Blockchain

BetDEX Closes $21M Seed Funding Round

Published

5 years ago

November 19, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

BetDex, a blockchain betting venture by former FanDuel executives, which was first unveiled late last month, has now completed a $21m seed investment round. This marks the largest-ever seed round by a UK startup.

BetDEX is described by the company as “the world’s first decentralised sports betting protocol.” Set for launch in the first half of 2022, BetDEX combines blockchain technology with sports betting, with the aim of transforming the consumer sports betting experience.

The $21 million investment round is led by San Francisco-based crypto investment firm Paradigm and Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which was recently valued at $25 billion after its own Series B-1 round was disclosed in October. Multicoin Capital, Hack VC, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sino Global Capital, Solana Ventures, and Everblue Management also participated in the round.

Former FanDuel co-founder and CEO Nigel Eccles becomes BetDEX’s Non-executive Chair, Varun Sudhakar is appointed CEO, and Stuart Tonner takes up the CTO role. BetDEX plans to scale the business from a base in Scotland and is now hiring for a range of positions.

Eccles co-founded FanDuel in 2009, with the company going on to become Scotland’s first $1 billion dollar-valued startup before being acquired by Flutter in 2018. FanDuel is now estimated to be worth around $30 billion. Varun Sudhakar, who began his career in investment banking in Silicon Valley, worked alongside Eccles in senior strategy and corporate development roles at FanDuel between 2015 and 2018, before going on to senior executive positions at other venture-backed startups in New York. Stuart Tonner was the first engineer hired by FanDuel, spending over eight years with the company, building the core FanDuel platform and scaling it to tens of millions of users.

In 2020, the global sports betting market was valued at $203 billion and is forecast to grow to $350 billion by 2024. Despite the immense size, popularity and potential of the sports betting market, it has been characterised by incumbents charging high fees and delivering minimal product innovation.

BetDEX aims to take the opposite approach, with a protocol built on public blockchain Solana, and will offer consumers extremely fast and low-cost trades, while eliminating counterparty risk. The protocol will be fully decentralised and open-sourced, allowing third parties to build their own applications and innovate on top of the platform. BetDEX plans to accept wagers in USDT, SOL and SAMO at launch.

Nigel Eccles, Co-Founder and Chairman of BetDEX, said: “Blockchain technology is set to revolutionise sports betting and we want to be at the forefront of that. It’s exciting to be founding the business with Varun and Stuart, and to be building it in Scotland. We are energized to have the backing and wealth of expertise that comes with having Paradigm and FTX as cornerstone investors.”

Varun Sudhakar, Co-Founder and CEO of BetDEX, said: “The sports betting industry charges high prices for poor products and limits trades by its most successful users. BetDEX is diametrically opposed to this approach, we will successfully compete against incumbents with a markedly superior product and low fees, which is now possible with the advent of blockchain technology. Winners will always be welcome on our protocol.”

Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO and Founder of FTX, said: “We are thrilled to be backing a team with deep industry expertise to transform the sports betting experience. It is mind-boggling that more sports wagering does not occur on exchanges – we firmly believe in giving consumers the ability and control to set their own price and are excited to partner with BetDEX to bring this vision to fruition.”

Arjun Balaji, investment partner at Paradigm, said: “It feels obvious crypto will transform online sports betting. DeFi has shown how financial markets can be automated and distributed to the benefit of consumers. Crypto can do the same for all other kinds of financial activities, including betting. The BetDEX team has the right combination of industry experience and technical skill to create something that shows the way forward for everyone working in the space.”

Blockchain

DeGaming launches Web3 iGaming platform, names Ulle Skottling CEO

Published

6 days ago

May 26, 2026

Wladimir P.

degaming-launches-web3-igaming-platform,-names-ulle-skottling-ceo

DeGaming has launched a Web3 iGaming platform and appointed Ulle Skottling as CEO, with the company positioning on-chain operations as a way to improve transparency across operators, affiliates and players.

The platform’s core product pitch is its proprietary “Glass Vault” technology, which DeGaming says provides real-time proof of funds and independently verifiable visibility of balances, transactions, and payouts.

DeGaming is also offering “Bankroll as a service,” routing transactions through its on-chain transaction engine to provide operators access to scalable liquidity for withdrawals and platform stability. The company said this is designed to reduce friction for operators trying to scale, while giving players visibility into the funds available on the platform.

The supplier said its unified platform combines game access, player account management (PAM) and reporting in a single blockchain-native operational engine. DeGaming added that operators can launch a customisable casino or sportsbook in “as little as two weeks,” including crypto and fiat deposits, automated payouts and a back-office.

Skottling joins as CEO to lead what DeGaming called its next phase. He has held senior roles at RAW iGaming, Videoslots and NetEnt. Skottling said: “The industry has evolved rapidly, but transparency and trust have not kept pace. It runs on what you can’t see, whereas we have built a platform that you can. We are challenging the model and defining the new standard for gaming infrastructure.

