Crypto downturn reveals gap between VC valuations and market cap

cointelegraph2025-12-24 tarihinde yayınlandı2025-12-24 tarihinde güncellendi

Özet

The crypto market downturn has exposed a significant gap between venture capital valuations and actual market capitalizations for numerous blockchain startups. Data from CryptoRank reveals that projects once valued near $1 billion, such as Humanity Protocol ($285M market cap), Fuel Network ($11M), and Bubblemaps ($6M), have seen drastic devaluations. This trend reflects how aggressive VC pricing during bull markets often leads to severe corrections when sentiment fades. The reset affects even lower-valued projects, with examples like Camp Network and Treehouse now trading at just $15M and $16M despite previous $400M valuations. The report advises investors to maintain caution and assess risks carefully. Meanwhile, crypto VC funding remains weak, with only 57 disclosed rounds in November, despite a few large raises like Revolut's $1 billion round.

Several blockchain startups once valued near $1 billion now have market capitalizations that are only a fraction of those figures, as tighter liquidity forces valuation resets.

This is evident across several high profile projects, according to data compiled by CryptoRank.

Humanity Protocol, which carried a venture valuation of around $1 billion, now has a market capitalization of about $285 million. Fuel Network, also previously valued near $1 billion, is trading closer to $11 million, while Bubblemaps, once assigned a similar venture capital (VC) valuation, has a market cap of about $6 million.

“During bull runs and narrative hype, VCs tend to overprice projects and assign aggressive valuations,” Fundraising Digest, CryptoRank’s venture deals tracker, wrote on X. “However, once sentiment fades or the narrative loses traction, most projects get a reality check and the market resets those euphoric numbers.”

The recent crypto market downturn has exposed gaps between venture capital valuations and public market pricing, revealing how aggressively projects were priced during the last bull cycle.

Related: HashKey secures $250M for new crypto fund amid ‘significant interest’

More crypto projects see sharp reset from VC valuations

The gap continues with projects with relatively lower valuations.

Plasma, which was valued at about $500 million by venture investors now trades around $224 million. ICNT fell from a $470 million VC valuation to a market cap near $247 million. DoubleZero, valued at roughly $400 million in its last round, currently sits near $373 million.

Other projects show even steeper disconnects. Camp Network and Treehouse, each previously valued at about $400 million, now carry market caps of roughly $15 million and $16 million, respectively. Everlyn, once valued near $250 million, trades around $26 million, while SoSoValue has slipped from a $200 million valuation to about $152 million.

VC valuations vs. market caps. Source: Fundraising Digest

“That’s why it's important to keep a cool head and weigh risk across multiple outcomes, before investing,” Fundraising Digest said.

Related: From FTX fallout to fresh capital: Former US chief raises $35M for new exchange

Crypto VC funding stays weak

As Cointelegraph reported, venture capital funding in the crypto sector remained subdued in November, extending a slowdown that has persisted through late 2025.

While total capital raised has been supported by a handful of big rounds, overall deal activity continues to lag, with just 57 disclosed funding rounds recorded during the month.

High-profile funding included Revolut’s $1 billion round and Kraken’s $800 million raise ahead of its anticipated initial public offering, which have masked broader weakness in early- and mid-stage investment.

Magazine: 2026 is the year of pragmatic privacy in crypto — Canton, Zcash and more

Trend Kriptolar

İlgili Sorular

QWhat is the main reason for the gap between VC valuations and market caps in crypto projects?

ATighter liquidity forces valuation resets, and during bull runs, VCs tend to overprice projects due to hype, but market sentiment fading leads to a reality check.

QWhich project had the largest percentage drop from its $1 billion VC valuation to its current market cap?

AFuel Network, which dropped from a $1 billion VC valuation to a market cap of about $11 million, representing the steepest decline among the mentioned projects.

QWhat does Fundraising Digest advise investors to do before investing in crypto projects?

AFundraising Digest advises investors to keep a cool head and weigh risk across multiple outcomes before investing.

QHow has overall crypto VC funding activity been in November 2025?

ACrypto VC funding remained subdued in November 2025, with overall deal activity lagging and only 57 disclosed funding rounds recorded, despite a few large rounds supporting total capital raised.

QWhat are two examples of projects that were valued around $400 million by VCs but now have market caps below $20 million?

ACamp Network and Treehouse, each previously valued at about $400 million, now have market caps of roughly $15 million and $16 million, respectively.

İlgili Okumalar

The Clarity Act's Journey Through Congress: The Thorny Path of Bipartisan Compromise in the U.S.

