Asset Reality
Techstars '21London, GB Β· Founded 2020 Β· 38 employees on LinkedIn Β· 8 known investors
Asset Reality provides asset recovery and data security services for seized cryptoassets, with a focus on conflict-free management and regulatory compliance. The company is registered with the UK Financial Conduct Authority for specific cryptoasset activities.
Also known as Asset Reality
Founders & leadership
Asset Reality was founded in 2020 by Aidan Larkin and Hugo Hoyland.
Investors Β· 8
Also in the syndicate Β· 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Asset Reality provides software and services covering the asset recovery lifecycle for both virtual and physical assets. Its platform is organised around four functions β seize, manage, deploy and learn β plus escrow, and is intended to replace manual, spreadsheet-based and fragmented legacy processes used by agencies to record, custody, preserve and dispose of seized property. The company states it supports all asset types with no minimum value requirement, spanning cryptocurrencies (including privacy coins and meme coins), NFTs, vehicles, boats, aircraft, artwork and cash, and offers custody and liquidation options within an auditable environment.
Alongside the platform, Asset Reality runs a training arm, Asset Reality Academy, delivered through a learning-management site offering certification paths (for example Virtual Asset Transfer Fundamentals and an advanced Virtual Asset Seizure Certification, each around 12 hours), on-demand training series such as Seized Asset Lifecycle Foundations and Crypto Foundations, and recorded webinars on topics including crypto seizure readiness and strategic bitcoin reserves. The company also produces the "Seize & Desist" podcast, publishes guides and articles on asset recovery and FATF developments, and hosts the Seize:London conference, whose 2026 edition is co-hosted with IRS Criminal Investigation and described as having 35-plus agencies from more than 12 countries registered.
The company positions itself as built "for and by practitioners," with a team drawn from financial investigators, seizing agents, asset managers, prosecutors and technologists, and says its personnel have collectively identified, seized, managed and returned assets to victims and governments worldwide. Its public materials frame the market problem using a 2016 Europol report (2.2% of EU criminal proceeds seized and 1.1% confiscated between 2010 and 2014) and a 2011 UNODC study (less than 1% of laundered proceeds seized).
Founding story
Co-founded in 2020 by Aidan Larkin, who serves as co-founder and CEO; company materials also reference an origin story tied to what it describes as the world's first crypto auction.
Business model
Asset Reality sells access to its asset seizure and management platform to law enforcement, government agencies and approved partner organisations, with access granted via secure demo and onboarding, and complements the software with hands-on advisory support where clients instruct its team to assist an asset recovery programme. It additionally offers training and certification through its Academy and runs conferences and webinars.
Traction
The company publishes user testimonials from public-sector bodies, including a Belgian ARO chief inspector citing crypto seizures of over 5 million against a 1 million target for the year. Announced deployments and selections include the Regional Security System across the Eastern Caribbean, selection alongside Tradias and Tangany for France's seized crypto liquidations, and a repatriation of millions in MTFE fraud proceeds with Bangladesh Police CID. Its Seize:London 2026 conference reports 35+ agencies from more than 12 countries registered.
Latest developments
Recent company communications cover the Seize:London 2026 conference co-hosted with IRS Criminal Investigation and its first announced speakers, a collaboration with law firm Lawrence Stephens on complex digital asset recovery, deployment of the platform by RSS across the Eastern Caribbean, selection with Tradias and Tangany for France's seized crypto liquidations, an alliance with Operation Shamrock, and ongoing Academy certifications and webinars.
βΈFull profile β market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Describes itself as the first end-to-end asset recovery solution covering both physical and virtual assets, differentiating from point tools for tracing and analytics that do not address seizure, preservation and disposal.
Coverage of all asset classes with no minimum value threshold; a conflict-free posture for seized assets, with the company stating it has no retail or institutional risk exposure and that its primary duty is to secure and preserve value; a team composed of asset recovery practitioners; and a combined software, services and training offering.
Technology
A single platform covering seizure, inventory management, deployment of virtual assets, and escrow, with support for all token types, flexible custody and liquidation options, audit trails and case workflows; training environments include interaction with blockchain testnets. Prior integrations announced include Fireblocks for digital asset custody and a partnership with Taxbit.
Go-to-market
Direct engagement with public-sector and law enforcement buyers through gated platform access and demos, supported by content marketing (insights, guides, the Seize & Desist podcast), webinars, certification courses, and the Seize:London conference co-hosted with IRS Criminal Investigation; partnerships with custody, analytics and legal firms extend distribution.
Law enforcement agencies, asset recovery offices and government bodies, plus insolvency professionals, public agencies and private-sector organisations dealing with seized or stolen digital assets; earlier reporting also cited clients such as Consensys for MetaMask users.
Geography
Headquartered in London with reported team members across Ireland, the UK and the United States at the time of its 2023 seed round; deployments and engagements referenced include the Belgian Central Office for Seizure and Confiscation, North American law enforcement agencies, a UK special operations unit, the Eastern Caribbean (via RSS), France's seized crypto liquidation programme, Bangladesh Police CID, and capability building in Luxembourg.
History
Founded in 2020, the company raised a $4.9m seed round announced in January 2023 led by Framework Ventures, planning to triple its engineering team and expand operations and growth functions. Subsequent milestones publicised by the company include FCA approval to offer crypto custody services in the UK, integration with Fireblocks, a partnership with Taxbit, senior hires including a Head of Product, a Head of European Operations and a VP of Public Sector, and platform deployments and selections across multiple jurisdictions.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources β announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed β not independently audited.
Timeline Β· 13
launches, deals, and filingsAsset Reality's asset recovery conference, co-hosted with IRS Criminal Investigation, with 35+ agencies from more than 12 countries registered at the time of announcement.
Company announcement that the UK Financial Conduct Authority approved Asset Reality to offer crypto custody services.
Seed round of $4.9m led by Framework Ventures with participation from Techstars, The Fund, SGH Capital and angel investors including Chris Adelsbach; proceeds earmarked to triple the engineering team and expand operations and growth management.
$4.9M source β
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
Legal entities Β· 1
corporate structureCompanies House Β· registry record
View on Companies House β- Registered name
- ASSET REALITY LTD
- Company number
- 12563684
- Status
- Active
- Company type
- Private limited company
- Incorporated
- 20 Apr 2020
- Registered office
- 3rd Floor 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE
- Nature of business (SIC)
- 70229 β Management consultancy activities other than financial management
- Accounts
- last made up to 31 Dec 2024 Β· next due 30 Sept 2026
- Confirmation statement
- last made up to 19 Apr 2026 Β· next due 3 May 2027
Current officers Β· 4
- Hugo David Lewis Elliott β director, appointed 2 Apr 2021
- Aidan Joseph Larkin β director, appointed 20 Apr 2020
- Vance Spencer β director, appointed 25 Jan 2024
- Christopher John Ridsdale Tyrer β director, appointed 1 Sept 2023
Source: Companies House public register Β· retrieved 24 Jul 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
In the news
βΈResearch sources Β· 8
primary sources listed
- Asset Realityassetreality.com Β· web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Asset Reality do?
- Asset Reality builds end-to-end software for seizing, managing and disposing of seized crypto and physical assets.
- Who founded Asset Reality?
- Asset Reality was founded by Aidan Larkin, Hugo Hoyland in 2020.
- Who are Asset Reality's investors?
- Asset Reality's investors include Everywhere Ventures, Outrun Ventures, SGH Capital, Techstars, Framework Ventures, Team Ignite Ventures, The Fund.
- Where is Asset Reality headquartered?
- Asset Reality is headquartered in London, GB.