# VC Related Articles

HTX News Center provides the latest articles and in-depth analysis on "VC", covering market trends, project updates, tech developments, and regulatory policies in the crypto industry.

How Far Is a16z from Going Public? $60 Billion, 7 Funds, Building Its Own Media Empire — Silicon Valley VC Is Becoming the Next Blackstone

Title: How Far Is a16z from an IPO? $60 Billion AUM, 7 Funds, Owned Media – Silicon Valley VC Is Becoming the Next Blackstone Summary: Venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) is positioning itself for a public listing, following the path of asset managers like Blackstone. Managing roughly $600 billion and recently raising $15 billion across seven specialized funds, a16z has built a multi-strategy platform beyond traditional VC. Key preparatory moves include obtaining Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) status in 2019, which allows holding public securities, and constructing its own media infrastructure (Future, a16z.news, Turpentine network) to control its public narrative—a crucial need for a publicly traded entity. The firm has signaled its ambition to become a "lasting company" beyond a partnership structure. Analysts suggest a potential IPO timeline of 2028-2030, after the current AI investment cycle matures. If a16z goes public, it could force a structural shift across the VC industry, pushing other major firms to follow suit and build similar permanent capital and media capabilities.

marsbit2 days ago 04:38

How Far Is a16z from Going Public? $60 Billion, 7 Funds, Building Its Own Media Empire — Silicon Valley VC Is Becoming the Next Blackstone

marsbit2 days ago 04:38

I've Been a VC in Web3 for Nine Years: Asian Funds Are Experiencing "Hell Mode"

After nine years as a Web3 VC, the author observes a severe downturn in Asia's crypto venture capital scene, with many funds disappearing or pivoting away. The market has cooled dramatically since the 2021-2024 frenzy, leading to fewer deals and active investors. IOSG Ventures, a firm that has endured three market cycles, has adapted its strategy: shifting from 80-90% early-stage investments to a 50% early-stage, 30% post-TGE, and 20% OTC portfolio to find better value and liquidity. The current bear market is described as "hell mode" for Asian funds due to scarce LP capital, forcing extreme precision in targeting only top projects. The author argues the core industry problem has been the disconnect between tokens and real value, where tokens served as fundraising tools without granting holders rights to protocol revenue. A positive shift is emerging where projects like Uniswap and Morpho are programmatically binding token value to protocol profits. Investment focus has moved towards fundamentals: real-yield financial infrastructure (stablecoins, lending) and crypto-native AI infrastructure, while avoiding narrative-driven projects. The conclusion is that true, durable companies are born in pessimistic times when focus shifts to real user needs and sustainable business models. The industry's future will be shaped by those who remain after the泡沫 dissipates.

marsbit06/01 03:41

I've Been a VC in Web3 for Nine Years: Asian Funds Are Experiencing "Hell Mode"

marsbit06/01 03:41

Judgment from a Crypto VC: The Final Stop is Here, All Passengers Please Disembark

A crypto VC firm declares the end of the line: the era driven by retail speculation and crypto-native ideology is over. The future belongs to the large-scale, institutional adoption of blockchain technology, stripped of its decentralized ethos. While retail became distracted by memecoins, major institutions—banks, payment giants—entered en masse, recognizing blockchain's unparalleled efficiency for value transfer. Their goal isn't to embrace decentralization but to build proprietary, controlled networks, adopting the technology while discarding its foundational philosophy. This marks the transition from a "crypto industry" to a "digital asset economy"—a foundational layer powering mainstream finance, not a separate rebellion. Trillions in assets are poised for tokenization, but largely through traditional, regulated channels. For builders and investors, the old playbook of launching low-float, high-FDV tokens for retail speculation is dead. The new imperative is to build robust infrastructure that serves institutional needs: compliance, security, and seamless integration into existing financial systems. The real opportunity lies not in fighting this shift but in enabling it, as institutions become the primary conduit for onboarding the next billion users and tokenizing the next hundred trillion dollars in assets. The game has fundamentally changed.

marsbit05/28 02:36

Judgment from a Crypto VC: The Final Stop is Here, All Passengers Please Disembark

marsbit05/28 02:36

Three Months of Raising $6 Billion in Funding: What Are the Leading Crypto VCs Betting On?

