Deribit, the world's leading crypto options exchange, is exploring a potential expansion into the U.S. market

Deribit, the world's leading crypto options exchange, is exploring a potential expansion into the U.S. market, driven by a perceived shift toward a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment

Despite the U.S. administration's stance on crypto remaining largely unchanged throughout President Donald Trump's term, the president's administration has created an environment that appears more open to crypto firms entering the market, a move that could be aided by the president's stated preference for keeping jobs in the U.S.

That's the view of Deribit CEO Luuk Strijers, who told Block Decoded that the world's leading crypto options exchange is exploring a potential expansion into the U.S.

"We are actively reassessing potential opportunities in the U.S.,” Strijers said.

"There has been a recent shift toward more favorable regulatory thinking on crypto in the U.S., which we are evaluating closely."

The move comes as several global crypto firms are considering expanding into the U.S. Among them are cryptocurrency exchange OKX, which is planning a return to the U.S. market, and Nexo, the crypto lending platform, both of which are keen to capitalize on the Trump administration's efforts to make the country a global hub for digital assets.

The move also comes amid reports that Coinbase is in advanced talks to acquire Deribit, a deal that would see the U.S. exchange giant take a major foothold in the crypto derivatives market.

The acquisition, which is still subject to regulatory approval and would see Deribit's Dubai license transferred to Coinbase, would bring together two of the leading crypto exchanges.

Coinbase is pulling out of the U.S. market to focus on other ventures.

The U.S. regulatory landscape has posed challenges for crypto firms, particularly the complex regulations surrounding crypto derivatives, which some firms believe will lead to them operating parallel U.S. and non-U.S. markets to cater to global client preferences.

However, the Trump administration has shown an increasing openness to crypto, with officials signaling a shift in regulatory thinking.

This receptiveness, coupled with the president's stated focus on U.S. job creation, could be pivotal in facilitating further crypto firms' expansion into the country.