Crypto Funding Frenzy: $169M Raised Across 16 Deals as AI and Infrastructure Dominate
The $169 Million Puzzle: Decoding Last Week’s Crypto Funding Landscape
Having tracked capital flows since the ICO craze of 2017, I’ve developed something of a sixth sense for spotting meaningful patterns in funding data. Last week’s 16 disclosed deals present a fascinating case study in institutional priorities.
Infrastructure Eats the World (Again)
The sector accounted for 8 of the 16 deals, with particularly notable moves:
- Eigen Labs’ $70 million windfall from a16z for their restaking protocol demonstrates continued confidence in Ethereum’s middleware layer
- TON ecosystem attracted $11.5M for TAC’s Telegram-native DeFi interface - because apparently we’ve decided messaging apps need yield farming now
- Cross-border payment play XFX secured $9.1M from heavyweights like Haun Ventures, proving TradFi problems still warrant blockchain solutions
What surprises me? The sheer volume of “infrastructure for infrastructure” plays. We’re building scaffolds to support other scaffolds now.
AI’s Second Act in Web3
Three AI-focused raises caught my analyst eye:
- Units.Network ($10M) - Their AI Liquidity Manager could either revolutionize cross-chain swaps or join the graveyard of overly ambitious 2023 roadmaps
- SparkChain AI ($10.8M) - A decentralized compute network that might finally make “Airbnb for GPUs” more than a VC pitch deck fantasy
- PublicAI ($8M A round) - Brainwave data collection meets blockchain? Either groundbreaking or dystopian depending on your caffeine intake
The pattern suggests investors are betting on AI as crypto’s next use case rather than competitor - though I’d caution against underestimating how quickly that narrative can flip.
Notable Oddities & Wildcards
Some deals defy easy categorization:
- Project Eleven’s $6M quantum-resistant cryptography play feels like preparing for a threat that’s perpetually “5 years away”
- The Wildcard Alliance/Thousands gaming combo raised $9M because nothing says mass adoption like combining Web3 protocols with obscure esports titles
- Ubyx secured $10M to build the Visa network for stablecoins - an idea so obvious we should probably question why it hasn’t happened yet
What the Money Signals
Tracking these flows reveals three key trends:
- Institutional players (a16z, Paradigm, etc.) continue doubling down on core infrastructure bets
- The AI narrative is being retrofitted onto existing blockchain frameworks rather than driving new architectures
- Despite the bear market, Series A rounds remain robust for teams with credible pedigrees (ex-Coinbase, ex-SpaceX etc.)
As always in crypto, today’s funding announcements become tomorrow’s delivery challenges. I’ll be watching which of these projects actually ship products versus those content to ship whitepapers.
CipherBloom
Hot comment (13)
When Your Scaffold Needs a Scaffold
\(169M in crypto funding last week, and half went to... infrastructure for infrastructure? Eigen Labs got \)70M to build restaking protocols (because apparently Ethereum needs more layers than my winter outfit).
AI or Just Another Buzzword?
Units.Network wants to manage liquidity with AI - bold move for an industry that can’t even decide what day it is. Meanwhile, PublicAI is collecting brainwave data on-chain. Cool innovation or Black Mirror episode? You decide!
Pro tip: When VCs throw money at “quantum-resistant” crypto projects, it’s time to check their coffee intake. Cheers to the brave souls building the Visa for stablecoins - only 5 years late to the party!
So, who’s actually shipping products vs. whitepapers? Place your bets below!
“인프라 위한 인프라”의 악순환
VC들이 Eigen Labs에 700억원 투자했다며? 이제 이더리움 중간층을 지원하는 중간층이 필요하다는 뜻인가요? 🤔 스캐폴드 위에 스캐폴드를 쌓는 이 건축놀이… 언제쯤 실제 사용자를 볼까요?
텔레그램에서 수익 농사?
TON 생태계에 115억원 투자 논리가 대박: “메신저로 선물 보내다가 갑자기 yield farming 하자!” 진심으로 이걸 본 여러분의 표정이 궁금합니다 😅
AI+블록체인=???
뇌파 데이터를 블록체인에 저장하는 PublicAI(80억 규모 투자). 커피 세 잔 마시고 보면 혁신적, 다섯 잔 마시면 그냥 디스토피아일 뿐!
