Galaxy Asset Management has successfully raised $113 million for a cutting-edge crypto venture fund to inject fresh capital into cryptocurrency startups. Spearheaded by billionaire Michael Novogratz, the fund is set to focus on nurturing early-stage crypto ventures specializing in cryptocurrency software, infrastructure, and financial applications, according to a report from Bloomberg.
The fund, dubbed Galaxy Ventures Fund I LP, aims to kickstart investments in approximately 30 companies. However, it plans to continue fundraising efforts until it reaches its $150 million target, anticipated to culminate by 2025.
Galaxy’s Track Record of Investing in Prominent Projects
Galaxy’s track record includes previous investments in prominent protocols such as Ethena and Monad. With a bullish outlook on blockchain technology, Galaxy envisions a future where blockchain solutions become the cornerstone of global transaction settlements, a sentiment echoed by Mike Giampapa, a general partner at Galaxy.
“Our macro view is blockchains will be utilized to settle the majority of transactions… It’s a one-, two-decade transition that we are betting on.”
In alignment with its forward-looking approach, the new fund is poised to allocate between $3 million to $5 million to individual projects, signifying Galaxy’s strategic investment in the transformative potential of blockchain technologies.
Galaxy’s Growing Assets Under Management
Back in March, Galaxy surpassed $10 billion in assets under management (AUM) amid a surge in institutional interest in digital assets. Notably, the company experienced a 24.8% increase in assets during February, primarily driven by market appreciation. However, net outflows from an ongoing opportunistic mandate partially offset this growth.
The firm attributed the increased AUM to a diverse range of investment strategies, including over a dozen passive, active, and venture approaches. Notably, the recently launched Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETF (BTCO) has also contributed to this growth. While BTCO is part of the digital asset offerings, it has experienced relatively lower inflows compared to its competitors since its launch.
Crypto Startup Funding Surpasses $100 Billion
Crypto startups have experienced a significant surge in funding over the past decade, surpassing the impressive milestone of $100 billion since May 2014. The peak of cryptocurrency startup funding was reached in October 2021, with over $7 billion raised during that month. The second-highest recorded funding occurred in February 2022, totaling $3.67 billion.
Recent research indicates that nearly half of all cryptocurrency funding originates from investors in the United States. The remaining investments are distributed among various countries, with the United Kingdom accounting for 7.7% and Singapore for 5.7%, based on figures from the second quarter of 2023.
Notably, a series of high-profile funding deals have taken place between late 2023 and the first half of 2024. Together.AI and cross-chain protocol Wormhole secured investments of $225 million each, while open-source cloud storage firm Totter and Eigenlayer raised $101 million and $100 million, respectively. Other notable funding rounds include Swan Bitcoin’s $165 million raise and Blockchain.com’s $110 million.
These substantial investments highlight the continued confidence and interest in the cryptocurrency industry.
Powered by Crypto Expert BD
Follow us on Twitter: https://x.com/CryptoExpert_BD
Join our Telegram channel: https://t.me/CryptoExpert_BD
