Crypto credit firm Maple Finance and Elwood Technologies are joining forces to make it easier for large financial institutions to enter digital asset credit markets. The companies announced Monday that Maple’s on-chain lending and asset management platform will link up with Elwood’s execution, portfolio management, and risk tools. Maple, founded in 2021, specializes in structured lending products and yield strategies built on public blockchains. Elwood, the trading company backed by hedge-fund manager Alan Howard, provides connectivity to global crypto exchanges, custodians and fund administrators, along with analytics and risk monitoring tools for institutional investors. The collaboration targets a key friction point for traditional players. Banks and asset managers looking to diversify into digital assets face fragmented infrastructure and operational hurdles. By combining Maple’s lending expertise with Elwood’s institutional trading and risk systems, the firms aim to create a framework that mirrors what professional investors expect in traditional markets. Sid Powell, Maple’s CEO, said the partnership will extend “institutional-grade” access to on-chain credit opportunities. Elwood CEO Chris Lawn added that credit markets are an essential piece of crypto’s evolution and need the same type of infrastructure as other asset classes. The move comes as demand for tokenized credit and fixed-income products grows. For example, Ripple and Credbull recently launched initiatives that bring U.S. Treasuries and private credit onto blockchain rails. Maple and Elwood’s tie-up underscores how service providers are trying to position themselves as gateways for institutional capital entering the decentralized economy.
