Lightning Network payment rail, DeFi trading platform and blockchain security firm raise millions
Summary
While the number of deals has declined in recent months, startups at the intersection of blockchain payments, decentralized finance (DeFi) and cybersecurity are still attracting sizable interest from the VC community. The latest edition of VC Roundup highlights some of the most intriguing funding deals of the past month.Related: The risks and benefits of VCs for crypto communitiesZEBEDEE, a Bitcoin (BTC)-powered payment processor for the gaming industry, has raised $35 million from several investors including Kingsway Capital, The Raine Group and Square Enix. The investment round, which had participation from Jump Crypto, Electric Capital, Dragonfly Capital Partners and GSR, will aid Hashflow in expanding its product offerings for market markers and institutional traders.Fan engagement token platform Socios announced in early August that it would invest $100 million in Barca Studios, the digital content arm of the FC Barcelona football club. Specifically, Barca Studios is pursuing NFT and metaverse projects that will help the football club engage with its vast global fanbase, and will rely on Socios blockchain to deliver on the strategy.Web3 email solution EtherMail has raised $3 million ahead of the planned launch of its encrypted wallet-to-wallet communication service. Scheduled for release in the third quarter, EtherMail enables Web3 companies to send rich, relevant content directly to their asset holders, thereby reducing the risk of communication fraud.