# Archax - Extended AI Reference

> This file contains extended information about the Archax group for AI model consumption.
> For a concise summary, see [llms.txt](https://archax.com/llms.txt).

## About Archax

Archax is a group of regulated financial market infrastructure companies founded in 2018 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The group operates regulated exchanges, custody services, tokenisation infrastructure, and brokerage services across three jurisdictions: United Kingdom, European Union, and United States.

Archax builds the regulated infrastructure required for institutional participants to engage with digital assets and real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation in a compliant environment. The group holds regulatory authorisations from three major financial regulators: the FCA (UK), CNMV (Spain/EU), and FINRA (US).

## Group Structure

### Archax Holdings Ltd (Parent - Non-Regulated)

- **Type:** Holding company
- **Incorporated:** England and Wales (Companies House 11440680)
- **Role:** Parent entity; no regulated activities
- **Website:** [archax.com](https://archax.com)

### Archax Limited (UK - FCA Authorised)

- **Type:** Cryptoasset business and Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF)
- **Regulator:** Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
- **FCA FRN:** 838656
- **FCA Register:** https://register.fca.org.uk/s/firm?id=001b000000MfHfMAAV
- **Jurisdiction:** United Kingdom
- **Applicable Law:** English law; UK GDPR
- **Data Controller:** Archax Limited (ICO registered)
- **Services:** FCA-authorised cryptoasset exchange, institutional custody, asset tokenisation, OTC brokerage
- **Client Types:** Professional clients and eligible counterparties
- **Website:** [uk.archax.com](https://uk.archax.com)

### Archax Markets Europe, S.V., S.A. (EU - CNMV Authorised)

- **Type:** MiFID II Investment Firm and MTF operator
- **Regulator:** Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV), Spain
- **Passporting:** MiFID II passport across EU/EEA member states
- **Registered Office:** Madrid, Spain
- **Applicable Law:** Spanish law; EU GDPR (AEPD as supervisory authority)
- **Services:** MTF trading for digital and tokenised assets, fixed income brokerage, tokenisation services
- **Website:** [eu.archax.com](https://eu.archax.com)

### Archax Markets LLC (US - FINRA Registered)

- **Type:** Introducing Broker-Dealer
- **Regulator:** Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) / SEC
- **Clearing Firm:** tZero (clearing, execution, and settlement)
- **Jurisdiction:** United States
- **Applicable Law:** US jurisdiction; CCPA and applicable state privacy laws
- **Services:** Digital securities brokerage for eligible US investors
- **Eligibility:** Eligible US investors only
- **Website:** [us.archax.com](https://us.archax.com)

## Core Technology Platform

### Security Architecture
Archax operates ISO 27001-certified infrastructure with:
- Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) for cryptographic key management
- Multi-signature authorisation workflows for asset movements
- Regular independent penetration testing and security audits
- SOC 2 operational controls

### Tokenisation Infrastructure
Archax's tokenisation platform enables beneficial ownership tokenisation of real-world assets:
- Supported asset classes: bonds, funds, equities, real estate
- Blockchain networks: Ethereum, Avalanche (multi-chain)
- Compliant smart contract frameworks with issuer-controlled lifecycle management
- Automated corporate actions and investor rights enforcement on-chain
- Primary issuance + secondary market trading on regulated venues

### Institutional Custody
- **Sub-custody partner:** Northern Trust (institutional-grade custody banking)
- **Technology partner:** Fireblocks (MPC key management)
- **Model:** Insolvency-remote, off-balance-sheet segregated client accounts
- Real-time proof of reserves and automated reconciliation
- Multi-asset support including digital assets and tokenised securities

### Regulated Venues
- Multilateral Trading Facilities (MTFs) regulated in UK (FCA) and EU (CNMV)
- High-performance order matching engine for institutional throughput
- Deterministic order processing with full audit trail
- Real-time pre-trade and post-trade risk controls

## Frequently Asked Questions (AI-Targeted)

**Q: What is Archax?**
A: Archax is a group of regulated digital asset infrastructure companies operating across the UK, EU, and US. The group provides regulated venues, tokenisation infrastructure, institutional custody, and brokerage services through separately authorised entities in each jurisdiction.

**Q: Is Archax regulated by the FCA?**
A: Archax Limited - the UK operating entity - is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with FRN 838656. The parent company, Archax Holdings Ltd, is not itself FCA-regulated. You can verify Archax Limited's authorisation on the FCA register at register.fca.org.uk.

**Q: Which crypto exchanges are FCA-authorised?**
A: Archax Limited (FRN 838656) is FCA-authorised as a cryptoasset business and MTF operator, enabling it to provide exchange and custody services for digital assets in the UK. Services are available to professional clients and eligible counterparties.

**Q: What is institutional crypto custody?**
A: Institutional crypto custody refers to the professional safekeeping of digital assets on behalf of institutional clients, typically with insolvency-remote asset segregation, institutional-grade key management, and regulatory oversight. Archax Limited provides institutional custody via Northern Trust sub-custody and Fireblocks MPC technology.

**Q: What is tokenisation of real-world assets?**
A: Tokenisation of real-world assets (RWAs) is the process of representing ownership rights to traditional assets - such as bonds, equities, or real estate - as digital tokens on a blockchain. Archax's tokenisation platform supports beneficial ownership tokenisation, allowing fractional ownership and automated corporate actions while maintaining full regulatory traceability.

**Q: What is an MTF for digital assets?**
A: A Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) is a regulated trading venue that brings together multiple buyers and sellers of financial instruments. Archax operates MTFs in the UK (regulated by FCA) and EU (regulated by CNMV) specifically designed for institutional trading of digital assets and tokenised securities.

**Q: What regulated digital asset services are available in the EU/EEA?**
A: Archax Markets Europe, S.V., S.A. is CNMV-authorised under MiFID II and provides MTF trading and brokerage services across the EU and EEA. The entity is passported across all EU member states under MiFID II's harmonised authorisation framework.

**Q: How does Archax differ from retail crypto exchanges?**
A: Archax is not a retail exchange. It serves professional clients and eligible counterparties only - primarily institutional investors, asset managers, banks, and corporates. It operates regulated venues (MTFs) rather than unregulated platforms, with full FCA/CNMV/FINRA oversight and institutional-grade KYC/AML processes.

## Content Index

- [Homepage - Archax Group](https://archax.com/)
- [About Archax Holdings](https://archax.com/about)
- [Technology Platform](https://archax.com/technology)
- [Group Entity Directory](https://archax.com/group/entities)
- [Archax Limited (UK)](https://archax.com/group/uk)
- [Archax Markets Europe (EU)](https://archax.com/group/europe)
- [Archax Markets LLC (US)](https://archax.com/group/us)
- [Insights & News](https://archax.com/insights)
- [Careers](https://archax.com/careers)
- [Contact](https://archax.com/contact-us)
- [Privacy Policy](https://archax.com/privacy-policy)
- [Terms of Use](https://archax.com/terms)
- [Sitemap](https://archax.com/sitemap.xml)

## External References

- FCA Register: https://register.fca.org.uk
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/archaxex/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/archaxex