VC Roundup: Lightning Network payment rail, DeFi trading platform and blockchain security firm raise millions

Main Hall - August 6, 2022

VC Roundup: Lightning Network payment rail, DeFi trading platform and blockchain security firm raise millions

Arthur Mendez

@mendy-mod

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Even with the onset of crypto winter, 2022 has been a watershed year for venture capital funding. Crypto and blockchain companies collectively raised $30.3 billion in venture capital in the first half of 2022, exceeding all of last year’s totals. While the number of deals has declined in recent months, startups at the intersection of blockchain payments, decentralized finance (DeFi) and cybersecurity are still attracting sizable interest from the VC community. The latest edition of VC Roundup highlights some of the most intriguing funding deals of the past month.

ZEBEDEE closes $35M Series B

ZEBEDEE, a Bitcoin (BTC)-powered payment processor for the gaming industry, has raised $35 million from several investors including Kingsway Capital, The Raine Group and Square Enix. ZEBEDEE is essentially a platform that allows game developers to incorporate programmable money, including BTC, into their games. The payment platform is powered by Lightning Network, making ZEBEDEE a “Bitcoin enabler of choice” for its partners, according to Kingsway Capital managing partner Afonso Campos.

Blockchain security company raises $90M Series A

Blockchain security firm Halborn closed a $90 million funding round in July that was led by Summit Partners with additional participation from Castle Island Ventures, Digital Currency Group and Brevan Howard, among others. Halborn was founded in 2019 by ethical hackers offering blockchain security services. The company recently warned MetaMask users to be weary of a phishing campaign targeting their browser wallets.

DeFi platform Hashflow raises $25M in Series A funding

Hashflow, a decentralized finance trading platform headquartered in San Francisco, has closed a $25 million funding round backed by some of crypto’s most prominent venture funds. The investment round, which had participation from Jump Crypto, Electric Capital, Dragonfly Capital Partners and GSR, will aid Hashflow in expanding its product offerings for market markers and institutional traders.