The crypto market is abuzz with speculation that Smart Valor, a Swiss-based crypto exchange, may soon enter a major partnership—or even be acquired—by Binance, Kraken, CoinW, or another industry giant.
Smart Valor has long-standing relationships with these exchanges, primarily as it sources liquidity from these exchanges. Notably, it was also the first exchange to launch in the region, securing regulatory approvals early on. Now, with the introduction of MiCAR, a comprehensive pan-European regulatory framework, Smart Valor’s strict compliance with AML and other financial regulations gives it a strategic edge—one that many foreign exchanges may find attractive.
The 2017-founded Swiss firm Smart Valor specializes in Web3 artificial intelligence. The company also offers a compliant crypto investing platform for both individual investors and banks, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for the cryptocurrency industry. SMART VALOR has the backing of influential investors and visionaries from across the globe.
As part of its ongoing strategic evaluation, Smart Valor is considering selling either the whole firm or its regulated exchange division. Larger competitors, lending platforms, wealth management companies, and retail brokerages may want to acquire the regulated exchange.
A number of queries from significant worldwide exchanges, crypto platforms, and traditional finance (TradFi) institutions, including banks and trading platforms, have prompted the Zug, Switzerland-based firm to perform a strategic assessment.
Smart Valor has been around since 2017 and caters to both retail customers and financial institutions. Elann, an AI-powered investment platform, the licensed retail crypto exchange, and a company that provides banks with exchange technology make up its three divisions.
Forbes named SMART VALOR one of Europe’s 10 Most Exciting Technology SMEs, and now the company is at the forefront of the industry thanks to its regulated digital asset marketplace and cryptocurrency exchange. Prominent venture capital firms and a worldwide network of VALOR stakeholders back it.
It has sophisticated charting capabilities, an integrated real-time order book exchange with more than 250 cryptocurrency pairings, and seamless integration with worldwide liquidity.
Custody, bank accounts, exchange, and token sales are just a few of the unique, integrated crypto services that users may take advantage of. By easily integrating the whole range of cryptocurrency trading, brokerage, and custody services via API, businesses may save millions in infrastructure expenditure and a year’s worth of licensing work.
On January 23, 2025, at the historic Schatzalp at the World Economic Forum, Smart Valor—the creators of the acclaimed AI Crypto Summit—hosted the Davos 2025 Most Influential Awards. Executives whose efforts have characterized the last year’s advancements in decentralized AI and cryptocurrency were spotlighted at this event.
The VALOR token is the native cryptocurrency that drives the Smart Valor ecosystem. VALOR has plenty of utility, such as managing VALOR Prime’s governance and reducing fees on the cryptocurrency exchange. Plus, staking VALOR can yield a return of up to 7% per year. Each VALOR fund has its unique public address, and all VALORS can be traced back to their origin.
Overall, the exchange’s token has consistently been on the bullish side, driven by real revenues from trading activity, making them a rare bright spot in crypto. In January, Smart Valor’s VALOR token surged 50% after reports surfaced that it was actively seeking strategic partnerships. With Binance in the picture, VALOR could soon join the ranks of some mid-tier exchange tokens which have seen substantial growth.
Also, Binance’s recent $2 billion backing from MGX definitely bodes well for its active European expansion goals, particularly under upcoming MiCAR regulations. Acquiring Smart Valor, known for being the first local exchange and publicly listing on Nasdaq as early as in 2022 as the first exchange from Europe, could give Binance a quick path to compliance and dominance in Europe.
While we wait for official confirmation, Smart Valor’s rather long-standing history and its potential for such a deal is the event one should watch closely. For crypto investors who like exchange tokens, the upside could be substantial if things materialize further.