“Our Glass Vault technology gives operators, affiliates and players independently verifiable visibility into platform activity and funds in real time. The future of gaming will be built on openness, accountability and infrastructure that all participants genuinely trust.”

Emil Ahmed, co-founder of DeGaming, added: “Appointing Ulle as CEO is an important step in DeGaming’s next phase. We have built the platform around a clear belief that gaming needs more transparency, stronger infrastructure, and greater operational trust. Ulle brings the industry experience, commercial understanding, and leadership needed to take that vision to market and help operators launch with confidence.”

The post DeGaming launches Web3 iGaming platform, names Ulle Skottling CEO appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Blockchain

Blockchain.com Opens Malta Office to Anchor European Operations

Published

2 months ago

March 31, 2026

Wladimir P.

blockchain.com-opens-malta-office-to-anchor-european-operations

Blockchain.com announced the official opening of its Malta office, marking the next step in the company’s European expansion and its long-term commitment to building regulated digital asset infrastructure across the region.

The new office will serve as a strategic hub for Blockchain.com’s operations across Europe following the company securing its Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) license from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA). The license enables Blockchain.com to passport regulated crypto brokerage services across the European Economic Area under the EU’s first comprehensive digital asset regulatory framework.

“We didn’t pick Malta by accident. Malta has taken a thoughtful and forward-looking approach to digital asset regulation. At Blockchain.com, we’ve spent over a decade building a brand of trust and integrity, and we’re bringing that same professional-grade standard to users across Europe. This office represents our commitment to building trusted, compliant infrastructure for the crypto market,” said Nic Cary, Co-founder and Vice Chairman at Blockchain.com.

Blockchain.com’s Malta office will support a range of functions including regulatory engagement, operational development and retail client services across the European market. The company will soon launch its institutional business, partnering with some of the region’s leading licensed firms.

Blockchain.com operates in more than 70 jurisdictions worldwide. Since 2011, Blockchain.com has processed over $1.2 trillion in crypto transactions, created more than 90 million wallets and verified over 40 million users. As a global crypto brokerage, Blockchain.com provides individuals and institutions with secure access to digital assets while maintaining a strong commitment to compliance, transparency and security.

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Blockchain

SCCG Management Partners with Coinspaid to Support the Expansion of Blockchain Payment Infrastructure for Gaming Businesses

Published

2 months ago

March 19, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

sccg-management-partners-with-coinspaid-to-support-the-expansion-of-blockchain-payment-infrastructure-for-gaming-businesses

SCCG Management, a global advisory firm serving the gaming industry, has entered into a strategic partnership with Coinspaid Solutions, a blockchain payments infrastructure provider, to support go-to-market efforts for crypto-enabled payment solutions across selected gaming markets.

Under the partnership, SCCG will support Coinspaid’s business development, strategic introductions and commercial expansion across gaming operators, platforms and technology providers. SCCG states that it works across iGaming, sports betting, tribal gaming and broader gaming technology, drawing on more than 30 years of industry experience.

Coinspaid’s infrastructure enables businesses to accept more than 20 stablecoins & other cryptocurrencies, automate conversion into 40+ fiat currencies, and manage payouts and treasury operations through a single infrastructure layer with API and plugin-based integrations. The company also states that it builds compliance into onboarding and payment flows, including AML/KYC/KYB controls, on-chain monitoring, MLRO oversight, ISO/IEC 27001 certification and independent audits.

The partnership will focus on helping licensed gaming businesses evaluate where crypto payments can improve settlement speed, expand payment optionality for cross-border audiences, and streamline payout workflows, subject to jurisdictional review, onboarding and applicable regulatory requirements in each market. Coinspaid also highlights rate lock at checkout, automatic fiat conversion and final settlement on eligible crypto payment flows.

“As gaming businesses continue to expand across markets, the demand for payment infrastructure that is both commercially effective and operationally resilient is only increasing,” said Stephen Crystal, Founder and CEO of SCCG Management. “Coinspaid Solutions brings together payments, payouts and compliance in a way that aligns with how many operators are thinking about growth today. We are pleased to support their expansion through our network across gaming and gaming technology.”

“At Coinspaid, we see sustainable growth in gaming as a combination of product capability, operational reliability and a compliance-first approach,” said Max Krupyshev, Co-founder of Coinspaid. “Our partnership with SCCG is designed to help businesses assess where stablecoin payments can add real value from player deposits and payouts to treasury operations, while keeping regulatory and risk considerations central to implementation.”

The partnership will also include coordinated business development and educational initiatives, including executive introductions, and educational content for operators and technology partners exploring blockchain payment infrastructure.

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