The Bitcoin DeFi sector attracted $175 million in VC funding across 32 deals in the first half of the year, as Bitcoin treasury companies continue to acquire BTC for long-term reserves. The industry is growing amid rising demand for BTC-focused financial services.
Inveniam Capital invested $20 million in Mantra to bring institutional-grade real-world assets to the blockchain, boosting total value locked on Mantra Chain. The partnership aims to expand institutional access to RWA ecosystems in the US and UAE, with the RWA market projected to reach a $18.9 trillion valuation.
Stable, a blockchain network built around Tether’s USDt, raised $28 million to accelerate global USDt adoption in light of growing regulatory clarity. Stable prioritizes payment simplicity and instant transactions, with backing from prominent investors such as Bitfinex and Franklin Templeton.
French fintech Spiko raised $22 million to expand access to tokenized money markets in Europe, bridging the gap with the US in digital asset adoption. Spiko has processed over $900 million in working capital and expects assets under management to surpass $1 billion by year-end.
Dakota, a stablecoin banking platform, secured $12.5 million in a Series A round to deliver global banking services powered by digital dollars. The platform aims to provide faster payments and more efficient cross-border transactions, with over 500 businesses already onboarded.
Jarsy, a digital investment platform, raised $5 million in a pre-seed funding round to offer retail investors access to pre-IPO private equity markets through tokenized shares. The funding will be used to enhance global compliance and expand the selection of private equity opportunities offered.
BridgePort raised $3.2 million in seed funding to expand its settlement network connecting crypto exchanges, trading firms, and custodians to improve capital allocation and settlement efficiency. The platform is live on Amazon Web Services and actively onboarding exchanges and custodians.
Read more at Cointelegraph: VC Roundup: Bitcoin Leads, Tokenization Gains