Deus X Capital to Wind Down, Set to Fully Unwind by Jan. 31, 2027

Crypto and fintech investment firm Deus X Capital has stopped operating as its backers move toward separate strategies, the company told CoinDesk. The firm will formally unwind on Jan. 31, 2027. Chief Investment Officer Stuart Connolly will stay on to manage the wind-down. Some portfolio companies are expected to continue operating with existing stakeholders remaining involved. Deus X's Morton family backers are splitting their investment activities. Shane Morton is launching Darius, focused on artificial intelligence, while Owen and Jason Morton are creating 95, targeting markets and fintech. Tim Grant, a former Galaxy Digital (GLXY) executive who previously ran the firm's Europe, Middle East and Africa business, will become CEO of TensorX, an AI venture within Darius owned by Shane Morton. "We want to be a prominent player in AI in Europe," Grant told CoinDesk. The shift comes as AI increasingly competes with crypto for investor attention and capital. Galaxy Research said in September that growing interest in artificial intelligence was pulling focus away from digital assets and adding to venture firms' fundraising headwinds. Deus X said it has generated annual returns of 36.5% since inception, but declined to disclose total capital. The family office-backed firm debuted in October 2023 with $1 billion in existing investments and capital available for deployment. Its mandate spanned private equity, venture capital and hedge fund allocations across digital assets, blockchain, fintech and institutional capital markets. Early positions included stakes in Galaxy Digital and asset manager Hilbert Group, along with allocations to several hedge funds. Deus X operated across Malta, London and the United Arab Emirates. In September 2024, the firm launched Solstice Labs to develop institutional-grade decentralized finance products designed to be accessible to a broader range of investors. CoinDesk has reported that the portfolio also included proprietary trading firm Alpha Lab 40 and crypto prime broker Cor Prime, which launched with a $100 million risk-capital commitment from Deus X.