The Moment
Aplo (previously Sheeldmarket) had built a solid product: a trading platform for institutional investors that voluntarily held itself to the same regulatory standards as a bank — the only professional broker in the EU to do so. It was working. But crypto in 2021 was the Wild West, and the challenge was to somehow acknowledge their roots in it while channelling the credibility sophisticated institutions demanded.
CEO, Oliver Yates, had realised the business was fast outpacing their ability to articulate what makes it truly exceptional. Reconsidered strategic foundations and the right creative expression were urgently needed.
When we talked to customers, a more interesting truth emerged than the one we'd been briefed on. Traders were reassured by Aplo's protections, but their real motivation was simpler: profit. This was a generational opportunity, and thanks to its rigour, only Aplo could open it up to institutions.
The Work
The strategic phase produced the central insight: Unrivalled Access. Aplo's regulatory rigour meant it alone could open the crypto universe to institutions that couldn't touch it any other way. Caution was not the selling topoint. Opportunity was.
With that foundation locked, the creative focus had crystal clarity. A visual metaphor of a portal to other worlds ran throughout, most prominently in a 3D hero image. The identity was built on duality — old world and new, sophistication and adventure — expressed in type pairings, a monochrome palette balanced against a shimmering gradient, and a logo inspired by offset reflections. Most notably, the business renamed from SheeldMarket to Aplo: Greek for "simple," a sharper expression of the access the brand offered.
The Outcome
Since launch: growth from a single client in 2021 to over 60 hedge funds, asset managers, and banks, with billions traded through the platform. In late 2025, Aplo was acquired by NASDAQ-listed Coincheck Group, owner of Japan's top crypto exchange.
