Financing Weekly Report | 22 public financing events; crypto wallet Phantom announced the completion of US$150 million in Series C financing, with a valuation of US$3 billion
Reprinted from panewslab
01/20/2025·2days agoHighlights of this issue
According to incomplete statistics from PANews, there were 22 investment and financing events in the global blockchain last week (1.13-1.19), with the total scale of funds exceeding US$450 million, a significant increase compared with the previous week. The overview is as follows:
- DeFi announced two investment and financing events, among which Global Token Exchange (GTE), a decentralized exchange (DEX) based on the MegaETH blockchain, announced that it had raised US$10 million in three rounds of financing;
- The Web3 game track announced two investment and financing events, among which Hyve Labs completed a US$2.75 million Pre-Seed round of financing, led by Framework Ventures;
- Three investment and financing events were announced in the AI+Web3 field, among which Crypto x AI company Reppo Labs announced the completion of US$2.2 million in financing, with Protocol Labs and others participating in the investment;
- Nine investment and financing events were announced in the infrastructure & tools field, among which Phantom announced the completion of a US$150 million Series C round of financing, with Sequoia Capital and Paradigm co-leading the investment;
- Three investment and financing events were announced in other categories, among which Tapestry, a social graph protocol based on Solana, completed US$5.75 million in Series A financing;
- Centralized finance announced three investment and financing events. Crypto bank Sygnum announced the completion of US$58 million in strategic financing, with Fulgur Ventures leading the investment.
DeFi
MegaETH-based DEX GTE raises $10 million in three rounds of funding
Global Token Exchange (GTE), a decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the MegaETH blockchain, has raised $10 million in three rounds of financing. GTE co-founder Enzo Coglitore revealed that the financing includes a US$1.5 million Pre-Seed round, a US$6.942 million seed round, and Echo’s US$2.5 million community financing. Pre-Seed will be completed in the third quarter of 2024, the seed round will be completed in the fourth quarter, and the Echo round of financing ended just last week. Venture investors in GTE include Maven 11, Wintermute, Flow Traders, Robot Ventures, IMC Trading, Ethena’s Guy Young, Anza’s Max Resnick, and undisclosed traders from Jump Trading.
RWA tokenization platform Brickken completes US$2.5 million in seed round financing
Barcelona-based RWA tokenization platform Brickken has completed a $2.5 million seed round, bringing its post-money valuation to more than $22.5 million. Participants in the seed round include Psalion, Ergodic Fund, SNZ Capital, Blue Bay Ventures, Mocha and Hodl Ventures. According to reports, Brickken has tokenized assets worth more than $250 million in less than two years and is preparing to launch an enterprise-level AI agent. Brickken is also the official tokenization solution provider of BNBChain.
Web3 games
Web3 gaming company Hyve Labs completes $2.75 million in Pre-Seed round of financing
Web3 game company Hyve Labs completed a $2.75 million Pre-Seed round of financing, led by Framework Ventures, with participation from Volt Capital, Builder Capital, 32 Bit Ventures and many angel investors. Hyve Labs intends to use the funds to expand the team and develop core infrastructure, such as launching the testnet chain, the first game and other on-chain assets. According to reports, Hyve Labs has developed a game rollup, built using technologies such as decentralized data availability service EigenDA, as a game launcher. The agreement also allows Hyve to be integrated into Telegram, Discord, Farcaster and other social platforms.
BeraTone completes US$2 million in seed round financing, led by Animoca Brands
Blockchain game project BeraTone announced the completion of a US$2 million seed round of financing. This round was led by Animoca Brands, with participation from SNZ Holding, Citizen X, Avid3, Metazero Capital and other institutions and multiple angel investors. This round of financing will be used for team expansion, feature development and improving the game experience. BeraTone is a farm life simulation game developed based on Berachain, which combines the Proof of Liquidity consensus mechanism of the blockchain to provide players with tradable game assets and a powerful economic ecosystem. The game is inspired by "Harvest Moon", "Stardew Valley" and "Animal Crossing", and uses rhythm challenges, social interaction and other gameplay to create an attractive bear-themed virtual world.
AI
NULS received US$3.4 million in financing led by Ape Terminal to promote its transformation to AI
Blockchain infrastructure platform NULS announced on the This investment marks a strategic transformation of NULS, focusing on promoting artificial intelligence applications in the ecosystem. According to reports, NULS is a blockchain infrastructure platform headquartered in Singapore that provides cross-chain consensus, multi-chain mechanisms and smart contract support. The Parachain architecture and ChainBox functions provided by NULS have currently integrated the cross-chain interoperability of more than 40 mainstream blockchains, and is the first public chain network to support multiple assets such as BTC/ETH as gas fees.
