Maelstrom, the family office of BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes, is reportedly targeting $250 million to establish a private equity fund focused on acquiring cryptocurrency firms.

According to a report by Bloomberg on Friday, the fund intends to allocate between $40 million and $75 million for each acquisition, potentially aiming for up to six crypto companies by September 2026. The focus will be on entities involved in trading infrastructure and analytics platforms.

‘Investors in the fund want exposure to the high-cash flow, high-growth crypto sector but lack the capabilities in-house to do this themselves.’ — Akshat Vaidya

Hayes, who previously served time at BitMEX, has recently gained more visibility in the crypto arena, providing market analyses and forecasts. He was among four executives who received a pardon from U.S. President Donald Trump in March after facing charges linked to the Bank Secrecy Act.

Interest in Crypto Acquisitions

Maelstrom’s endeavors suggest a resurgence of private equity interest in cryptocurrency companies, which had diminished after the collapse of the FTX exchange in 2022.

In 2025, Ripple Labs also made significant acquisitions, purchasing GTreasury for $1 billion as part of its expansion strategy.