Although cryptocurrency markets are showing poor performance in the first quarter of 2022, Messari researchers recently released a fundraising report that shows $30.3 billion raised by startups and crypto projects during the first half 2022. It surpasses all funding for blockchain startups or projects last year with $30.3 billion.
The H1 Crypto Ecosystem Funding report shows capital continues to flow despite crypto winter
A significant sum of money has been injected into specific blockchain projects and startups within the crypto industry, according to the “H1 2022 Fundraising Report” published by Messari and Dove Metrics, a subsidiary of Messari Holding Inc. Reports show that decentralized finance (defi) is outperforming centralized finance (“cefi”), with cefi earning more than $10.2 Billion in H1.
Defi raised $1.8 Billion, and Web3 and NFT projects (and related companies) raised $8.6 Billion in the first six month of this year. Web3 and NFTs were the second largest investors in the blockchain and crypto infrastructure sectors. However, Web3 and NFTs had the third highest capital raises. Web3-NFT saw the most rounds of fundraising with 530 rounds over the first quarter.
Defi’s biggest month was the month of June, as a number of defi projects and businesses raised $624 million. “Despite DeFi’s maturity, seed rounds continue to dominate,” Messari researchers explain in the report. The most funds raised during a month for infrastructure was February, for cefi the top month was January, and the Web3-NFT sector’s best month was April.
When it comes to funding, Ethereum-based Defi Projects and Startups have received more rounds than other smart contract blockchains such as Polkadot, Avalanche and Solana. In Q1, Ethereum-based defi project saw 54 and Q2 respectively. These deals were made by Ethereum-based defi project in Q1 and Q2 respectively. Projects from other blockchains, however, raised $387 millions during the quarter.
Q2 saw ETH-based defi raise $890 million, while alternatives chain-based projects raised around $193 million. Messari researchers found that gaming outsold most NFT funding in the Web3 NFT sector. In comparison with other smart contract platforms networks, Ethereum again dominated the Web3NFT sector.
Cefi, Infrastructure and Web3 sectors Mature
As far as centralized finance is concerned, cefi “continues to mature,” Messari’s report says as it highlights that $10 million+ funding rounds “make up 50% of activity.” Messari’s latest H1 fundraising report follows the recently published “4th Annual Global Crypto Hedge Fund Report 2022,” authored by the international professional services firm Pricewaterhousecoopers (PWC).
The insights from PWC’s recent crypto study show that hedge funds injecting capital into cryptocurrency and blockchain projects have increased since last year. PWC researchers estimated that 21% of hedge funds participated in financing rounds tied to crypto, while this year’s participation rate is up to 38%.
Messari’s fundraising report details that many sectors are “maturing” as Series A financing rounds or later made up 40%+ of H1’s crypto infrastructure dedicated rounds. Web3’s Series A rounds or later equated to around 30%+ of the fundraising rounds in H1 2022. Investors mentioned in Messari’s fundraising report include companies like FTX, Mechanism Capital, Pantera Capital, Sequoia Capital, Gumi Cryptos, Dragonfly Capital, Slow Ventures, Seven Seven Six, and around a dozen and a half others.
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