Venture capital
Venture Capital Company Benchmark to Pump $50 Million into Ethereum-Based Fantasy Football Platform Sorare
Benchmark, a venture capital company that earlier backed Ebay Inc., Twitter Inc., and Uber Technologies, plans to invest a whopping $50 million into Ethereum-powered fantasy football platform Sorare.
Bitcoin Venture Capital Firm Ribbit Capital Files $350 Million Blank Check IPO with SEC
Ribbit Capital, an early Bitcoin VC firm, has filed for a $350 million initial public offering with the SEC leveraging its “blank check” structure.
B Squared Network Announces Seed Investments by HashKey Capital, OKX Ventures, IDG Capital
B² Network secures significant seed investments from top venture capitals for its innovative Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions, aiming to transform Bitcoin's utility and adoption in the crypto ecosystem.
Venture Capital Firm Variant to Establish $450m Venture Fund III
Venture capital firm Variant has announced the launch of a $450 million Venture Fund III to help startups focused on Defi and Web3 infrastructure.
OPNX Reveals Venture Capital Backers
OPNX, a new exchange allowing traders to buy and sell claims against bankrupt firms, has revealed its venture capital backers, including AppWorks, Susquehanna, DRW, MIAX Group, China Merchant Bank International, and Token Bay Capital. The exchange has faced criticism due to its association with the bankrupt 3AC hedge fund, but the company claims it will help make customers of failed crypto ventures whole again.
Blockchain-Focused Fund COSIMO X Acquires Seven-Figure Funding from RIT
COSIMO Ventures, an investment firm situated in Boston and Dublin, recently announced that the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) has endorsed them with a seven-figure investment.
Web3 Startup Funding Drops 82 percents YoY
VC funding for Web3 start-ups decreased by 82% YoY in Q1 2023, dropping to $1.7 billion. The number of big funding rounds hitting nine figures almost completely dried up over the past year. The decline in Web3 funding is attributed to investors opting for a risk-off approach and seeking opportunities in industries they know best.
KPMG: Fintech Funding Fades in 2023
The global fintech market experienced its most challenging year since 2017, with investments dropping to $113.7 billion. Singapore's AI fintech sector saw a 77% increase in funding.
CFTC Commissioner Questions VCs' Due Diligence
Investor due diligence in the failing crypto-exchange FTX has sparked concerns from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTCP). VCs had to write down their multimillion-dollar investments to practically nothing, raising "serious doubts" about their responsibility.
Investors Rally to Support Silicon Valley Bank Amidst Possible Closure
Over 125 venture capitalists and investors, including Sequoia Capital and General Catalyst, have pledged their support for Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) as the 40-year-old banking institution winds down its operations. The investors signed a statement in an effort to cushion the impact of the bank's possible closure and limit the fallout on tech companies that rely on SVB for funding and banking services.
Hack VC Closes $150M Fund I, Increases Assets Under Management to $425M
Crypto venture firm Hack VC has closed a $150 million maiden fund, bringing total assets under management to $425 million. Hack VC is a long-time web3 investor, having backed over 100 projects since 2014. The firm remains firmly bullish on web3's future potential and will deploy its new capital to seed critical infrastructure startups.
A group of nine banks has invested $45 million in Carbonplace
The independent UK Carbonplace organization will start later this year under CEO Scott Eaton.
Crypto Deals Catch the Eye of Bigger Players, Triggering Price Surge
Fundraising by crypto companies has seen a surge in valuations as bigger players are pushing prices upwards.
BondbloX Secures $6M in Series B Funding Led by Beacon Venture Capital
Singapore-based FinTech company BondEvalue has raised $6 million in a Series B funding round, led by Beacon Venture Capital and supported by MassMutual Ventures and Citigroup. The funding will expand BondbloX Bond Exchange, a distributed ledger technology that democratizes bond market access through fractional and full-size trading.
Former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal's AI Startup Raises $30 Million
Ex-Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal's new AI startup secures $30 million in funding, focusing on software for large language model developers. Backed by prominent investors, the venture reflects Agrawal's shift from social media to AI innovation.