While the crypto bear market persists, top-tier venture capital firms are making significant moves by raising massive new funds, signaling a strategic bet on the industry's future. Haun Ventures and a16z recently announced funds totaling $1 billion and $2.2 billion, respectively. This follows other major raises from firms like Dragonfly, Paradigm, ParaFi, and Blockchain Capital. In under three months, these six VCs have amassed over $6 billion in fresh capital, a clear example of counter-cyclical investing during a quiet market phase. The fundraising landscape highlights a sharp divergence between large and small VCs. Many mid-sized and smaller funds are struggling with poor returns, limited exit options, and difficulty raising new capital, leading some to scale back or exit. In contrast, leading firms are strengthening their dominance due to structural advantages: superior access to high-quality deals, the ability to invest across all stages, greater capacity for long-term bets and risk, and stronger negotiation power. These new funds are largely converging on key investment themes. The strongest consensus centers on next-generation on-chain financial infrastructure, including stablecoins, real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, prediction markets, and on-chain payments. VCs are focusing on projects with validated demand that can attract traditional finance flows. Another major focus is artificial intelligence (AI), particularly AI agents, as crypto seeks to position its open, composable networks as foundational infrastructure for the emerging AI economy. Ultimately, this wave of bear-market fundraising is a strategic wager on the next cycle. By deploying capital when valuations are lower and market noise is reduced, these top VCs aim to identify and back the foundational projects that will define the industry's future, betting on which companies will become the next generation of leaders.

marsbit05/08 05:49

Three Months of Raising $6 Billion in Funding: What Are the Leading Crypto VCs Betting On?

marsbit05/08 05:49

Amidst the Volatility in the Crypto Market, Who is Buying Against the Trend?

"In a volatile crypto market downturn of Q1 2026, institutional players demonstrated divergent strategies. While Bitcoin fell over 25% and Ethereum dropped 35%, key institutions accumulated: corporate treasuries like Strategy (MicroStrategy) added over $10 billion in BTC, sovereign wealth funds like Mubadala increased IBIT holdings by 46%, and major banks launched crypto services and ETFs. Notably, 26 new crypto ETFs were filed or launched under streamlined SEC rules, including bank-led products from Morgan Stanley and BlackRock’s staking ETH ETF. VC funding saw concentration: total investment reached ~$5 billion, but deal count plummeted 49%. Three mega-deals—BVNK ($1.8B), Kalshi ($1B), and Polymarket ($600M)—accounted for half the quarter’s funding. Investment shifted from DeFi/NFTs to payments, prediction markets, and regulated CeFi infrastructure. Selling pressure came from hedge funds (e.g., Brevan Howard cut IBIT by 85%) and Bitcoin miners liquidating holdings. The U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve saw zero additions, highlighting that real buying came from corporations and sovereign funds, not governments. The institutional crypto landscape is bifurcating: long-term holders accumulate while short-term traders exit, signaling a foundation for the next cycle."

marsbit04/26 09:38

Amidst the Volatility in the Crypto Market, Who is Buying Against the Trend?

marsbit04/26 09:38

Who Exactly Is Persistently Funding the Crypto Bear Market?

Despite a significant crypto market downturn in Q1 2026, with Bitcoin falling over 25% and Ethereum down 35%, institutional investment continued to flow in. Key buyers included corporate treasuries like Strategy (MicroStrategy), which aggressively added over $10 billion in Bitcoin, sovereign wealth funds such as Mubadala, and major banks launching new crypto ETFs. Over 26 new single-asset crypto ETFs were filed or launched under new SEC rules, including products from BlackRock and Morgan Stanley. VC funding showed concentration, with total funding around $5-6.8 billion but deal count dropping 49%. Three major deals—BVNK ($1.8B), Kalshi ($1B), and Polymarket ($600M)—accounted for half the quarter’s funding. Investment shifted toward payment/stablecoin and prediction market sectors, while DeFi and NFT/gaming funding declined sharply. The market is bifurcated: long-term holders and institutions are accumulating, while tactical hedge funds and miners are selling. The U.S. strategic Bitcoin reserve remains unallocated, leaving corporate and sovereign buyers as the main drivers during this bear phase.

Odaily星球日报04/25 14:56

Who Exactly Is Persistently Funding the Crypto Bear Market?