Crypto x AI company Reppo Labs completes $2.2 million in financing
Crypto x AI company Reppo Labs announced the completion of US$2.2 million in financing, with participation from Protocol Labs, CV VC, CMS Holdings and others, part of which was raised on Echo.xyz. The new funding will be used to develop critical infrastructure that enables permissionless collaboration between data owners and AI developers and agents on niche datasets. According to reports, Reppo Labs was spun out from the Protocol Labs Venture Studio in March 2024. Reppo is a permissionless network that promotes seamless collaboration between AI developers and data owners through intent and intellectual property (IP) co-ownership. sewing collaboration. Reppo introduces “Pods,” which are collections of sovereign humans and machines that act as inference DAOs, allowing individuals or groups to manage and monetize AI assets.
AI-driven cryptocurrency analysis platform Mind AI completes $1.2 million in strategic financing
Mind AI, an AI-driven cryptocurrency analysis platform, announced the completion of US$1.2 million in strategic financing from aixcb, Castrum Istanbul, Dewhales, SMO Capital, Metazero Capital, X21 Digital, Lunar Labs Capital, Zephyrus Capital, AlfaCatalyst, Decubate, Maven Capital, Unreal Capital, GAINS Associates, Coinvestor Ventures, Kef Ventures, Carbon Browser, Danxia Capital, and Unicorn Ventures participated in the investment. According to reports, Mind AI is a cryptocurrency analysis platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide investors with insights into the digital asset market. Its goal is to transform social signals into profitable trading decisions driven by artificial intelligence.
Infrastructure & Tools
Crypto wallet Phantom announced the completion of US$150 million in Series C financing, with a valuation of US$3 billion. The round was co-led by Sequoia Capital and Paradigm, with other investors also participating. It is reported that Phantom plans to use the new funds to accelerate the popularity of cryptocurrency and promote its transformation into the world's largest consumer financial platform. Since its launch in 2021, Phantom has reached 15 million monthly active users, supports 85 billion on-chain transactions, and manages US$25 billion in self-custody assets. In 2024, Phantom will strengthen security and infrastructure through the acquisition of Bitski and Blowfish. In the future, Phantom will increase investment in social features and peer-to-peer payments to further simplify the user experience.
Crypto startup 1Money has completed a $20 million seed round of financing to build a Layer 1 network "1Money Network" designed specifically for stablecoin payments. There are more than a dozen participants in this round of financing, including F-Prime Capital, Galaxy Ventures, Hack VC, Kraken Ventures, MoonPay Ventures and Bankless Ventures. Brian Shroder, co-founder and CEO of the startup, said in a statement: “1Money will make stablecoin payments more convenient and practical for everyday use cases, from paying friends to making e-commerce purchases and sending money. "
Dfns, a Paris-based crypto wallet technology company, completed a $16 million financing led by Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ. Other investors include market makers Wintermute, Motive Partners, Bpifrance and Galeries Lafayette Group owner family office Motier Ventures. According to reports, Dfns was founded in 2020. The company develops technology that allows developers to more easily build and securely manage digital asset wallets. Its clients include Fidelity International, Zodia Custody and Bridge, the stablecoin company acquired by Stripe last year. The startup, which raised $13 million in 2022, plans to expand its headcount to 35 employees from the current 25.
WalletConnect developer Reown completed US$13 million in Series B financing, led by USV and 1kx
Reown announced the completion of a $13 million Series B round of financing, led by Union Square Ventures (USV) and 1kx. Other investors include SC Ventures, SBI Holdings, Shopify Ventures, Kraken Ventures, etc. To date, Reown’s cumulative financing has reached US$38 million. As the developer of WalletConnect Network, Reown focuses on the improvement of user experience (UX) on the chain. This round of financing will be used to accelerate the development of its core products AppKit and WalletKit to simplify users’ interaction processes on the blockchain.
Merit Systems, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, announced the completion of a $10 million seed round of financing, led by Andreessen Horowitz’s crypto fund and Blockchain Capital. Merit is committed to solving the long-standing "attribution problem" by establishing a protocol that provides fair attribution and reward mechanisms for open source developers, allowing users to pay software creators directly. Merit, co-founded by Sam Ragsdale, Ryan Sproule and Mason Hall, is currently valued at $55.5 million and is expected to launch a wider product version by the end of February. The company's Domino Sugar Factory office building in Brooklyn plans to add seven new employees in the next few months to create a team culture focused on on-site collaboration.
Cross-chain infrastructure SYNTHR announced that it has completed 5 rounds of financing, raising a total of US$10 million, with participation from Kronos, NGC Ventures, Morningstar Ventures, etc. In addition, the project has also received 11 funding supports.
Alpen Labs, the financial infrastructure on the Bitcoin chain, announced the completion of US$8.5 million in strategic financing. DBA and Cyber Fund co-led the investment. Ribbit Capital, Castle Island Ventures and Geometry were the largest investors in its seed round and participated in this round of financing. China once again supports Alpen. This round of funding will help it accelerate the development of the Bitcoin ZK Rollup “Strata” and release it to the mainnet in 2025. According to reports, Strata will be launched as an open platform designed to expand and promote the use of Bitcoin, which will unlock many practical features for Bitcoin: simple self-custody, intuitive and privacy-protecting payments, interoperability, and Bitcoin-based Supported lending and stablecoins, as well as many other on-chain applications. Strata will be available to the public starting next month with the upcoming testnet release.
