KR1 debuted on the London Stock Exchange (Main Market), following a migration from the AQSE market to attract a more institutional investor profile. The move positions the company as a bridge between digital assets and established public markets, aligning its listing venue with its ambition to reach a “blue‑chip” standing.
The company transferred 177,949,520 ordinary shares to the Main Market, trading under the ticker 0A9X from the admission date. KR1 grounds the decision in the search for greater visibility and access to institutional investors, and in its intention to scale within more demanding governance frameworks.
Co‑founders George McDonaugh and Keld van Schreven stated that the mission is to provide “credible, institutional‑grade exposure to digital assets and decentralized technologies in London’s public markets”, framing the listing as a step toward mainstream recognition.
Operationally, KR1 reported £12.8 M in staking revenue during 2024, representing an 86.4% increase versus 2023. Staking: process by which digital assets are locked to contribute to the security of a blockchain network and generate rewards. The company had been listed on the Aquis Stock Exchange since its founding in 2016 before attempting this transition.
Regulation, governance and impact for investors
The entry into the Main Market comes after reforms to the London Stock Exchange listing rules in 2024 that raised standards of transparency and governance for listed companies. That framework forces firms with cryptocurrency operations to strengthen reporting controls and compliance practices, including traceability of revenues and KYC/AML policies where applicable.
For investors and product teams, the listing implies two practical effects: more direct access to institutional capital and greater regulatory scrutiny. In the short term, experimentation with products linked to staking and digital assets will need to be reconciled with the periodic disclosure obligations inherent to the Main Market. In the medium term, visibility could reduce the perceived risk premium for some managers, but it will increase the demands on metrics such as AUM, NAV and custody practices.
KR1’s move to the London Main Market is a deliberate gesture to legitimize its business model before institutional investors and regulators. The transaction tests the ability of a crypto‑native business to meet traditional governance standards, and will serve as a test case for the integration of staking firms and tokenization into public markets.