Paradigm Targets Record-Breaking $850M Raise for New Crypto Fund
Paradigm is in talks to secure up to $850 million for a new fund, potentially marking the largest crypto-focused fundraise since May 2022.
Bitget Launches Web3 Fund
Bitget has launched a Web3 Fund to support venture firms and projects globally, with a focus on Asian projects solving real-world problems. Bitget plans to partner with venture capitalists and expand its products and services in 2023.
UK Treasury Officials Met with Crypto and Venture Capital Firms in Q1: Sources
Public disclosures indicated that top UK Treasury officials had engaged with crypto and venture capital companies in several meetings to bridge differences between the crypto industry and regulators.
SBI Holdings to Launch Investment Fund for Emerging Companies like Web3, AI, and Metaverse Startups
SBI Holdings plans to invest 100 billion yen in startups focusing on Web3, AI, and metaverse, with financial institutions supporting Japan's goal to nurture its startup ecosystem and enhance its Asian startup hub position.
SBI, Sygnum, and Azimut Jointly Established a $75M Venture Capital Fund for Crypto Startups
Japanese financial giant SBI Group, Swiss bank of digital asset management Sygnum, and Italy's Azimut Group jointly raised a US$75 million venture capital fund in Singapore today, aiming to invest in capable start-up companies in the digital asset field.
China’s Blockchain and FinTech Sector to Brace for 'Capital Winter' Even After the Coronavirus Pandemic Subsides
Investment activity in China’s tech sector has seen a massive drop in the past four months since the coronavirus outbreak has emerged from the city of Wuhan. The venture capital market has been suffering a tremendous impact on its existing drop in activity.
Swiss Crypto Firm Launches Venture Fund, Supporting African Early-Stage Blockchain Startups
Crypto Valley Venture Capital's venture fund will offer early-stage financing to African blockchain startups that have the potential to benefit humanity.
Luno Floats Venture Capital Arm to Invest in Web3.0 & Fintech Startups
Luno, a digital currency platform owned by the Digital Currency Group (DCG) has launched Luno Expeditions, its Venture Capital (VC) outfit.
More Than 1,000 Crypto Deals Sealed for Venture Capital Firms, Worth $17bn in 2022
Venture Capital (VC) firms continue penetrating the crypto sector, given that they have pumped in $17 billion so far this year.
2022 was a tough year for crypto with a decline in venture
Due to tough macro circumstances and industry developments, blockchain and cryptocurrency-related VC investments fell every quarter in 2022.
Former FTX US Head Launches New Crypto Software
Former FTX US CEO launches bitcoin software startup. Brett Harrison's latest firm, Architect, received $5 million from investors. The firm will create crypto trading software for huge organisations.
Nexo Ventures Emerges With $150M Funding for Web3.0
Digital assets lending platform Nexo has launched Nexo Ventures, its incubation fund bootstrapped with $150 million to fund a variety of Web3.0 initiatives.
Japanese Asset Manager Nomura to Launch New Digital Company
Nomura Holdings Inc has announced its plans to transform its Future Innovation Company into a full-fledged Digital Company.
Brock Pierce's Presidential Campaign Enlists Akon as Chief Strategist
Crypto entrepreneur Akon has announced that he will be endorsing Brock Pierce’s presidential campaign and joining the crypto venture capitalist’s campaign team.
Two Sigma Ventures Pulls $400m in Two Funding Rounds
Multi-dimensional venture capital firm, Two Sigma Ventures (TSV) has raised two funds worth as much as $400 million to invest in early-stage startups.
CMCC Global's Titan Fund Secures $100M for Asian Blockchain Ventures
Hong Kong-based CMCC Global has raised $100 million for its Titan Fund, targeting early-stage blockchain start-ups primarily in Asia. The fund's first round saw participation from over 30 investors and comes amid a 70.9% YoY decline in global crypto venture capital investments.
FTX investors file class-action suit against Sequoia
FTX investor class-action lawsuit venture capital companies have a "tricky case," according to a crypto lawyer.
