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Deribit

Cryptocurrency Options & Futures Exchange (Coinbase subsidiary)Founded 2016
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Founders

Who Founded Deribit?

John Jansen, Marius Jansen · Founded 2016 · HQ today: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Who founded Deribit?

Deribit was founded by John Jansen, Marius Jansen in 2016. It is now led by Luuk Strijers.

Founders
John Jansen, Marius Jansen
Founded
2016
Headquarters
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Number of founders
2
Current CEO
Luuk Strijers (since 2024)
Where was Deribit founded?
Deribit was founded in Panama City, Panama in 2016.
When was Deribit founded?
Deribit was founded in 2016.
Who started Deribit?
Deribit was founded by John Jansen and Marius Jansen.
How old is Deribit?
Deribit is 10 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

John Jansen spent years trading options in Amsterdam before turning to Bitcoin around 2012. He saw that crypto had spot and futures markets but no serious options venue. With his brother Marius, from Stadskanaal in the Dutch province of Groningen, he built an options exchange that went live in June 2016 under the name Deribit, a blend of 'derivatives' and 'Bitcoin'. The brothers grew it without large venture rounds and sold it to Coinbase nine years later for about $2.9 billion.

What each Deribit founder did

FounderRole at foundingContribution
John JansenCo-founder & former CEO—
Marius JansenCo-founder—

John Jansen

Co-founder 2016

Background

Former options trader in Amsterdam who discovered Bitcoin around 2012.

Role at Deribit

John Jansen is a Dutch former options trader who co-founded Deribit with his brother Marius and launched it in June 2016. He led the exchange as CEO through its growth into the main crypto options venue, its move to Panama and its Dubai licensing, before Luuk Strijers took over as CEO in April 2024. The brothers sold Deribit to Coinbase in 2025 for about $2.9 billion. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).

Marius Jansen

Co-founder 2016

Background

Co-founded Deribit with his brother John; the brothers are from Stadskanaal, Netherlands.

Role at Deribit

Marius Jansen co-founded Deribit with his brother John. The brothers come from Stadskanaal in the Netherlands and built the exchange without large venture funding before selling it to Coinbase in 2025. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).

Deribit: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Luuk Strijers

CEO

2024 – Present

Took Deribit from an offshore exchange to a VARA-licensed Coinbase subsidiary.

John Jansen

Co-founder & CEO

2016 – 2024

Jansen brought classical European derivatives market-making expertise to crypto, establishing the foundational infrastructure for institutional volatility trading.

Keep researching Deribit

Who Founded Deribit? FAQ

Who are the founders of Deribit?

John Jansen and Marius Jansen, Dutch brothers from Stadskanaal.

What was John Jansen's background?

He was an options trader in Amsterdam who became interested in Bitcoin around 2012.

Are the founders still involved?

John Jansen stepped down as CEO in April 2024, and the brothers sold the company to Coinbase in 2025.

Who founded Deribit?

It was founded by Dutch brothers John Jansen and Marius Jansen. They initially funded the exchange entirely with their own Bitcoin stash, operating it out of the Netherlands before eventually moving corporate headquarters to Panama to avoid aggressive EU crypto regulations.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.