Copper explores sale as bids fall short of $500M asking price

Copper, the digital asset infrastructure company best known for its ClearLoop settlement network, is shopping itself to potential buyers with a price tag of roughly $500 million. The problem: nobody’s offered that much yet. The sale process, advised by Cantor Fitzgerald, marks a pivot from earlier plans. As recently as January 2026, Copper was in discussions about a potential IPO. What Copper actually is now This isn’t the same Copper that tried to be everything to everyone. The firm exited its enterprise custody business back in 2023, making a deliberate bet to concentrate entirely on ClearLoop, its in-custody settlement system. ClearLoop enables what’s known as delivery-versus-payment settlement, a mechanism where the transfer of assets happens simultaneously with payment. The network currently processes more than $50 billion in monthly notional volume and connects over 1,000 counterparties. Assets stay in custody throughout the settlement process. Copper also holds qualified custodian status in the US through its broker-dealer registration, and works with insurance partners including Aon and Lloyd’s of London. Why bids are coming in light A $500 million asking price for a compan...