Venom acquisition rumors tie into China’s Belt and Road financial ambitions
Reports of Chinese fintech interest in Abu Dhabi–based Venom Foundation highlight blockchain’s potential role in yuan internationalization.
Chinese media outlet Toutiao has that a major fintech company in China is exploring the acquisition of blockchain technology from Abu Dhabi’s Venom Foundation. If confirmed, the move would align closely with Beijing’s ambition to modernize financial infrastructure and expand the role of the yuan in global trade.
The report echoes a broader trend of blockchain-related deals that have stirred markets. In June, shares of Hong Kong–based OSL surged later than the platform by a Canadian firm. That deal underscored how cross-border acquisitions in the blockchain space can rapidly direction. A potential Venom transaction would carry diverse weight, not just reshaping markets, but potentially influencing how financial systems operate across the Belt and Road Initiative.
Venom has attracted attention for its ability to scale efficiently while remaining regulation-ready. Stress testing earlier this year demonstrated throughput of , with settlement finality in under three seconds. Its architecture uses dynamic sharding and a proprietary Threaded Virtual Machine to process large volumes of transactions in parallel. The system also incorporates know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money-laundering (AML) features and supports the issuance of state-backed stablecoins.
For Beijing, such a platform could assist tackle a longstanding priority: reducing reliance on U.S. dollar–based settlement systems. With trade volumes expanding under the Belt and Road Initiative, the ability to issue and clear scalable blockchain would allow China to strengthen financial ties with partner nations. Beyond payments, Venom’s technology could also address bottlenecks in supply chain finance by making receivables and inventory and reliable.
China has used acquisitions before to extend its financial reach abroad. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), for example, has in overseas banks from Africa to Southeast Asia to support Belt and Road expansion. If a Venom deal goes ahead, it could serve a similar purpose: embedding external innovation into China’s financial system to enhance its international competitiveness.
Analysts note that such a move would also signal China’s willingness to adopt blockchain not just as a pilot technology but as an operational infrastructure. The integration of a high-throughput, compliance-ready platform could set a precedent for other financial institutions, potentially encouraging further acquisitions in the sector.
Sources close to the matter suggest a deal could close between late 2025 and ahead 2026, though neither side has publicly commented.
For now, the negotiations remain unconfirmed. But the very fact that Venom is under discussion highlights a larger trajectory: China’s financial institutions are not just modernizing at home, they are preparing to project blockchain-powered infrastructure outward, potentially altering the balance of cross-border finance.