EarnOS completes US$5 million in seed round financing to promote new privacy-first advertising model
EarnOS announced the completion of US$5 million in financing. This round was led by EV3 Ventures, with participation from Animoca Brands, GD1, Laser Digital, etc. Strategic partners include Burnt XION, Mysten Labs and Opacity Network. EarnOS aims to subvert the traditional advertising model, allowing brands to directly reward users' interest and interaction with stable coins, while protecting user privacy through zkTLS technology. It is based on the XION wallet-less blockchain, which simplifies the complexity of Web3 and creates an easier-to-use encrypted advertising solution for mainstream users. EarnOS plans to promote mutual trust and transparent cooperation between users and brands in the digital economy through its upcoming crowdfunding system and privacy protection features.
Web 2.5 infrastructure company Torram completes $710,000 in Pre-Seed round of financing
Web 2.5 infrastructure company Torram announced the completion of a $710,000 Pre-Seed round of financing, with participation from Draper Associates, Blockchain Founders Fund, Boost VC, Side Door Ventures, Deep Ventures, MH Ventures, Silvermine Capital and Trive Digital.
other
social contact:
Tapestry, a social graph protocol based on Solana, completed a $5.75 million Series A round of financing. This round of financing was jointly led by Union Square Ventures and Fabric Ventures, with participation from Stellation Capital, Slow Ventures and Foresight Ventures. This round of financing values Tapestry’s equity at US$35 million and the token network at US$70 million, bringing the total financing amount to US$12.5 million. Tapestry focuses on providing infrastructure for integrated social functions for blockchain applications, leveraging Solana’s state compression technology to reduce costs. The team plans to expand to other blockchain ecosystems, such as Aptos and Monad, and adopt a freemium model to provide services to developers, while exploring future charging models for data reading and writing protocols.
Innovation platform Oh has completed a US$4.5 million seed round of financing and plans to empower the creator economy through the integration of AI and Web3 technology. This round of financing was led by well-known institutions such as Tangent, Big Brain Holdings, and Kosmos Ventures, and was supported by angel investors such as Yan Liberman of Delphi Ventures. Oh focuses on providing disruptive solutions for creators and users through the personalization capabilities of AI and the decentralization and censorship-resistant features of Web3. Its core products include the AI-driven OhChat, which has users in 174 countries. In the future, it will also launch "superModels" - the next generation of AI digital creators with dynamic interaction and social capabilities.
AI-driven Web3 social platform Metya completes a new round of financing, with participation from TIDO Capital and others
Metya, the AI-driven Web3 social platform, announced the completion of a new round of financing, with investors including TIDO Capital, Candaq Ventures and Oasis Labs. Metya is an innovative Web3 platform that integrates DePIN infrastructure, AI Agent technology and on-chain social protocols. The platform combines AI and blockchain technology to provide personalized social experiences and value-driven interactions. The upcoming AI Agent function will further enhance the intelligence and fun of user interactions on the chain.
Centralized Finance
Komainu Holdings Ltd., a crypto custody company backed by Nomura Holdings, announced that it raised $75 million from Blockstream Capital Partners. The financing, subject to regulatory approval, will be used to support Komainu’s global expansion plans and integrate collateral management and tokenization technology developed by Blockstream Corp. In addition, Blockstream CEO Adam Back will join Komainu’s board of directors to further strengthen cooperation and technology integration between the two parties.
Sygnum, a crypto bank headquartered in Switzerland and Singapore, announced the completion of strategic financing of US$58 million, with a valuation exceeding US$1 billion, officially joining the ranks of unicorns. This financing was led by Fulgur Ventures, which focuses on Bitcoin technology, with new and old investors and team members participating in the financing. Funds will be used to expand the product portfolio (with a focus on Bitcoin technology), enhance compliance capabilities, expand institutional infrastructure, and explore strategic acquisition opportunities. Sygnum plans to strengthen its European operations and establish a regulated facility in Hong Kong. The bank currently manages more than $5 billion in assets and serves more than 2,000 clients in 70 countries. In 2024, Sygnum will achieve full-year profitability, with total transaction volume increasing by more than 1,000% year-on-year.
AI-powered crypto exchange VOOX secures $50 million from Pinnacle Capital
AI-driven crypto exchange VOOX announced that it has received $50 million in investment from Pinnacle Capital. This round of financing will be mainly used for infrastructure construction, strengthening security measures, and strengthening marketing efforts to attract users. At the same time, VOOX will accelerate its integration with artificial intelligence and actual needs. Additionally, Pinnacle Capital will provide strategic guidance to ensure VOOX meets key regulatory compliance requirements while optimizing its business model for sustainable growth. According to reports, VOOX Exchange is an AI-driven crypto exchange founded in 2022 and headquartered in Singapore. The platform offers cryptocurrency spot trading, margin trading, futures trading, copy trading, and AI trading strategies designed to optimize user returns.
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