(여러분도 투자하면 나중에 후회할까요 말까요? 💸)
인프라 위의 인프라를 짓는 건설 중독자들
암호화폐 업계가 또 다시 ‘인프라 사랑’에 빠졌네요. 이젠 인프라를 위한 인프라까지… 머리가 아픈 건지, 아니면 정말 뭔가 큰 그림이 있는 건지? 🤔
텔레그램에서 수확하는 디파이
TON 생태계에 115억원 투자받았다고? 이제 문자 앱에서도 농사짓는 시대라니… 채팅하다가 실수로 밀리언 달러 스왑할까 봐 걱정이에요! 💸
AI + 블록체인 = ?
뇌파 데이터를 블록체인에 저장한다고? 카페인 과다 섭취 시 읽으면 dystopia, 적당히 마시면 utopia가 되는 신기한 프로젝트네요.
(이번 주 투자 트렌드 분석 끝! 여러분도 이런 프로젝트에 투자할 용기 있나요? 😆)
スクランブル交差点で見た未来
今週の暗号資産界隈、またしても面白い展開ですよ。1億6900万ドルが16プロジェクトに流れ込む中で、特に目立ったのは「インフラのためのインフラ」という謎構築（笑）
テレグラムで利殖とか TON生態系が1150万ドル調達って…メッセージアプリにDeFi機能？チャットしながら不労所得ゲット時代到来ですか？
量子コンピュータ対策はいつまで寝言？ Project Elevenが量子耐性暗号に600万ドル。脅威が「あと5年」なのは10年前から変わらず（遠い目）
この調子だと、次は「NFT対応トースター」とか出てきそう^^; みなさんどう思います？ #暗号資産サバイバル
Оце так шаленство! 169 мільйонів доларів за тиждень у криптосвіті — це як чергова серія «Гри престолів», тільки з більшою кількістю нулів. 😆
Інфраструктура? Так, будемо будувати! Eigen Labs отримали 70 мільйонів — мабуть, щоб побудувати ще один шар під Ethereum. Тепер це як матрьошка: блокчейн у блокчейні у блокчейні…
AI + Crypto = Love Story? Units.Network та SparkChain AI отримали по 10+ мільйонів. Виходить, тепер AI буде керувати нашими грошима? Ну хоч не голосовими командами… поки що.
А найкраще — проект Ubyx: 10 мільйонів на «Visa для стейблкоінів». Це ж очевидно, як борщ з пампушками! Чому раніше ніхто не додумався?
Чекаємо, хто перший випустить продукт, а хто — просто гарний вітepапір. 😏 Як вважаєте?
Grabe ang Crypto Fiesta!
Naglabasan na naman ang mga VC na parang nasa Black Friday sale! $169M para sa 16 deals? Pati AI at infra ginawang combo meal.
Infra ng Infra
Parang Lego blocks - may scaffold para sa scaffold! Talo pa ang SM Mall construction. Si Eigen Labs nakakuha ng $70M, e di sana nag-restake na lang ako ng pancit canton!
AI Hype 2.0
May brainwave data collection pa (PublicAI). Aba, pwede na ba mag-mine ng crypto gamit utak ko pag tulog? #PassiveIncome
Teka, sino dito nakakaalala nung 2017 ICO craze? Same same pero mas mahal na pizza ngayon! 😂 Ano say nyo dito mga ka-crypto?
돈이 흐르는 곳에 미래가 있다
벌써 인프라 위에 인프라를 짓고, AI는 이제 블록체인의 새 장을 열려고 합니다. 16건의 투자에서 1억 6천9백만 달러가 흘러들었는데…
“텔레그램에서 수익 농사?” TON 생태계에 1150만 달러가 투자됐다는데, 이제 메신저에서도 DeFi를 한다네요. 다음은 카카오톡으로 채굴하기인가?
AI 유니콘의 탄생 예고 Units.Network와 SparkChain AI에 각각 1000만 달러씩 박았습니다. ‘GPU 에어비앤비’가 현실이 된다면… 제 발언권은 어디서 사야 하나요?
결론: VC들은 여전히 백서보다 팀 경력을 본다는 사실! (전 코인베이스 출신들 주목)
여러분도 이 ‘미친 투자’ 트렌드 어떻게 생각하시나요? 🤔
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