Weekly Wrap: Crypto Funding - March 15, 2025

March 18, 2025

Here’s your Weekly Wrap of all things crypto funding, ending March 15, 2025.

This week’s crypto funding saw $2.21 billion raised across 24 projects, though $2 billion of this figure comes from Binance’s funding, making it an outlier in the dataset. Excluding this, the normalized total stands at $211 million, with Infrastructure, Payments, and Gaming leading the investment landscape. Infrastructure projects secured $34.1 million, emphasizing the need for scalable blockchain networks and cross-chain interoperability. The Payments sector attracted $122 million, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance global crypto transaction solutions. Meanwhile, Gaming projects raised $15 million, showcasing continued investor interest in blockchain-based gaming experiences.

Below is a summary of projects receiving funding this week:

Category	Organization Name	Project Description	Money Raised this Round
AI			5,500,000
	Aura	AI model validation & monetization layer	5,500,000
AI / Social			6,000,000
	PoP Planet	AI-powered decentralized identity platform	6,000,000
CEX			2,000,000,000
	Binance	The world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange	2,000,000,000
DeFi			9,000,000
	Balmy	Institutional-grade DeFi yields	UNDISCLOSED
	Harmonix Finance	Next-generation DeFi platform	UNDISCLOSED
	Templar Protocol	Building the world's first Cypher Lending Protocol for Bitcoin	4,000,000
	Vest	Institutional-grade crypto derivatives exchange	5,000,000
	YieldNest	Merging DeFi's best strategies into single, unified, high-powered assets	UNDISCLOSED
DePIN			2,000,000
	Sogni AI	DePIN GPU network designed to support AI-powered content creation	2,000,000
Gaming			15,000,000
	Captain Tsubasa - RIVALS	Mini @telegram Dapps game based on the globally renowned Captain Tsubasa	5,000,000
	M10	Web3 game dev	3,000,000
	PlaysOut	Leading Web3, Mini-Game SDK & Platform	7,000,000
Infrastructure			34,100,000
	Arda	Universal operating system for real estate	3,000,000
	Axelar Foundation	Web3 interoperability platform	30,000,000
	Offline Protocol	Offline-first solutions	1,100,000
Meme			UNDISCLOSED
	MemeCore	The ultimate playground for memes	UNDISCLOSED
	ODIN-FUN	Lightning-fast Bitcoin pump fun and AMM	UNDISCLOSED
Payments			122,000,000
	Mesh	Global Crypto Payments Network	82,000,000
	RedotPay	Crypto payments firm	40,000,000
Security			4,800,000
	HOPR	Full control over privacy, data and metadata	4,800,000
Social			UNDISCLOSED
	Nomadz	Community-driven platform for travelers built on Solana	UNDISCLOSED
Staking			13,000,000
	Rakurai	Solana staking protocol	3,000,000
	Solv Protocol	On-chain Bitcoin Reserve	10,000,000
Wallet			UNDISCLOSED
	GoDefi	Self Custody Virtual Crypto Debit Cards built on @solana	UNDISCLOSED
Grand Total			2,211,400,000

CEX

Centralized exchanges (CEX) secured $2 billion, reinforcing their role as the dominant players in the crypto market. This funding reflects ongoing expansion efforts, regulatory compliance initiatives, and infrastructure improvements.

• Binance led the sector with $2 billion, supporting its global expansion strategy amid increasing regulatory pressures. The funds will be used to enhance liquidity, strengthen security measures, and optimize platform performance, ensuring a seamless trading experience for millions of users worldwide. As the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance continues to navigate evolving regulatory landscapes while maintaining its market leadership.

  
  

Gaming

Gaming projects raised $15 million, demonstrating continued confidence in Web3 gaming and blockchain-based entertainment.

• PlaysOut led the sector with $7 million to develop its Web3 mini-game SDK and platform, supporting blockchain game development by enabling seamless integration of decentralized technologies. The platform aims to provide game developers with tools to incorporate blockchain-based assets, NFTs, and play-to-earn mechanics into their projects.
  

• Captain Tsubasa - RIVALS secured $5 million to expand its Telegram-based mini-game, leveraging the popularity of the iconic anime franchise to drive blockchain adoption in gaming. By incorporating NFT-based gameplay and blockchain rewards, the game enhances engagement and ownership for its player base.
  

• M10 raised $3 million to advance its Web3 game development initiatives, focusing on integrating blockchain mechanics to enhance player ownership and in-game economies. The studio is committed to creating decentralized gaming experiences that empower players with asset control and innovative monetization models.
  

Infrastructure

Infrastructure projects raised $34.1 million, emphasizing continued investment in blockchain scalability, interoperability, and Web3 services.

• Axelar Foundation led the sector with $30 million to enhance cross-chain interoperability, enabling secure asset transfers and smart contract execution across multiple blockchain ecosystems. By streamlining blockchain connectivity, Axelar aims to facilitate seamless decentralized application (dApp) development and usage across different networks.
  

• Arda secured $3 million to build a blockchain-based operating system for real estate, providing a transparent and automated platform for property transactions. By integrating smart contracts and digital asset management tools, Arda seeks to modernize the global real estate market.
  

• Offline Protocol raised $1.1 million to develop offline-first blockchain solutions, ensuring decentralized applications function in low-connectivity environments. By focusing on accessibility and resilience, Offline Protocol aims to expand blockchain adoption in regions with limited internet infrastructure.
  

Payments

Payments-focused projects attracted $122 million, reflecting the growing demand for efficient blockchain-based financial solutions.

• Mesh led the sector with $82 million to develop a global crypto payments network that bridges traditional finance with digital assets. By enabling seamless fiat-to-crypto transactions, Mesh aims to improve accessibility and liquidity across financial markets.
  

• RedotPay secured $40 million to enhance its cross-border payments infrastructure, facilitating faster and more cost-effective digital asset transactions for merchants and enterprises. Through its blockchain-powered system, RedotPay is working to drive mass adoption of crypto payments by reducing transaction fees and settlement times.
  

Conclusion

This week’s crypto funding highlighted strong investment trends across Infrastructure, Payments, Gaming, and other key blockchain sectors, with a normalized total of $211 million raised across 24 projects (excluding Binance’s $2 billion funding). Infrastructure projects secured $34.1 million, emphasizing the need for scalable blockchain solutions. Payments saw $122 million, reflecting the push for efficient crypto transactions. Gaming projects raised $15 million, showcasing continued interest in Web3 gaming and blockchain-based entertainment. As these sectors evolve, investor confidence remains high, driving further innovation and adoption in the crypto ecosystem.

A central focus of investor activity in the cryptocurrency space is the evaluation of new crypto projects to invest in, particularly those with huge potential. This blog provides insight into what new ventures are benefiting from venture capital support (VC funding in crypto). These new crypto projects, funded by professional investors, can dictate the next narrative in crypto and the next big crypto movers.