Weekly Wrap: Crypto Funding - January 11, 2025

January 14, 2025

Here’s your Weekly Wrap of all things crypto funding, ending January 11, 2025.

This week’s crypto funding roundup showcased significant investments, with 18 projects collectively securing $846 million. DeFi dominated the landscape with an impressive $735 million raised by Yiedl, while AI emerged as a strong contender with $91.8 million disclosed across multiple projects. ZK protocols also gained traction, raising $8.5 million to bolster infrastructure advancements.

Below is a summary of the projects receiving funding this week:

Category	Organization Name	Project Description	Money Raised this Round
AI			91,800,000
	Nevermined	DeFI Payment Infrastructure for AI-Commerce	4,000,000
	Oh	Decentralized, uncensored multi-modal AI products firm	4,500,000
	Privasea	An AI + DePIN Network enabled through FHEML	15,000,000
	Rena Labs	A Verifiable AI Use Case firm	3,300,000
	SoSoValue	AI-Driven Crypto Investment Research firm	15,000,000
	VOOX Exchange	An AI-driven crypto exchange	50,000,000
DeFi			736,500,000
	Derive	Derivatives Trading & Lending DeFI Protocol	UNDISCLOSED
	Ooga Booga	A Berachain liquidity aggregator	1,500,000
	Yiedl	AI-driven investing marketplace	735,000,000
DePIN			4,000,000
	Starpower	DePIN energy network	4,000,000
Gaming			4,000,000
	Wave	Telegram Ecosystem for fast-earning GameFi and DeFi applications	UNDISCLOSED
	ZKCandy	L2 gaming blockchain on ZKSync	4,000,000
Meme coins			UNDISCLOSED
	Wise Monkey	A “Three Wise Monkey” Meme token	UNDISCLOSED
P2X			UNDISCLOSED
	SEED	A P2E Telegram Miniapp	UNDISCLOSED
RWA			1,200,000
	Novastro	An L2 RWA chain powered by Movement Labs	1,200,000
Social			UNDISCLOSED
	TONCASH	Crypto Cashback Platform	UNDISCLOSED
ZK			8,500,000
	Alpen Labs	A ZK-enabled infrastructure on Bitcoin	8,500,000
	Sundial	A ZK ID protocol	UNDISCLOSED
Grand Total			846,000,000

The DeFi category accounted for a staggering 87% of this week’s total funding, driven by Yiedl’s record-breaking $735 million round. AI projects continued to gain momentum, with VOOX Exchange leading the pack with $50 million for its AI-driven crypto exchange. In the ZK category, Alpen Labs raised $8.5 million to enhance Bitcoin-based infrastructure, reflecting ongoing interest in scaling privacy-focused solutions. With robust funding across key sectors, blockchain innovation continues to accelerate, reinforcing investor confidence in the industry’s future potential.

AI

The AI category secured $91.8 million across six projects, emphasizing the increasing integration of artificial intelligence within the blockchain sector. These investments spotlight the diverse applications of AI in commerce, research, and infrastructure.

• VOOX Exchange led the AI category with a $50 million raise to develop its AI-driven crypto exchange. The project aims to streamline trading experiences using advanced AI algorithms, targeting both retail and institutional investors.
  

• SoSoValue, an AI-driven crypto investment research firm, raised $15 million to enhance data-driven investment strategies, providing traders with actionable insights powered by artificial intelligence.
  

• Privasea raised $15 million to develop an AI + DePIN network leveraging Fully Homomorphic Encryption and Machine Learning (FHEML), underscoring the growing need for secure and privacy-preserving AI models.
  

• Other notable projects include Oh, which raised $4.5 million for its decentralized multi-modal AI products, Nevermined with $4 million for its DeFi payment infrastructure, and Rena Labs, securing $3.3 million as a verifiable AI use case firm.

  
  

DeFi

DeFi was the standout category of the week, raising a record-breaking $736.5 million, driven primarily by Yiedl’s $735 million funding round. These investments underscore the sustained investor focus on decentralized finance protocols.

• Yiedl emerged as the leader, securing $735 million to develop its AI-driven investing marketplace, which integrates advanced data analytics to optimize yield strategies. This marks one of the largest single funding rounds in recent blockchain history.
  

• Ooga Booga, a Berachain liquidity aggregator, raised $1.5 million to enhance its platform that connects liquidity providers and traders seamlessly.
  

• Derive, focusing on derivatives trading and lending, raised an undisclosed amount, further solidifying its position as a promising player in DeFi’s expanding ecosystem.
  

ZK

ZK protocols attracted $8.5 million across two projects, highlighting the growing importance of zero-knowledge solutions in blockchain scalability and privacy.

• Alpen Labs raised $8.5 million to build ZK-enabled infrastructure on Bitcoin, allowing developers to integrate privacy-preserving solutions with the Bitcoin network. This project reflects the increasing demand for ZK applications in established blockchain ecosystems.
  

• Sundial, a ZK ID protocol, is focusing on creating privacy-centric identity verification solutions, although its funding details remain undisclosed.

Conclusion

This week’s funding activity underscores the expanding diversity and investor interest across the blockchain ecosystem. The AI sector showed robust activity, with VOOX Exchange securing $50 million, emphasizing the role of AI-driven solutions in financial markets. DeFi took center stage with Yiedl’s $735 million funding, highlighting the continued focus on decentralized finance infrastructure. Meanwhile, ZK protocols saw Alpen Labs raise $8.5 million, demonstrating the growing relevance of privacy and scalability solutions in blockchain development. These developments illustrate the sector's dynamic evolution, signaling further growth across diverse industries.

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.