Fairtree Capital acquires minority share in MidSquare Capital

Fairtree Capital, the South African holding company of the local Fairtree group of companies, is pleased to announce that it has acquired a minority equity investment in cryptocurrency and decentralised finance asset management business, MidSquare Capital.

MidSquare, is an FSCA-licensed boutique asset investment management firm, that was established in 2023 by Nersan Naidoo, Reece Briesies and Selwyn Pillay.

While Fairtree Capital and its existing Fairtree companies do not currently manage or invest in digital assets, the group recognises the growing importance of these assets in the investment industry. Fairtree Capital is confident that MidSquare is well-positioned to operate in this space. The MidSquare team has a wealth of experience in building and leading businesses across the various facets of asset management in listed and private markets. They have spent the past 18 months leveraging their experience and excellent understanding of blockchain technology and decentralised finance to build a business that provides credible and trusted digital asset investment management services to the market.

The team is also passionate about knowledge sharing and educating around digital assets, and empowering clients and prospective clients to better understand the landscape.

Kobus Nel, Fairtree Group CEO, commented:

“Although Fairtree Capital is only acquiring a minority stake in MidSquare, we are excited to invest in this highly respected team of investment professionals. Their extensive experience, industry-leading expertise in asset management, and conviction in the investment potential of digital assets are invaluable in navigating the complexities of the constantly evolving digital asset space. The partnership is founded on shared values, including our commitment to investment excellence. We look forward to travelling this journey with MidSquare.”

Nersan Naidoo, CEO of MidSquare Capital, commented:

“We are thrilled to have the support of Fairtree Capital as a strategic partner in MidSquare. Partnering with an innovative and entrepreneurial business like Fairtree, which has an exceptional track record and trusted reputation in asset management, brings with it exciting new opportunities for MidSquare. This marks the beginning of a transformative partnership which we believe will allow MidSquare to be well positioned to make meaningful strides in the digital asset space.”

Ends.

About Fairtree Capital

Fairtree Capital is the South African holding company of the Fairtree Group’s South African companies, which includes Fairtree Asset Management. Fairtree Asset Management is a leading multi-strategy alternative and long-only investment manager across multiple global asset classes for institutional clients and high net-worth-individuals. Fairtree Asset Management’s solutions include a variety of equity, fixed income, credit, commodity, volatility arbitrage, balanced and multi-strategy solutions. The Fairtree Group currently manages around R160 billion on behalf of clients globally.

About MidSquare Capital

Founded in July 2023, MidSquare Capital is a boutique cryptocurrency asset management firm dedicated to providing credible digital asset investment solutions. With a focus on institutional-grade offerings, MidSquare Capital combines deep industry expertise with a client-centric approach, making digital asset investments accessible to a broader range of investors. As a licensed and regulated entity, MidSquare Capital adheres to stringent compliance standards, reinforcing its commitment to transparency, security, and professionalism in this rapidly evolving field.

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Grethe Fourie

Business Development Manager

Grethe joined Fairtree in 2025 as a Business Development Manager in the Distribution team. She focuses on cultivating strong, long-term relationships with financial advisers and identifying opportunities for meaningful growth. Prior to joining Fairtree, Grethe spent eight years at PPS, where she held several leadership roles, including Regional Sales Manager, Regional Specialist Support Manager, and ultimately National Manager of PPS Wealth Advisory. In her most recent role, she led the Wealth Advisory team nationally, overseeing strategy, operations, reporting, and key stakeholder relationships. She also served as a Key Individual on the FSP licence and chaired the Best Practice Committee. Earlier in her career, she worked as a financial adviser for seven years. She is passionate about empowering women in finance and previously led the Women in Finance initiative at PPS. Grethe holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning from Stellenbosch University and is a Certified Financial Planner® professional.

Stephan Venter

Investment Specialist

Stephan joined Fairtree in 2025 as an investment specialist in the Distribution team. He began his career at Deloitte in 2006 as an accountant. He then joined Discovery Invest as an Investment Specialist, before moving to Sanlam Investments, where he spent nine years as a portfolio manager. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Accounting from the University of Pretoria, an Honours degree and CTA in Accounting from the University of South Africa, and an Honours degree in Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management from the University of Cape Town.

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