Brett Harrison, the former President of FTX US, is stepping back into the spotlight with a bold new plan. His latest venture, Architect Financial Technologies, just got the green light from the Bermuda Monetary Authority to operate under its new unit, Architect Bermuda Ltd. The company is preparing to launch a 24/7 trading platform called AX, which aims to bring perpetual futures—popular in the crypto world—into traditional finance.

Perpetual futures, or “perps,” are a type of contract that lets investors bet on asset prices without actually owning them. Unlike regular futures, they don’t have an expiration date. This makes them popular among retail traders who want to trade any time, day or night. Perps have become a major hit on crypto exchanges like Binance and OKX, where users can make fast, leveraged trades around the clock.

Harrison wants to take this same concept and apply it to traditional asset classes. On the AX platform, users will be able to trade things like foreign currencies, interest rates, individual company stocks, stock indexes, metals, and energy. The goal is to give traditional markets the same kind of flexibility and speed that crypto traders enjoy.

What makes AX different is that it will run 24/7 and accept both regular money (fiat) and US dollar-based stablecoins as collateral. That means you can trade even when banks are closed or during weekends. This always-on access could attract a wide range of investors who want more control and freedom in their trading strategies.

The company also plans to expand its offerings with new types of perpetual contracts tied to future-focused industries. These might include assets linked to artificial intelligence, rare earth metals used in tech devices, renewable energy resources, and data center costs—all areas expected to grow in the coming years.

Architect Financial Technologies is based in Chicago and is currently in the middle of its Series-A fundraising round. So far, the company has raised $17 million from major backers like Coinbase Ventures, Circle Ventures, and Anthony Scaramucci’s SALT Fund.

Harrison brings a strong background in finance and trading. Before his time at FTX US, he worked at Citadel Securities and Jane Street, where he first met Sam Bankman-Fried. He left FTX US in September 2022, shortly before the exchange collapsed.

Right now, perpetual futures aren’t approved for trading within the U.S., but that could change depending on future regulations. Some industry experts are hopeful that under more business-friendly policies, such as those proposed during Donald Trump’s presidency, these products might become available. Meanwhile, other big players like Cboe Global Markets are also preparing to launch Bitcoin and Ether perpetual contracts later this year.

With AX, Harrison is betting that the future of trading will be faster, more flexible, and always open—just like the crypto world has already proven possible.