- Ledn successfully issued a historic bond worth $188 million that was collateralized by loans backed by Bitcoin.
- The bond issuance consisted of two tranches, with one being investment grade and priced above the benchmark rate.
Ledn issued a $188 million bond offering collateralized by Bitcoin-backed loans, establishing a precedent in the crypto asset debt market. The company structured the bond offering in two tranches, pricing one investment-grade tranche at 335 basis points over the benchmark rate. The structuring agent and bookrunner was Jefferies Financial Group.
According to Bloomberg, S&P Global Ratings assigned a BBB- rating to the majority of the bonds. Ledn created the collateral pool using more than 4,078 Bitcoins, valuing them at approximately $356.9 million. The collateral pool represents the size of consumer loans backed by Bitcoin that Ledn holds on its platform. The lending protocols enabled borrowers to use Bitcoin as collateral rather than selling their assets. S&P emphasized the structural elements of over-collateralization and automatic liquidation.
The weighted average interest rate for securitized loans was 11.8%. Since its founding, Ledn has originated billions of dollars worth of Bitcoin-collateralized loans. Additionally, Tether, the stablecoin issuer, invested in Ledn in November 2025. Consequently, some analysts view this development as further integrating crypto credit with traditional finance. The volatility of Bitcoin is a major risk factor for such financial instruments.
Market downturns pushed Ledn to liquidate a substantial portion of its loans in the earlier part of February. The liquidations took place below the stipulated loan-to-value ratios. The success of this transaction could set the tone for future securitizations that use cryptocurrencies as collateral.
Crypto firm Ledn sells Bitcoin-backed bonds in ABS market first
— matthew sigel, recovering CFA (@matthew_sigel) February 18, 2026
>First ever deal of its kind in asset-backed debt
>Secured by pool of 5,400 Bitcoin-collateralized loans that consumers took from Ledn at weighted avg rate of 11.8%
>Investment grade tranche priced at +335bps pic.twitter.com/Rx3944uGys
Market and Institutional Context
The Ledn issuance shows that there is growing demand for structured credit products collateralized by digital assets. The structures introduce traditional fixed-income investors to crypto-linked collateral in a regulated manner. The investment-grade tranches are designed to appeal to conservative capital that seeks yield above benchmark rates.
The involvement of Jefferies highlights the role of established financial institutions in the crypto debt market. The institutional demand for securitized crypto instruments may stimulate more pathways for such issuance. The growth of the crypto credit market has been contingent on clear collateral and liquidation processes. The regulation of such new financial instruments is a matter of review by the industry and the relevant authority. Industry watchers will be keen to see how the coupon performs against forecasted expectations.
Highlighted Crypto News:
Elizabeth Warren Urges Fed and Treasury to Reject Crypto Bailouts
