Arkham Intelligence has announced its crypto trading platform will transition to a fully decentralized exchange rather than shutting down operations entirely. The move comes after the centralized exchange struggled to gain traction in a market dominated by giants like Binance and Coinbase.
Founder Miguel Morel confirmed the strategic pivot following reports that the platform was preparing to close. The data intelligence firm, backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, launched its spot trading service in early 2025 but failed to capture meaningful trading volume.
Low Trading Volumes Force Strategy Shift
Recent data from CoinGecko reveals the stark reality facing Arkham Exchange. While Binance processed nearly $9 billion in daily trading volume, and Coinbase handled $2 billion, Arkham recorded just $620,000 in the past 24 hours.
The company added a mobile trading app in December to boost user engagement, but volumes remained underwhelming. Arkham Intelligence boasts over 3 million registered users for its blockchain analytics services, yet that user base didn't translate to active traders on the exchange.
"The future of crypto trading is decentralized, and that's what we're building towards," Morel stated in response to closure rumors.
He criticized centralized platforms for becoming bloated and unresponsive to user needs, claiming they've become worse than traditional financial systems. The company declined to specify how many employees would be affected by the operational shift.
Competitive Landscape Proves Challenging
Arkham floated plans for a crypto derivatives exchange in October 2024, aiming to compete directly with established players for retail investors. The company's backers include high-profile names like Draper Associates, Binance Labs, and Bedrock alongside Sam Altman.
Despite this funding advantage, breaking into the exchange business proved difficult. The platform added spot crypto trading across several U.S. states in early 2025, but struggled to differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive market.
The native ARKM token dropped 3.6% to $0.1133 following news of the exchange restructuring. The decentralized exchange model represents a significant departure from the centralized infrastructure Arkham initially built.
Founded in 2020, Arkham Intelligence has built its reputation on blockchain data analytics and intelligence services. The exchange was meant to complement these core offerings, but market dynamics forced a strategic reassessment.
The transition raises questions about execution timelines and whether the pivot can salvage the trading platform initiative. Morel emphasized the company won't invest in maintaining bloated centralized infrastructure, signaling a commitment to the decentralized approach despite the operational challenges ahead.
3 Key Takeaways:
Arkham Exchange recording just $620,000 daily volume compared to Binance's $9 billion amid fierce competitionPlatform transitioning to fully decentralized model after centralized approach failed to attract tradersARKM token dropped 3.6% as company declined to specify employee impact from operational restructuring
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#SamAltman This Article First Appeared on: https://www.cryptonewslive.org/article/arkham-exchange-shifts-to-decentralized-model-amid-struggles