Odaily星球日报04/25 14:56

Naval Steps Into the Arena: A Historic Collision Between Ordinary People and Venture Capital

Naval Ravikant, co-founder of AngelList and a prominent Silicon Valley thinker, has taken a hands-on role as the chairman of the investment committee at USVC—a new SEC-registered fund allowing non-accredited investors to access high-growth private tech companies with a minimum investment of $500. The fund’s initial portfolio includes leading AI firms like OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, and others. This move represents a significant shift in democratizing access to venture capital, a space traditionally dominated by institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals. USVC aims to let ordinary investors participate in the high-alpha, pre-IPO growth phase of tech companies—a stage where much of the value creation now occurs before public listings. However, the fund is not without complexities. It offers limited liquidity, with potential quarterly redemptions capped at 5%, and charges an all-in fee of 2.5% in its first year. While this is higher than traditional ETFs, it is positioned as a more accessible alternative to conventional VC fee structures. Ultimately, USVC symbolizes a broader movement toward financial inclusion in high-stakes tech investing—not through crypto or Web3 mechanisms, but via regulated, retail-friendly investment vehicles. It offers a ticket to early-stage innovation, though risks typical of venture capital remain.

marsbit04/25 12:45

Naval Steps Into the Arena: A Historic Collision Between Ordinary People and Venture Capital

marsbit04/25 12:45

Weekly Editor's Picks (0418-0424)

Weekly Editor's Picks (0418-0424) provides in-depth analysis on key developments across macro trends, crypto markets, and policy. Key topics include the oil market nearing a physical supply crisis due to shipping disruptions, even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens. In crypto, reports cover global consumer crypto adoption, a data-driven strategy for trading volatile altcoins, and the state of VC funding. Prediction markets like Polymarket are analyzed not as pure event-guessing games but as systems where understanding legalistic rules creates an edge. Major DeFi protocol Aave is criticized for poor crisis management amid a $300M exploit, while the controversial structure of World Liberty Financial is examined. Other highlights include policy updates like the CLARITY Act, Ethereum’s, airdrop opportunities, and weekly recaps of major incidents like the Kelp DAO hack and SpaceX's AI disclosures.

marsbit04/25 02:47

Weekly Editor's Picks (0418-0424)

marsbit04/25 02:47

VCs Sticking to the Primary Market: How Much Money Do They Still Have?

The article discusses the current state of the cryptocurrency venture capital (VC) market, based on a debate among investors from firms like Pantera Capital, Crucible Capital, and others. Key insights reveal that while VC funds are not short on capital, there is a scarcity of high-quality investment opportunities. The discussion highlights a structural shift: early-stage funding is more dispersed and competitive, with many smaller funds active, but later-stage growth capital is highly concentrated among a few large players like Paradigm and Pantera. Data indicates that over 80% of funding in 2026 went to later rounds, but this includes "graduated" fintech projects that have entered traditional VC realms. The core issue is not the availability of money, but its distribution and accessibility—early-stage founders face intense competition for funding, while later-stage funding is gatekept by a handful of major firms. This reflects a broader trend where VCs are being more selective, prioritizing long-term, proven projects over narrative-driven investments, and founders must demonstrate substantial progress and resilience to secure capital.

Odaily星球日报04/22 07:42

VCs Sticking to the Primary Market: How Much Money Do They Still Have?

Odaily星球日报04/22 07:42

VCs on 2025 Crypto Investments: 84% of 118 Tokens Break Issue Price, Only One Type of Company is Quietly Making Money

Crypto investor Ching Tseng categorizes the market into four quadrants based on two axes: crypto-native vs. traditional finance (TradFi)-oriented, and having traction vs. no traction. In 2025, 84.7% of 118 tracked token launches fell below their issuance price, with a median fully diluted valuation drop of 71%. Crypto-native projects without traction are experiencing massive capital destruction, often relying on speculative narratives without sustainable revenue or user retention. Crypto-native teams with traction, often built in prior cycles, generate real revenue but face structural challenges with their tokens lacking direct value capture mechanisms. While some have implemented successful buyback programs, the core issue remains finding growth beyond crypto volatility. TradFi-oriented startups without traction face long, costly enterprise sales cycles but benefit from a robust M&A environment, with crypto acquisitions reaching a record $8.6 billion in 2025. The current winners are TradFi-oriented companies with traction, particularly in the Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization space, which grew from $5.5B to $18.6B in 2025. They are winning through enterprise sales, building alliances, and improving unit economics on established compliance stacks. Their main risk is being bypassed by large incumbent institutions building their own infrastructure. The overarching theme is market maturation, where narrative alone is insufficient for long-term success.

marsbit04/22 03:44

VCs on 2025 Crypto Investments: 84% of 118 Tokens Break Issue Price, Only One Type of Company is Quietly Making Money

marsbit04/22 03:44

活动图片

Indepth Research

Technology Trends