Crypto Startup Fireblocks Attains Unicorn Status with $310 Million Fundraise – Fireblocks, the blockchain startup that offers crypto infrastructure solutions including wallets, exchange, and custody services has closer to a $310 million Series D funding round that tripled its valuation to over $2 billion. The crypto infrastructure provider has become the latest startup to solidify its Unicorn status.
The Series D funding round was led by Sequoia Capital, Stripes, Spark Capital, Coatue, DRW VC and the venture arm of Siam Commercial Bank SCB 10X. The startup has also attracted investments from BNY Mellon in its earlier funding rounds. The blockchain startup is looking to use the funds to work with traditional financial institutions and bring assets to the blockchain,
Michael Shaulov, chief executive officer at Fireblocks said,
“Timing is everything and I think right now it’s the beginning of the real opportunity to do it, We have seen quite a lot of projects and … essentially the technology and the appetite to do it has reached the most senior levels of those banks.”
Rising Number of Crypto Unicorns Highlight Soaring Demand for Crypto Companies
2021 has proven to be the year of crypto companies as a significant number of crypto startups have closed record funding rounds and attained Unicorn status. At least 5 crypto companies have raised over $100 million in their latest funding round, taking their valuation over a billion dollars.
BlockFi raised $350 million in their latest funding round at $3 billion valuations while Blockchain.com raised another $300 million, Chainalysis raised $100 million taking their valuation to $4 billion and crypto exchanged FTX recently closed the biggest funding round in the crypto history with a $900 million fundraise at $18 billion valuations.
Apart from several crypto unicorns, several digital asset firms have also made their public debut this year. Coinbase was one of the most prominent ones that went public on Nasdaq. USDC stablecoin issuer Circle also announced the SPAC merger to go public last month. The likes of Bakkt, 8hut mining, and a few other crypto mining companies have made their public debut this year while several others including Kraken are planning to make a public debut in near future.