About

GRVT is a cryptocurrency exchange that combines elements of centralized finance (CeFi) and decentralized finance (DeFi). It offers a trading platform with features such as self-custody of assets, on-chain privacy, and multi-layered security.

GRVT is an hybrid exchange and investment marketplace. Built on ZKsync's zero-knowledge rollup technology, it enables self-custodial trading with privacy features, where user balances are stored off-chain. Its products include:

• Perpetual futures trading for cryptocurrencies like BTC, ETH, ICP, and FIL, with one-click execution and low-latency matching.
• Tokenized investments in crypto and traditional assets, including real-world assets (RWAs) via Ethereum integration.
• GLP Strategy vault: A delta-neutral market-making protocol managed by a 40-year-old trading firm, offering ~48% APR based on six months of testing; access requires trading volume thresholds.
• Gas-free bridging for cross-chain deposits from centralized exchanges.

History

GRVT was founded in 2022 by Hong Gyu Yea, Matthew Quek, and Aaron Ong, with a vision to merge the performance and user experience of centralized exchanges with fully on-chain self-custody and security. The platform is headquartered in Singapore and is built on ZK Stack (zkSync) as the world’s first licensed on-chain exchange and hybrid investments marketplace.

In October 2022, GRVT was initially backed with a $2.1M pre-seed round led by Folius Ventures and 500 Startups. In September 2023, the team raised $5M in a seed financing round.

In September 2023, ABCDE joined as a long-term strategic partner to enhance liquidity and security in on-chain derivatives, leveraging zkSync for low fees and high speed.

In October 2023, Delphi Ventures and Matrix Partners were revealed as co-lead seed investors. Grvt solidified its position as the inaugural zkSync Hyperchain appchain, emphasizing institutional-grade self-custody trading.

By December 2023, the Phase 1 of the Ecosystem Reward Program rolled out, introducing point-earning mechanics tied to community participation. In the same month, the project also announced a partnership with Arbelos Markets - a principal trading firm - to boost derivatives liquidity using institutional-grade, low-latency systems in a post-FTX trust-focused environment.

In January 2024, Grvt welcomed CMS Holdings as a key alliance member, enhancing derivative trading liquidity and self-custody features. This built on 2023 partnerships, prioritizing safety and scalability for perpetual DEX trading.

By March 2024, the team secured additional funding from investors including QCP Capital, Selini Capital, and Antelope, alongside Matter Labs (zkSync creators). Launched private beta on March 19 for select influencers, onboarding 12+ major market makers for options and perps. Over 12 million waitlist sign-ups by launch.

By September 2024, GRVT partnered with 16 top firms, committing $3.3B in monthly volume ahead of Q4 mainnet. This solidified Grvt as a liquidity hub, with quotes from partners like Flow Traders highlighting innovation in digital assets.

By late 2024, the project built and launched GRVT Exchange on zkSync’s ZK Stack, grew its team and secured strategic partnerships for product and market expansion.

In January 2025, the team raised an additional $5M strategic investment for licensing (Bermuda upgrade, Dubai/UAE exchange license, MiCA in Europe) and product development.

By July 2025, they launched “GRVT Strategies,” the world’s first compliant peer-to-peer on-chain investment and wealth marketplace, offering tokenized strategies for retail and institutional investors.

In September 2025, GRVT closed a $19M Series A funding, with funds allocated to multi-pronged product strategy for active traders and passive investors, including fixed-yield generation flywheels, stablecoin integrations, cross-exchange vaults, and RWA features.

By November 2025, the team further expanded its offerings by introducing GLP Vault - a Delta-Neutral Liquidity Strategy, representing the next-generation approach to DeFi liquidity provision. GLP operates a delta-neutral, market-making strategy designed to capture spread and funding opportunities while maintaining minimal net directional exposure.