Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin DeFi Attracts $175M in Q1 2024 Amid Institutional Adoption Surge

The crypto venture capital landscape has seen a significant shift back to Bitcoin, driven by its growing acceptance as an institutional asset. In the first half of 2024, the Bitcoin DeFi sector attracted $175 million in funding across 32 venture capital deals. At the same time, Bitcoin treasury companies have injected billions into the market by purchasing BTC for long-term reserves. This trend reflects a broader shift in the crypto industry, with demand for BTC-focused financial services continuing to surge [1].

Beyond Bitcoin, several recurring themes dominated VC activity in July. Investors continued to favor startups in tokenization, stablecoin infrastructure, and settlement technologies. These areas have shown consistent traction, with projects aiming to bridge traditional finance and blockchain infrastructure [1].

Inveniam Capital, a decentralized data infrastructure provider, has committed $20 million to layer-1 blockchain Mantra, aiming to bring institutional-grade real-world assets (RWAs) onto the blockchain. The partnership is expected to boost total value locked (TVL) on Mantra Chain while promoting compliant tokenization. By integrating data sovereignty and asset surveillance capabilities, the collaboration is designed to support more advanced DeFi applications and regulatory-grade transparency. The initiative seeks to expand institutional access to RWAs in both the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Industry research cited by Inveniam suggests the RWA market could reach $18.9 trillion in value within a decade, with some estimates projecting as high as $30 trillion as traditional institutions increase participation [1].

Stable, a layer-1 blockchain network built around Tether’s USDt (USDT), has raised $28 million in a seed funding round to expand its infrastructure and accelerate global USDt adoption. The investment was led by Bitfinex, Hack VC, Franklin Templeton, Castle Island Ventures, Susquehanna Crypto, KuCoin Ventures, and angel investors. The project positions itself as a “stablechain,” emphasizing payment simplicity and instant transactions. The recent passage of the US GENIUS Act is seen as a key regulatory milestone supporting the growth of stablecoins in payment infrastructure [1].

Spiko, a French fintech firm, has raised $22 million in a Series A round led by Index Ventures, with participation from White Star Capital and Blockwall. The funding will support Spiko’s mission to expand access to tokenized money markets, particularly in Europe. The company has already processed over $900 million in working capital, with assets under management expected to exceed $1 billion by the end of the year [1].

Dakota, a stablecoin-powered business banking platform, has raised $12.5 million in a Series A round led by CoinFund. The company, founded by former Coinbase Custody CEO Ryan Bozarth, provides global banking services through digital dollars. With over 500 businesses already on its platform, Dakota aims to improve the speed and efficiency of cross-border transactions. The funding comes as global stablecoin market capitalization reaches $268 billion, with expectations of further growth driven by regulatory developments such as the GENIUS Act [1].

Jarsy, a digital investment platform, has raised $5 million in a pre-seed round led by Breyer Capital, with participation from Mysten Labs, MoonPay, and Anchorage Digital. The platform allows retail investors to access pre-IPO private equity markets via tokenized shares, with a minimum investment of $10. These tokenized opportunities are backed by real shares held in custody, and users can fund their investments with stablecoins like USDC [1].

BridgePort, an off-exchange settlement layer, has secured $3.2 million in seed funding led by Further Ventures, with participation from Virtu, XBTO, and Humla Ventures. The platform provides middleware to connect crypto exchanges, trading firms, and custodians, aiming to improve capital allocation and settlement efficiency. It is now live on Amazon Web Services and is actively expanding its network [1].

Source: [1] VC Roundup: Bitcoin DeFi surges, but tokenization and stablecoins gain steam (https://cointelegraph.com/news/july-vc-roundup-bitcoin-tokenization-stablecoins?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound)