
Blockworks acquires Messari for over $10M, combining crypto research, data, APIs, & investor relations tools into a unified onchain platform.
Author: Akshat Thakur
High attention and emotional sentiment detected.
12th June 2026 – Blockworks acquired Messari in a deal announced on June 11, 2026. The purchase unites two of the best-known names in crypto data and research. Blockworks paid more than $10 million for Messari, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited a person familiar with the matter.
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Viktor Bunin 🛡️🇺🇸
@ViktorBunin
@Blockworks Man end of an era. So much respect for messari, everything they've done, and all the incredible people that have passed through their halls. Blockworks is the perfect acquirer to pick up the mantle and carry on their mission. Bravo.
1/ Blockworks has acquired Messari. We’re bringing together crypto’s two largest data and market intelligence platforms. https://t.co/pw5f4I0oSU
05:42 PM·Jun 12, 2026
Altcoinist
@Altcoinist
@Blockworks congrats!
1/ Blockworks has acquired Messari. We’re bringing together crypto’s two largest data and market intelligence platforms. https://t.co/pw5f4I0oSU
05:37 PM·Jun 12, 2026
Madhatt3r ⛏️
@pokerchessman
@Blockworks Dang didn’t see that one coming. Moar data and slick charts!
1/ Blockworks has acquired Messari. We’re bringing together crypto’s two largest data and market intelligence platforms. https://t.co/pw5f4I0oSU
04:50 PM·Jun 12, 2026
That price marks a steep fall for Messari. The startup raised money at a $300 million valuation back in 2022. Neither company disclosed the exact figure, the deal structure, or a closing date in the official announcement.
The reported price tells the story. Blockworks paid north of $10 million for a startup once valued near $300 million. That works out to a markdown of more than 95%. The WSJ framed the purchase plainly as a deal struck “at a discount.”
Messari raised a $35 million Series B in September 2022. Brevan Howard Digital led that round. Backers also included Point72 Ventures, Galaxy, and Coinbase Ventures. In total, the company raised about $60 million across its life.
So the new price values years of product, data, and brand at a fraction of past investor expectations. For Blockworks, the math reads as a bargain. For Messari’s earlier backers, it reads as a write-down.
Messari launched in 2018 under founder Ryan Selkis. It grew into a crypto research and analytics platform. By 2022, it covered more than 40,000 tokens and assets through screeners, reports, and APIs. Then the company’s fortunes turned.
Selkis stepped down as chief executive in July 2024. The exit followed a run of controversial political posts. He later left entirely for a political venture. Eric Turner took over, and the leadership churn continued.
In March 2026, Turner exited too. Chief technology officer Diran Li became CEO. At the same time, Messari cut staff and pivoted toward an “AI-first” strategy. Three months later, the company agreed to sell.
When Blockworks acquires Messari, the two companies frame it as a strategic union, not a rescue. Blockworks co-founder Jason Yanowitz said the deal connects two halves of the same market.
“Issuers maintain a trusted record of their business,” Yanowitz said. He added that investors, exchanges, and regulators then consume that record through research, APIs, and automated workflows. “Together, we close the loop,” he said.
Messari CEO Diran Li echoed the framing. He confirmed the sale on X. According to Li, both firms have spent years pushing for more transparency and structure in crypto markets. He said joining forces lets them pursue that vision more efficiently. Li is also joining Blockworks’ leadership team.
Timeline of Messari’s Rise, Restructuring, and Acquisition
Ryan Selkis launches Messari as a crypto research, intelligence, and data platform. The company aims to bring greater transparency and standardized information to the digital-asset industry, often positioning itself as a potential “Bloomberg of crypto.”
Messari raises $35 million in a Series B funding round led by Brevan Howard Digital, with participation from Point72 Ventures, Galaxy, Coinbase Ventures, and others. The round values the company at approximately $300 million post-money, marking the peak of its growth ambitions.
Founder and CEO Ryan Selkis resigns following controversy surrounding a series of political social-media posts. He initially transitions into an advisory role before eventually departing to focus on political initiatives, including Project Solomon.
Eric Turner serves as CEO after initially taking the position on an interim basis. During this period, Messari navigates challenging market conditions as the broader crypto industry experiences a prolonged downturn and tighter funding environment.
Eric Turner steps down as CEO and CTO Diran Li takes over leadership. Messari announces layoffs and an “AI-first” strategic shift designed to reduce operating costs and focus on institutional intelligence products and AI-powered research tools.
Blockworks completes a funding round and valuation extension at approximately $192 million. Part of the capital is earmarked for strategic acquisitions and industry consolidation opportunities.
Blockworks announces the acquisition of Messari for more than $10 million. Compared with Messari’s 2022 valuation of $300 million, the transaction represents a valuation decline of more than 96%, highlighting the dramatic reset across crypto-media and research businesses.
The acquisition marks one of the most notable consolidation moves in crypto media and research. Messari’s research assets, data infrastructure, and institutional relationships are expected to be integrated into Blockworks’ broader media, analytics, and intelligence ecosystem.
The stated goal is a single “system of record” for onchain assets. Messari brings the investor-facing side. That includes data on 40,000-plus assets, research, token unlocks, and APIs. Its customers span funds, exchanges, custodians, and developers. Blockworks brings the issuer-facing side through its Token Transparency Framework and investor relations tools.
The framework lets token issuers publish standardized disclosures, much like company filings in traditional markets. That data would then flow into Messari’s platform for analysis, research, and automated workflows. The combined pitch mirrors what Bloomberg and S&P Global do in traditional finance. In short, the two firms want to own both ends of the information chain.
Still, the companies face a crowded field. Rivals include Nansen, Dune Analytics, Token Terminal, and Artemis. Legacy data providers are also expanding into crypto. Execution, not ambition, will decide whether the merger holds.
The deal lands during a broad repricing of crypto data and software businesses. Valuations swelled during the 2022 bull market. Since then they have compressed sharply, as trading volumes fell and investor attention shifted toward AI.
Blockworks itself raised a Series A extension in April 2026. That round valued the firm at $192 million and gave it the firepower to buy. Meanwhile, crypto deal volume in early 2026 ran modestly higher year over year, according to Architect Partners data cited by the WSJ.
Comparable data startups once raised at far richer multiples. Names like Nansen and Dune Analytics drew premium rounds during the bull market. Eric Risley of Architect Partners described today’s market as one of “haves and have-nots.” In short, well-capitalized firms are absorbing weaker ones. The Messari sale fits that pattern cleanly.
Plenty remains unknown. The companies have not disclosed the deal structure or the closing date. They also stayed quiet on staffing plans and on whether the Messari brand survives the integration. For now, no immediate disruption for users was promised.
The clearest signal is direction, not detail. The move that saw Blockworks acquire Messari is a bet on scale. Blockworks is betting that owning both the issuer and investor sides of crypto data creates a durable moat. Readers can follow OCT for updates as the integration roadmap and any product changes take shape.
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