Crypto VC funding: ZeroStack secures $1B, Ripple raises $275M

Crypto and blockchain companies announced approximately $1.298 billion across six disclosed transactions between Aug. 16 and Aug. 22, 2026. ZeroStack accounted for most of the total through a $1 billion noncash token contribution, while Ripple Prime completed a $275 million debt offering.

Summary

• Six disclosed transactions produced approximately $1.298 billion in financing during the reporting period.
• ZeroStack agreed to receive $1 billion in MemeCore tokens through a stock-based transaction.
• Ripple Prime raised $275 million from institutional investors through senior unsecured notes.
• NeoSoul secured $11 million to develop AI-powered trading agents and supporting infrastructure.
• Smaller rounds supported privacy, DeFi credit delegation, and decentralized AI infrastructure projects.

The remaining disclosed rounds raised about $23 million across AI trading, privacy infrastructure, decentralized lending, and physical infrastructure networks. One additional strategic investment did not disclose its value and is excluded from the weekly total.

Crypto Fundraising, DefiLlama, company announcements, regulatory filings, and crypto.news coverage was used to compile the weekly figures. The total includes debt and a noncash token contribution, meaning it should not be interpreted as $1.298 billion in conventional venture capital.

ZeroStack secures $1 billion MemeCore token contribution

Nasdaq-listed ZeroStack agreed to receive $1 billion in MemeCore tokens from Puple AI and Blockcat, two entities linked to MemeCore. The transaction involves approximately 925.9 million M tokens rather than a cash investment.

In exchange, ZeroStack will issue 3.5 million common shares and pre-funded warrants covering as many as 36.2 million additional shares. The securities were valued at $25.19 per share, more than 12 times ZeroStack's recent trading price when the transaction was announced.
Exercise of the warrants remains subject to shareholder approval under Nasdaq listing rules. Shares issued under the arrangement will also carry lockup periods of up to 10 years, according to the company.

MemeCore principal Rudy Rong is expected to become ZeroStack's president as part of the agreement. The company said the transaction would expand its digital asset treasury strategy, although the stated $1 billion value depends on the assigned price of the contributed tokens.

The entire contribution is included in the roundup's disclosed financing value. However, it should be separated from conventional fundraising because ZeroStack is receiving tokens instead of fresh operating cash.

Ripple Prime raises $275 million through senior notes

Ripple Prime raised $275 million through an upsized private offering of senior unsecured notes to institutional investors. Ripple did not disclose the notes' interest rate, maturity date, or participating investors.

The company said the proceeds would support the U.S. expansion of its prime brokerage operations, including financing, clearing, and other services covering digital and traditional assets.

Ripple established the business through its $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road. The unit now serves institutional clients across crypto, foreign exchange, derivatives, swaps, and fixed-income markets.

The note offering follows a $200 million credit facility that Ripple Prime secured from funds managed by Neuberger Berman in May. Together, the two financings provide the brokerage with $475 million in additional capacity, though the credit facility falls outside the current reporting period.

The $275 million transaction is debt financing rather than a venture capital round. It is included in the weekly total because it represents newly announced financing for a crypto-focused company.

NeoSoul raises $11 million for AI trading infrastructure

NeoSoul completed an $11 million pre-Series A round with participation from MH Ventures, Amber Group, ArkStream Capital, 0G Foundation, Kirin Capital, CatcherVC, and New Oak International. The company did not identify a lead investor or disclose its valuation.

NeoSoul plans to use the capital to develop NeoTrade, an AI-based trading platform that lets users configure agents capable of analyzing markets and executing trades under defined controls.

The company also intends to improve its trading infrastructure and expand its presence in Southeast Asia and other international markets. NeoSoul operates within the BNB Chain and 0G ecosystems, connecting autonomous software agents with blockchain-based financial activity.

The round was the week's largest disclosed early-stage cash investment. It also continued investor interest in products combining artificial intelligence with crypto trading and on-chain execution.

Funding under $10 million

• Privacy blockchain developer Beldex raised $8 million in a round led by Sigma Capital. NTC, Nxgen, Digital Consensus Fund, and EAK Ventures also participated, bringing the company's reported cumulative funding to $36 million. Beldex said the proceeds would support developer tools, protocol security, privacy applications, encrypted AI services, and broader ecosystem development.
• DeFi lending protocol Twyne secured $2.5 million in seed funding in a round co-led by Cyber Fund and Ethereal Ventures. Euler Labs, Daedalus, and several individual investors participated. Twyne provides a credit delegation layer that allows lending-market depositors to transfer unused borrowing capacity to other users in exchange for additional yield.
• Solana-based infrastructure project Botanika closed a $1.5 million funding round backed by CRIT Ventures, Baboon VC, Marblex, Daedalus, and individual investors. The company is developing decentralized storage and computing infrastructure that connects physical hardware with on-chain ownership. Botanika has positioned its Nimbus hardware product as an entry point for data storage and AI-related workloads.

Undisclosed strategic funding

Blueprint Finance completed an undisclosed strategic round led by Polychain Capital. Bullish, Keyrock, BitGo, FalconX, G-20, Flowdesk, JPEG Trading, Sentient Capital, Andes, and 2Square participated. Blueprint plans to expand Concrete, its non-custodial vault infrastructure for institutions, protocols, asset managers, and other capital providers.

The platform combines trade execution, accounting, rebalancing, and risk controls within a shared on-chain system. The transaction is excluded from the $1.298 billion total because Blueprint did not disclose the amount raised.