QuickNode Closes $60 Million Funding Round
QuickNode raised $60 million. Series B was the company's biggest round since October 2021. Quick Node hosts 16 blockchains, including Ethereum, Matic, Optimism, Arbitrum, and Solana.
Bloomberg: Crypto Saw more Funds in 2021 than all Previous Years Combined
More funds have been invested in the cryptocurrency industry in 2021 than in the past 10 years combined, according to Bloomberg.
PwC Reports Huge Shift in M&A and Fundraising from US to Asia and EMEA in 2019
In 2019, crypto fundraising and M&As began migrating over to Asia, Europe and the Middle East and saw a lack of new VC investments as the majority of funding came from crypto firms within the industry, according to PWC’s latest report released on April 6.
Crypto Investments Shrunk nearly 25% to about $9.3B in H1
Venture capital firms’ penetration of the crypto space has slowed, shrinking nearly 25% from a record $12.5 billion invested in the first half of last year to about $9.3 billion in the first six months of this year.
Venture Capital Firm MetaWeb Ventures to Establish $30M Venture Fund
Venture capital firm MetaWeb Ventures has announced the launch of a $30 million venture fund to focus on decentralized social media, DeFi, gaming and decentralized autonomous organizations.
MoonPay Looks to Fuel Global Expansion With $555M Funding
Crypto payments company MoonPay has raised $555 million in its first-ever Series A funding round, earning the firm a unicorn valuation of $3.4 billion.
Decima Fund Secures 4.5 Billion Yen to Bolster Web3 Ventures in Japan
Decima Fund, a specialized Web3 venture fund, announces the successful closure of approximately 4.5 billion Yen in capital to support the global expansion of Japanese Web3 ventures.
Former a16z Partner Katie Haun's Crypto VC Fund Raises $1.5 Billion
Former federal prosecutor Katie Haun’s crypto venture capital fund has raised $1.5 billion to invest in crypto-related startups.
Brock Pierce Served for Securities Fraud in Connection with His Blockchain Company Block.one During Electoral Campaign
Presidential hopeful Brock Pierce was served a court summons during his electoral rally at his new headquarters in New York City today.
Grayscale Investments Parent Company DCG Invests $100 Million Into Bitcoin Mining
Grayscale parent company DCG has announced its entry into Bitcoin mining.
WalletConnect Pulls $11M in Venture Capital Funding
Digital Currency infrastructure services provider, WalletConnect has raised the sum of $11 million in a Series A funding round from venture capital investors.
Alexis Ohanian bought 50000 ETH
Ohanian founded 776 Venture Capital using his early ETH and Coinbase investments.
Solana (SOL) Foundation Entrusts Hackathons and Accelerator Programs to Colosseum
The Solana Foundation is transferring management of its hackathons and accelerator programs to Colosseum, aiming to enhance the Solana ecosystem with substantial funding and developer support.
Former Sequoia Partner Michelle Fradin, Involved in FTX Investment, Joins OpenAI
Michelle Fradin, former Sequoia Capital executive, joins OpenAI to lead data efforts, specializing in venture capital and AI, focusing on FTX investment and large language model integration.
Injective Launches $150 Million Ecosystem
Injective, a layer-1 blockchain technology, is funding Cosmos network developers with $150 million. Pantera Capital, Kraken Ventures, Jump Crypto, and Gate Labs support the fund.
Cake DeFi Floats $100M Venture Fund for Web3.0
Cake DeFi, a Singapore-based decentralized finance investment platform, has launched its new $100 million venture capital arm.
Venture Capital Firms Almost Quadruple Previous High by Pumping $30B into the Crypto Industry in 2021
Venture capital firms kept a keen eye on the crypto industry to the extent of pouring $30 billion in this sector in 2021.
Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz voted against a Uniswap proposal
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) opposed a final plan to instal Uniswap V3 on the BNB Chain utilising the Wormhole bridge.
