Bitwise Buys Chorus One: Crypto Love Story or Billion-Dollar Blunder?

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Bitwise swallows Chorus One in a $2.2B staking feast, claiming it’ll expand their empire, boost network coverage, and turn institutional yield strategies into a global party. Or at least a very expensive spreadsheet.

Bitwise has officially acquired Chorus One, because nothing says “trust us” to investors quite like consolidating your competition. The deal promises to turbocharge Bitwise’s staking operations with Chorus One’s “scale, expertise, and wider network coverage,” which is just a fancy way of saying they’re hoping to avoid looking like a startup that forgot to grow up. The move also claims to address the “rising institutional demand for secure, yield-generating crypto infrastructure solutions.” Translation: Institutions are clearly just dying to park their cash in digital vaults managed by people who’ve never seen a balance sheet.

Bitwise Stretches Staking Reach Like a Contortionist

Chorus One, which proudly stakes $2.2B across proof-of-stake networks, is now Bitwise’s newest toy. Meanwhile, Bitwise itself oversees $15B in client assets. Together, they’re basically crypto’s version of a hydra-every time you cut off one head, two more staking strategies grow in its place. The transaction, of course, “adds a great amount to staking capacity and operational capabilities,” which sounds impressive until you realize it’s just code for “we’re hoping this doesn’t blow up in our faces.”

We’re thrilled to announce Bitwise has acquired Chorus One, a staking provider with $2B in assets-because who needs originality when you can just buy it?

The business has been folded into Bitwise Onchain Solutions, which now feels like the most corporate name ever invented. The rest of the sentence is lost in a sea of buzzwords…

– Bitwise (@BitwiseInvest)

Bitwise’s CEO, Hunter Horsley, confirmed the acquisition with a public update that was less “press release” and more “nervous TikTok dance.” The company also revealed Chorus One is now part of Bitwise Onchain Solutions, which is either a clever name or a cry for help. Take your pick.

Related Reading: Bitwise Files Prediction Market ETF for 2028 U.S. Elections | Live Bitcoin News

Bitwise Onchain Solutions now supports staking on over 30 blockchains, including Solana, Avalanche, and TON. Because nothing says “diversified portfolio” like betting on 30 different networks to not crash. Institutional clients, meanwhile, are “benefiting from diversified staking opportunities,” which is a nice way of saying they’re gambling with other people’s money.

The acquisition also brought 50 Chorus One employees into the Bitwise fold, swelling their team to nearly 200. Which is impressive if you’re a startup, but slightly less so if you’re trying to avoid becoming the next WeWork. Bitwise insists the integration is enhancing “engineering, security, and validator operations,” though it’s unclear if “validator” refers to blockchain nodes or just someone who checks their email.

Leadership Shifts: Chorus One’s CEO Becomes a Consultant

Chorus One’s CEO, Brian Crain, has traded his corner office for a director’s chair in an advisory role. Because nothing says “strategic integration” like downgrading your boss to “advisor.” Bitwise also emphasized “continuity and collaboration” between teams, which is reassuring until you remember they’re still trying to figure out how to keep their networks online.

Bitwise called the acquisition part of a “larger institutional yield and infrastructure strategy,” which is just jargon for “we have a five-year plan… if we survive the next quarter.” The firm also launched “curated vault strategies linked to DeFi protocols,” which sounds exciting until you realize DeFi is just crypto’s version of a house of cards.

Bitwise’s ultimate goal? To let clients “passively own ETFs while actively participating in blockchain.” Because why not mix the excitement of index funds with the chaos of staking? Staking, they argue, is “important for proof-of-stake security and decentralization,” which is true-until it isn’t. Institutions are now “looking for regulated staking providers,” which is a polite way of saying they’re terrified of getting sued.

Bitwise claims their Onchain Solutions already manage “several billion dollars” in staked assets. Chorus One’s “validator infrastructure” supposedly ensures “network reliability,” which is great, because nothing’s more reliable than a multi-billion-dollar system run by people who’ve never seen a power outage.

The acquisition signals Bitwise’s “commitment to long-term strategies,” which is either inspiring or deeply concerning depending on how many rug pulls you’ve seen. Either way, they’re clearly banking on the fact that “diversified crypto income products” sound better than “we’re all going to get rich together.” For now, Bitwise continues to bridge the gap between traditional finance and crypto-like a bridge that charges tolls in Bitcoin.

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2026-02-25 13:07