IPOs, Venture Rounds and On‑Chain Credit Signal Renewed Institutional Interest in Crypto (Jan 2026)
By Crypto Business Desk
Overview
After a turbulent finish to 2025, venture capital and institutional capital are flowing back into digital‑asset companies at the start of 2026. Data compiled by industry monitors shows roughly $1.4 billion has been earmarked for a mixture of private‑equity rounds and public‑market listings during the first two months of the year. While crypto prices remain under pressure following the wide‑scale liquidations of October, the volume of new money suggests a growing confidence among traditional investors in the sector’s long‑term potential.
Flagship Transactions
| Category | Company | Size | Valuation / Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venture round | Rain (stable‑coin platform linked to Visa) | $250 M | Post‑money valuation of $1.9 B |
| IPO | BitGo (crypto custodian) | $200 M+ raised via NYSE listing (Jan 2026) | First major crypto‑focused IPO of the year |
| Seed round | Bitway (on‑chain financial infrastructure) | $4.4 M | Lead investor: TRON DAO; secondary investor: HTX Ventures |
| Seed round | Everything (unified exchange for futures, spot & prediction markets) | $6.9 M | Led by Humanity Investments; includes Animoca Brands and WallStreetBets founder |
| On‑chain credit | Galaxy (Avalanche‑based digital securities) | $75 M | $50 M anchor from an institutional backer; private‑loan securitisation on‑chain |
| Seed round | Veera (mobile‑first on‑chain finance app) | $4 M | Backed by CMCC Titan Fund and Sigma Capital |
| Growth funding | Prometheum (US‑regulated broker‑dealer for digital assets) | $23 M (since Jan 2025) | Supports on‑chain securities clearing |
| Ecosystem fund | Solayer (Solana‑aligned infra developer) | $35 M | Targets early‑stage on‑chain products on the infiniSVM network |
Market Context
-
Capital is returning despite price weakness. The October 2025 market unwind erased billions of dollars in leveraged positions across both centralized and decentralized exchanges. Nevertheless, the $1.4 billion in fresh commitments indicates that investors are separating short‑term price dynamics from the underlying infrastructure narrative.
-
Public‑market exposure is expanding. BitGo’s NYSE debut – the largest crypto‑custody IPO to date – underscores a broader appetite among traditional investors for regulated, listed exposure to crypto‑related assets. The successful placement of over $200 million suggests that institutional demand for custodial services remains robust.
- Stable‑coin ecosystems attract the biggest raises. Rain’s $250 million raise, led by a Visa‑affiliated partner, highlights the continuing emphasis on stable‑coin infrastructure as a bridge between fiat and digital finance. The $1.9 billion valuation places Rain among the top‑valued stable‑coin issuers globally.
On‑Chain Credit Emerging as a New Funding‑Vehicle
Galaxy’s $75 million on‑chain credit deal on Avalanche is a landmark transaction that moves private‑loan financing from legacy back‑office systems onto a blockchain. By tokenising the loan portfolio, the deal provides instant settlement, transparent ownership tracking, and programmable repayment terms. For an investor with a $50 million anchor commitment, the on‑chain format offers:
- Reduced operational friction – automated clearing and settlement without manual reconciliations.
- Enhanced auditability – every transfer is immutable on the ledger, simplifying regulatory reporting.
- Scalability for future issuances – the same smart‑contract framework can be reused for subsequent credit facilities.
Analysts view this as a proof‑of‑concept that could spur further on‑chain debt products, especially as traditional lenders explore crypto‑native balance‑sheet management.
Trends Across the Venture Landscape
-
On‑chain financial services remain a magnet for seed capital. Both Bitway and Veera are focusing on bringing DeFi‑style services to mainstream users (on‑chain savings, swaps, and payment flows). Their backers – TRON DAO, HTX Ventures, CMCC Titan – signal that ecosystem players are betting on user‑centric layers to fuel adoption.
-
Cross‑chain and AI integration are gaining traction. Everything’s roadmap includes a Telegram‑based UI designed to curb bot‑driven trading while preserving human verification, and Solayer’s ecosystem fund explicitly calls out AI‑driven systems as a target vertical. This mirrors a broader industry shift toward blending advanced analytics with decentralized infrastructure.
-
Regulated intermediaries are scaling. Prometheum’s additional $23 million aims to expand U.S. clearing services for tokenised securities, suggesting that the bridge between traditional brokerage and digital assets is tightening.
- Funding counts stay low, but deal sizes are sizable. The “big money, few deals” pattern noted in late‑2025 persists, with the bulk of capital funneled into a handful of high‑profile projects rather than a flood of smaller rounds.
Key Takeaways
| Takeaway | Implication |
|---|---|
| Institutional capital is uncoupling from price cycles. | Expect continued fundraising even if crypto markets stay volatile. |
| Public listings are becoming a preferred entry point for mainstream investors. | More custodians, exchanges, and infrastructure firms may pursue IPOs or SPACs. |
| On‑chain credit could unlock a new asset class for investors. | Lenders and borrowers may gravitate toward blockchain‑based loan tokenisation for speed and transparency. |
| User‑friendly on‑chain finance is a priority for early‑stage startups. | Companies that simplify DeFi interfaces for non‑technical users could capture significant market share. |
| Regulatory‑compliant infrastructure providers are scaling up. | Projects like Prometheum may become the de‑facto clearinghouses for tokenised securities in the U.S. |
Outlook
The early‑2026 data suggests that the crypto ecosystem is moving past the “boom‑bust” narrative of the previous year and entering a phase where institutional validation, regulated market access, and blockchain‑native financing mechanisms are converging. If on‑chain credit solutions prove efficient and compliant, they could reshape the capital‑raising landscape, prompting venture firms to channel more funds into projects that leverage tokenised debt and securities. Meanwhile, the continued success of high‑visibility IPOs and stable‑coin rounds indicates that the market is still receptive to large, strategically positioned players.
Cointelegraph maintains editorial independence. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently and consult the platform’s editorial policy for additional guidance.
Source: https://cointelegraph.com/news/crypto-vc-roundup-institutional-funding-onchain-credit-2026?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound
