Acquire.Fi Advises IDEX on Sale to Katana, Enabling the Launch of Katana Perps
Acquire.Fi, the Web3-native M&A advisory firm, announced on March 23, 2026 the successful close of its advisory mandate for IDEX in connection with its acquisition by Katana. The transaction directly led to the launch of Katana Perps, a native perpetual futures platform now live at perps.katana.network. Acquire.Fi originated the deal, introduced the parties, and served as exclusive sell-side advisor to IDEX throughout the process.
IDEX brings nearly a decade of on-chain trading infrastructure experience, including a proprietary matching engine delivering CEX-grade performance on-chain, advanced order types, chart trading with take-profit and stop-loss functionality, and mature API support for professional integrations. Identifying the right acquirer for a team of that caliber required more than a simple introduction. It required a buyer whose strategic roadmap made the acquisition transformational rather than merely additive.
Katana was precisely that buyer. The chain had been building a tightly integrated DeFi stack spanning spot trading via Sushi, lending via Morpho, and token launches via Kensei. What it lacked was a native derivatives venue and IDEX filled that gap directly. Under the Acquire.Fi mandate, the transaction was structured to give both sides a clear strategic rationale. IDEX gained the resources and distribution of a purpose-built DeFi chain, while Katana gained a proven infrastructure team it could deploy immediately.
Matthew Fisher has been appointed CEO of Katana to lead the next phase of the company. Fisher brings institutional experience from prior roles at Diem, Polygon Labs, and Katana itself. Katana Perps launches with institutional market makers including GSR, Selini Capital, and Auros, and opens with Season 1 of a Points Program rewarding trading activity, liquidity contribution, and referrals.
The acquisition is consistent with the broader thesis Acquire.Fi has been executing: as crypto market structure matures, the most valuable infrastructure teams will consolidate into vertically integrated chains and protocols rather than operate as standalone applications. Acquire.Fi has advised on over 350 deals across its pipeline, including notable mandates like the Kraken/Vertex perpetuals DEX acquisition and ongoing engagements with regulated entities and high-growth digital asset businesses globally.
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About Katana: Katana is a DeFi-native chain built around a tightly integrated trading stack covering spot, lending, token launches, and now perpetual futures. Its economic model centers on KAT and vKAT as coordination and fee-distribution mechanisms across all native venues.
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