The completion of Earlyworks Co., Ltd.'s acquisition of Perpetual Markets Ltd. and subsequent rebranding to Perpetuals.com Ltd., trading on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol PDC effective January 20, 2026, represents a notable consolidation in financial technology. This transaction integrates Perpetual Markets into a combined entity focused on developing software solutions that bridge traditional financial markets and blockchain-based crypto markets. The company's core offering is its exchange software suite, Kronos X(R), which enables regulated trading venues, including European Multilateral Trading Facilities (MTFs), to operate with 24/7 self-clearing and blockchain-based settlement technology.
The importance of this development lies in its potential to reshape regulated digital asset trading infrastructure. By combining blockchain infrastructure with artificial intelligence, Perpetuals.com aims to transform how digital assets are traded. The company plans to operate its own Multilateral Trading Facilities in Europe later in 2026 and introduce new tokenized products. Furthermore, it intends to leverage proprietary machine-learning technology to develop AI-enhanced alternatives to traditional Contract for Difference (CFD) and perpetual futures markets. This could lead to more efficient, transparent, and accessible trading mechanisms for both institutional and retail participants.
Perpetuals.com develops and operates Kronos X(R), a proprietary multi-asset exchange platform and blockchain-based settlement solution designed to be fully compliant with European regulations including MiFID II, MiCA, DORA, and EMIR. The company provides financial market infrastructure as a service from Equinix FR2 in Frankfurt, Germany, alongside established venues like Eurex and Xetra. This enables clients to operate 24/7 trading of crypto spot, derivatives, tokenized securities, and structured products. Kronos X(R) clients include CySEC-licensed Multilateral Trading Facilities with EU MTF equivalence recognized in jurisdictions such as the United States, Australia, and Hong Kong, suggesting a framework for cross-border regulatory acceptance.
The implications for the industry are substantial. The Perpetuals.com team has a history of pioneering regulated tokenized financial products, including Pre-IPO contracts for major companies like Coinbase, Airbnb, and Robinhood—as previously reported by Forbes—as well as tokenized stocks traded on major exchanges like Binance, FTX, and Bittrex. Building on machine learning analysis of millions of retail trade transactions, the company has developed AI-powered risk intelligence that predicts trading outcomes in real-time. This technology aims to optimize derivatives hedging operations while enabling enhanced client protection in prediction markets. A new prediction market system based on this proprietary AI model is planned for announcement in the second quarter of 2026.
For more information on the company, visit https://group.perpetuals.com/. The original press release can be viewed at https://ibn.fm/hFZ6h. This move signals a growing trend of traditional financial market infrastructure embracing blockchain and AI to create new, regulated trading ecosystems, potentially increasing market efficiency and accessibility while addressing regulatory concerns.
