versus a commodity, how custody should be structured, and which products can be offered to everyday investors without triggering sweeping enforcement actions. As policymakers weigh policy options, the crypto industry remains compelled to demonstrate that it can operate within a well-defined regulatory perimeter while continuing to innovate—whether through yield-based programs, lending products, or a diversified trading environment.