Women in Payments CEO: Less than 5% of VCs Invest in Women-Led FinTech Companies
With a background in engineering, Kristy Duncan, the CEO of Women in Payments started her career in banking and then into the payments industry. Duncan has then been fascinated with the payments market, and is a “payments geek at heart.” She started Women in Payments in 2012, Looking to add value in a different way, to connect, inspire, and champion women who are working in the payments industry globally.
Multicoin Capital's Vision for 2024: Embracing AI, Crypto, and Web3 Innovations
Multicoin Capital's 2024 outlook highlights the transformative role of AI, stablecoins, and innovative token distribution in the crypto and blockchain landscape. The firm foresees significant advancements in remittances, social applications, and various sectors integrating crypto as a foundational element.
Bank of England halts Silicon Valley Bank UK branch operations
The Bank of England has ordered the Silicon Valley Bank's UK branch to halt its operations as it has limited presence and no critical functions supporting the financial system. The bank will be placed into a Bank Insolvency Procedure, and eligible depositors will be paid out by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to the protected limit of £85,000, with the remaining assets and liabilities being managed by bank liquidators. UK venture capitalists and a nonprofit organization have expressed concern as several startups and investors have significant exposure to the SVB UK, including prominent blockchain VCs who have over $6 billion in assets at the bank.
DeFi Startup WOO Network Secures $30M in Oversubscribed Series A Round
Defi deep liquidity service provider WOO Network has successfully raised $30 million from investors.
Partner at Proof of Capital Presumes That China’s Digital Currency Could Go Live in No Time
In her view, Edith Yeung, fund manager, and partner at Proof of Capital, a blockchain-based venture capital fund, presumed that the Chinese Government could launch their digital currency, virtual yuan, in no distant time, assumably, within the next six to twelve months.
Blockchain Capital Joins the Libra Association as Newest Governing Member
Blockchain Capital investment company has joined the Libra Association as a governing member.
Brock Pierce For President, Crypto Venture Capitalist Announces Candidacy
Brock Pierce has announced that he will be joining the presidential race in the 2020 US elections.
Brock Pierce and Blockchain Capital Sue Florida-Based Company for Copyright Infringement
Brock Pierce and his business partners are suing Blockchain Capital Management LLC (BCM) for copyright infringement.
Andreessen Horowitz Names New York Stock Exchange’s Top Regulator to Head Its Cryptocurrency Unit
Andreessen Horowitz venture capital firm hires the current head of the New York Stock exchange (NYSE)’s regulatory unit.
PayPal Co-Founder Peter Thiel Injects $30 Million into Crypto Firm BlockFi to Improve Cash Flow and Expand Product Lines
The series B offering was led by Valar Ventures, which is a venture capital company backed by PayPal co-founder Peter Theil. Other investors in the offering round included Winklevoss Capital, Avon Ventures, Morgan Creek Digital, CMT Digital, PJC, and Akuna Capital. New investors included Purple Arch Ventures, Arrington XRP Capital, Kenetic Capital, HashKey Capital, and Castle Island Ventures.
Wells Fargo Injects $5M into Blockchain Startup Bridging Crypto Exchanges and Banks to Expand in Asia
US Banking Giant, Wells Fargo is investing in blockchain startup focusing on forensics, Elliptic. Wells Fargo Strategic Capital (WFSC), the venture capital arm of the bank, has decided to inject $5 million into Elliptic’s Series B funding round.
First Crypto Fund Approved by Hong Kong’s Financial Regulator Aims to Pass $100M in its First Year
Hong Kong’s first approved cryptocurrency fund, Arrano Capital, the blockchain arm of Venture Smart Asia announced its rollout of a new Bitcoin fund in Hong Kong.
Ethereum 2.0 Rival Raises $21.6M Round Led by Andreessen Horowitz for Web-Scale Decentralized Application Platform
Decentralized applications startup Near Inc announced $21.6 million tokens raised led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z). Joined by other investment firms, including Libertus, Animal Ventures, Notation Capital, Blockchange, Pantera Capital, and Distribution Global, the token sale is the network’s second funding, following a $12.1 million round last July.