Venture capitalists invested $155 million in 14 crypto startups this week, pushing yearly totals to nearly $25 billion. This marks a 160% increase from last year, surpassing analyst expectations. Key backers range from crypto specialists to traditional finance giants.
The latest wave of funding in the cryptocurrency sector highlights growing investor confidence. According to DefiLlama data, the $155 million infusion into 14 startups occurred in the first week of December, elevating total investments for the year to almost $25 billion—a 160% rise compared to the previous year.
Prominent investors included tech-oriented firms such as General Catalyst, Jump Trading, Coinbase Ventures, Wintermute Ventures, and GSR. Traditional institutions like BNY Mellon, Nasdaq Ventures, iCapital, and S&P Global also participated, signaling broader mainstream adoption.
Thiago Rüdiger, chief executive at blockchain infrastructure firm Tanssi, noted a shift in focus: “Infrastructure, [layer 1s] and stablecoin issuers are attracting the largest share of capital because these teams can show real demand, clear business models and measurable traction.” He added, “They operate the financial and technical plumbing that the rest of the industry depends on, which makes their growth easier to underwrite.”
Among the top recipients, Canton Network raised $50 million in a strategic round from BNY Mellon, Nasdaq Ventures, iCapital, and S&P Global. This layer-1 blockchain targets tokenized assets like bonds and cash, emphasizing privacy and regulatory compliance for institutional use.
Portal secured $25 million led by JTSA Global to advance its Bitcoin-focused non-custodial exchange and wallet, enabling atomic swaps across blockchains without intermediaries.
Ostium Labs obtained $20 million in a Series A round led by General Catalyst, with involvement from Jump Trading, Coinbase Ventures, Wintermute Ventures, and GSR. The platform provides perpetual futures on real-world assets such as commodities, forex, and equities, bridging traditional and decentralized finance.