VC Roundup: Bitcoin RWA, BNB incubator, Web3 gaming secure funding

Cryptocurrency and blockchain venture capital funding rebounded in 2024 with $13.6 billion in cumulative investments, as declining interest rates and better US regulatory clarity created more favorable conditions for VC firms. This trend is expected to continue in 2025, with PitchBook forecasting $18 billion in crypto-focused VC investments. 

Much of that momentum is owed to the ongoing cryptocurrency bull market, which is expected to reach its apex sometime in 2025 or early 2026. As Galaxy Research’s Alex Thorn and Gabe Parket explained, crypto VC funding typically lags the broader market by several quarters. 

January witnessed a bevy of crypto funding rounds focused on Bitcoin real-world asset (RWA) tokenization, blockchain gaming, BNB incubation and Web3 advertising. The first installment of VC Roundup for 2025 highlights these and other funding initiatives.

Hamilton Treasury fundraise aims to accelerate Bitcoin RWA

Tokenization protocol Hamilton Treasury closed a $1.7-million pre-seed round to bridge traditional financial assets with Bitcoin. The protocol tokenizes real-world financial assets such as Treasury Bills, Sharia-compliant bonds and real estate on the Bitcoin network. Hamilton has also developed the Publius platform, which enables financial institutions to tokenize any asset on the Bitcoin network. 

Its first product launches include HUSD, a Bitcoin-native stablecoin backed by US Treasurys, and HUST, which are tokenized US Treasurys. 

Hamilton CEO Mohamed Elkasstawi said, “Bitcoin isn’t just digital gold — it’s the foundational layer of future capital markets.”

According to Chainlink, the current value of tokenized RWAs currently sits at around $118 billion. However, the market could surge to $10 trillion by 2030 as institutions look to “bring liquidity to historically illiquid assets.”

Related: Wall Street is betting on $30T RWA tokenization market prospects

Gate Ventures supports BNB incubation with $20M

Gate.io’s venture capital arm, Gate Ventures, has pledged $20 million to the BNB Incubation Alliance (BIA), an incubator program that connects developers with VC investors. The partnership between Gate Ventures and BIA provides early-stage blockchain projects with financial resources, mentorship and other forms of ecosystem support. 

Although the funds will be deployed across several blockchain projects, an emphasis was placed on builders in the Web3, artificial intelligence and decentralized finance (DeFi) spaces.

Gate Ventures has 19 active investments across the blockchain industry, according to Crunchbase.

Keplr valued at $50M after funding round

Cryptocurrency wallet provider Keplr Wallet closed a $5-million seed round at a $50-million valuation. The funding round was led by 1confirmation, with additional participation from Coinbase Ventures, Hashkey Capital and others. 

Kepler allows users to manage their onchain activities across 250 chains without having to switch networks or wallets. According to its website, it has more than 1 million monthly transacting users. The platform’s co-founder, Josh Lee, said users have self-custodied more than $5 billion worth of assets on Keplr. 

Xion blockchain’s EarnOS raises $5M

Xion blockchain-powered EarnOS has raised $5 million to further develop its consumer engagement and digital advertising platform. The funding round was led by EV3 Ventures with participation from Animoca Brands, GD1 and Laser Digital. 

The platform, which is currently in beta, lets users earn stablecoin rewards for engaging with top brands. The rewards can be spent in the real world through the forthcoming EarnOS debit card. Meanwhile, brands that launch campaigns on the platform are promised “real, verifiable users,” presumably to foster better customer discovery. 

EarnOS claims to have onboarded more than 320,000 users and is partnered with brands like Uber, The North Face, Lacoste and Baskin Robbins. 

Related: Multicurrency is the future of stablecoins, says former Binance.US exec

DePIN protocol Starpower closes $2.5M round

Open decentralized physical infrastructure network (DePIN) Starpower raised $2.5 million in an investment round led by Framework Ventures, with additional participation from Solana Ventures and Bitscale Capital. The funding builds off a previous capital raise of $1.5 million led by Alliance DAO.

Starpower works with manufacturers of renewable energy devices to develop advanced batteries that can be integrated into DePINs.

The batteries are intended to meet the growing energy needs of emerging sectors like AI and advanced data centers. Starpower integrates with EV chargers, energy storage batteries, water heaters and air conditioners. Users who connect their devices can earn crypto rewards.

Web3 gaming developer Hyve Labs secures pre-seed funding

Web3 gaming studio Hyve Labs closed a $2.75-million pre-seed funding round to expand its gaming infrastructure with onchain assets and a crosschain game launcher. The funding round was led by Framework Ventures, with additional participation from other VC and angel investors. 

Hyve Labs is working on a decentralized gaming ecosystem that connects with social media platforms such as Telegram and Discord. However, it has yet to announce a launch date for its testnet or its first game. 

Although estimates vary, the Web3 gaming market could reach $133 billion by 2033, according to industry research. 

Magazine: Earn crypto for 2025 gaming predictions, 50M monthly gamers incoming: Web3 Gamer