Nexo Returns to U.S. Market With Bakkt After SEC Lending Settlement

Nexo Taps Bakkt for US Return Three Years After SEC Settlement Over Lending Product
Nexo is preparing to re-enter the US market and is partnering with Bakkt as part of that effort, marking a notable move for the crypto lender roughly three years after it reached a settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission over its lending product.
The planned return highlights how some crypto firms that previously pulled back from the US are now pursuing a more structured path back in, often by working with established, regulated, or publicly visible partners. In this case, the connection with Bakkt signals an approach that leans on third-party infrastructure and compliance-focused market access rather than operating entirely on its own.
Nexo’s earlier SEC settlement centered on its lending product, reflecting the broader regulatory scrutiny that has surrounded crypto yield and lending offerings in the US. Over the past several years, US regulators have repeatedly raised concerns about whether such products should be treated as securities and how they should be offered to customers, prompting changes across the sector.
While the announcement indicates Nexo’s intention to resume US operations, the broader significance is the continued reshaping of crypto lending and yield services under regulatory pressure. Partnerships like this can serve as a way for companies to re-establish a presence while addressing compliance expectations that have become more stringent since the last market cycle.
