[NEWS] VanEck launches crypto and AI venture fund

VanEck, the investment management company that issues a Bitcoin spot ETF, has announced the launch of VanEck Ventures, a $30 million fund dedicated to early-stage startup ventures in fintech, crypto and AI.

With more than $118 billion in assets under management, VanEck is no stranger to innovation.

The company was also one of the first to adopt Bitcoin and other digital assets. Now VanEck is extending its expertise into the venture capital space, investing in promising early-stage companies in the financial sector.

VanEck's announcement said VanEck Ventures will be led by veteran investors Wyatt Lonergan and Juan Lopez, who have experience in crypto and fintech.

Their leadership will include the work of Circle This is evident from his track record of leading early-stage investments at Lopez Ventures.

The newly formed VanEck Ventures will target startups working at the intersection of fintech, crypto and AI.

The focus will be on companies building infrastructure and applications that shape the future of the financial ecosystem, from tokenized assets to next-generation payment systems.

VanEck CEO Jan Van Eck said,

"Our long-term outlook has always been to specialize early on disruptive opportunities. This fund is excited to bring that vision to the venture space and back founders building the future of finance."

VanEck Ventures is particularly interested in blockchain innovations such as tokenized assets and stablecoins.

Lopez emphasized the importance of these blockchain-based innovations, saying stablecoins will act as an "open source banking layer" and provide businesses with a scalable, near-instant payment solution.

Lopez also noted the expanding role stablecoins play in the financial industry, especially in the $39 trillion global business-to-business payments market.

As stablecoins become more regulated, they are expected to provide solutions beyond traditional wire transfers and services like PayPal, ultimately expanding adoption with stablecoins being used in on-chain and off-chain systems.

Invest $500,000-$1 million

The fund will focus primarily on pre-seed and early-stage companies, aiming to invest $500,000 to $1 million in 25-35 startups. These companies will focus on fintech and blockchain applications, providing both financial and strategic value.

The fund has already made four unannounced investments. The fund will target both equity and token projects and will support startups with a flexible funding structure.

Reference: VanEck
Image: Shutterstock

Related articles

US VanEck files for Solana spot ETF, first in Japan

VanEck analyst predicts Ethereum will reach up to 24 million yen by 2030