The U.S. Congress is struggling to advance the crypto market structure bill known as the Clarity Act, with bipartisan compromise proving difficult. Key hurdles include unresolved disputes over "yield" products and, more critically, the inclusion of strong ethics provisions for elected officials—a non-negotiable demand for many Democrats. While a compromise on yield was reached in May, securing only limited Democratic support in committee, the separate Senate Agriculture Committee version later passed with no Democratic votes due to the ethics impasse. As Republicans push for a full Senate vote in July, demands for ethics rules have expanded, and other contentious issues like developer protections and concerns from law enforcement and large banks further complicate negotiations. Despite consensus on the need for legislation, the path forward is unclear. Recent discussions between senators and White House officials aim to find acceptable ethics language. Some lawmakers question whether a compromise text can garner enough bipartisan support, with one Democrat stating the current proposal lacks the strong ethics provisions required for their vote. Potential short-term goals for the crypto community include symbolic Senate action before the August recess, a longer-term aim for passage by 2026, or establishing a detailed framework that addresses ethics and other compromises. The process remains arduous, relying on the traditional, vote-by-vote effort to build bipartisan support.

marsbit13 dk önce

The Clarity Act's Journey Through Congress: The Thorny Path of Bipartisan Compromise in the U.S.

marsbit13 dk önce

Are Kalshi and Polymarket Founders at Odds? This Business Rivalry Is More Brutal Than You Think

"The Rivalry Between Kalshi and Polymarket Founders Turns Bitter and Litigious" The intense feud between Tarek Mansour, CEO of Kalshi, and Shayne Coplan, founder of Polymarket, has escalated far beyond typical business competition into personal animosity and regulatory battles. Both lead billion-dollar prediction market platforms, but their approaches differ sharply. Kalshi positions itself as the compliant operator, securing U.S. regulatory approval before launching. In contrast, Polymarket initially operated offshore, allowing U.S. users to access its platform via VPN, which drew regulatory scrutiny. The conflict reached a peak in November 2024 when FBI agents raided Coplan's New York apartment. While Coplan publicly blamed political motives, his team privately suspected Kalshi was involved. According to sources, Kalshi's lawyers had previously reported Polymarket's operations to federal prosecutors, highlighting its accessibility to U.S. users despite a ban. This incident fueled mutual accusations and underhanded tactics, including social media smear campaigns and attempts to sabotage each other's major business deals. Their rivalry also played out in Washington, influencing regulatory debates. Kalshi actively lobbied against Polymarket's practices, framing them as illegal and unethical. Polymarket, after facing a CFTC fine and investigation, later acquired a licensed U.S. firm to launch a domestic app, regaining a foothold. Despite the hostility, both companies have seen massive growth, with combined trading volumes soaring. However, increased regulatory scrutiny, particularly around insider trading on Polymarket's platform, continues to pose challenges. The founders' deep-seated mutual disdain ensures their battle for market dominance remains as much a personal vendetta as a commercial one.

marsbit22 dk önce

Are Kalshi and Polymarket Founders at Odds? This Business Rivalry Is More Brutal Than You Think

marsbit22 dk önce

İşlemler

Spot

Popüler Makaleler

NEAR Nasıl Satın Alınır

HTX.com’a hoş geldiniz! NEAR Protocol (NEAR) satın alma işlemlerini basit ve kullanışlı bir hâle getirdik. Adım adım açıkladığımız rehberimizi takip ederek kripto yolculuğunuza başlayın. 1. Adım: HTX Hesabınızı OluşturunHTX'te ücretsiz bir hesap açmak için e-posta adresinizi veya telefon numaranızı kullanın. Sorunsuzca kaydolun ve tüm özelliklerin kilidini açın. Hesabımı Aç2. Adım: Kripto Satın Al Bölümüne Gidin ve Ödeme Yönteminizi SeçinKredi/Banka Kartı: Visa veya Mastercard'ınızı kullanarak anında NEAR Protocol (NEAR) satın alın.Bakiye: Sorunsuz bir şekilde işlem yapmak için HTX hesap bakiyenizdeki fonları kullanın.Üçüncü Taraflar: Kullanımı kolaylaştırmak için Google Pay ve Apple Pay gibi popüler ödeme yöntemlerini ekledik.P2P: HTX'teki diğer kullanıcılarla doğrudan işlem yapın.Borsa Dışı (OTC): Yatırımcılar için kişiye özel hizmetler ve rekabetçi döviz kurları sunuyoruz.3. Adım: NEAR Protocol (NEAR) Varlıklarınızı SaklayınNEAR Protocol (NEAR) satın aldıktan sonra HTX hesabınızda saklayın. Alternatif olarak, blok zinciri transferi yoluyla başka bir yere gönderebilir veya diğer kripto para birimlerini takas etmek için kullanabilirsiniz.4. Adım: NEAR Protocol (NEAR) Varlıklarınızla İşlem YapınHTX'in spot piyasasında NEAR Protocol (NEAR) ile kolayca işlemler yapın.Hesabınıza erişin, işlem çiftinizi seçin, işlemlerinizi gerçekleştirin ve gerçek zamanlı olarak izleyin. Hem yeni başlayanlar hem de deneyimli yatırımcılar için kullanıcı dostu bir deneyim sunuyoruz.

413 Toplam GörüntülenmeYayınlanma 2024.12.10Güncellenme 2026.06.02

NEAR Nasıl Satın Alınır

Tartışmalar

HTX Topluluğuna hoş geldiniz. Burada, en son platform gelişmeleri hakkında bilgi sahibi olabilir ve profesyonel piyasa görüşlerine erişebilirsiniz. Kullanıcıların NEAR (NEAR) fiyatı hakkındaki görüşleri aşağıda sunulmaktadır.

活动图片