Consensys, the blockchain software company behind the MetaMask wallet, plans to go public and has chosen JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs as lead underwriters for its IPO, Axios reported Wednesday. The listing would mark one of the most significant public debuts ever by a company building Ethereum’s infrastructure. the second largest blockchain in the world.
When asked for comment, a company spokesperson told CoinDesk that it has “nothing to announce at this time” but is continually evaluating growth options. “The company is constantly exploring opportunities to expand its impact,” the spokesperson said.
Founded by Joseph Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum, Consensys develops tools that allow users and developers to interact with Ethereum applications. Its best-known product, MetaMask, serves as a digital wallet used by millions to store cryptocurrencies, manage tokens, and connect to decentralized applications directly from a browser.
Consensys also backs SharpLink, an Ethereum treasury management company that announced plans on Tuesday to deploy $200 million of its holdings into on-chain yield strategies. The funds will be allocated on Linea, a layer 2 network incubated by Consensys that aims to make Ethereum transactions faster and cheaper.
If Consensys goes public, it will join a number of other crypto-native companies that listed on U.S. exchanges this year after years of cautious investor sentiment and unclear regulation, including stablecoin issuer Circle (CRCL), crypto exchange Gemini (GEMI) and crypto exchange Bullish (BLSH).
UPDATE (October 29, 9:42 a.m. UTC): Adds a Consensys statement.
