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VC Directory

Who’s active on the frontier.

Funds Lookout tracks in AI × Crypto, ranked by Lookout tier and score — each with a take on stage, check size, and current posture. Click any fund for the full tear sheet and an intro request.

Tracked

34

Active

33

Tier 1

16

a16z Crypto

ActiveTier 1

The single strongest conviction signal in the space. When a16z Crypto leads a round, half the LP universe treats the diligence as done. They are not betting on any one project — they are betting on owning the standard for how agents present, pay, and identify themselves. The Skyfire lead tells you they think identity-at-issuance is where agent-economy value accrues. Winner-take-most thesis, executed with the deepest bench in crypto.

Check size

$1M – $100M

Stage

Seed, Series A

AI-AgentsDePIN-ComputeInference+1
Open VC →

YZi Labs

ActiveTier 1

The single most consequential check in crypto — a YZi lead (formerly Binance Labs) signals tier-1 validation and a near-guaranteed liquidity path via Binance listing optics. The 2025 family-office rebrand makes deployment cadence less predictable than the old Labs incubation machine, so treat them as a strategic anchor rather than a reliable lead. For an AI×crypto founder, this is the logo you want and the hardest to get.

Check size

$1M – $15M

Stage

Seed, Series A

AIDeFiInfrastructure+3
Open VC →

Pantera Capital

ActiveTier 1

The original US crypto fund and still the bellwether for institutional-scale conviction. Its explicit $200M+ AI-crypto carve-out makes it one of the most serious large-cap allocators to the thesis Lookout tracks. Size and breadth are the moat; the risk is a multi-strategy giant rarely moving first on the frontier.

Check size

$1M – $50M

Stage

Seed, Series A

AIDeFiInfrastructure+2
Open VC →

Paradigm

ActiveTier 1

The highest founder-quality density in crypto venture. Quiet, patient, and ruthlessly selective — they wait for the right round rather than spray. A Paradigm lead keeps a cap table clean and signals the founder passed a very high bar. Less public than a16z but arguably sharper on technical theses.

Check size

$500K – $50M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

AI-AgentsInferenceData-Layer+1
Open VC →

Electric Capital

ActiveTier 1

One of the most data-driven shops in crypto — the annual Developer Report alone gives them an information edge few rivals match. Heavy infra/L1 concentration means they ride ecosystem cycles hard, but the hit rate on foundational bets is elite. A genuine Tier 1 lead.

Check size

$1M – $25M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureDeFiAI+1
Open VC →

Delphi Ventures

ActiveTier 1

The rare fund where world-class research is the deal-sourcing engine — Delphi's analyst reputation buys first-look access most VCs would kill for. Investing largely off its own balance sheet signals real skin in the game. Tier 1 on track record; the private-capital model makes sizing and pace opaque.

Check size

$1M – $28M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

AIDeFiInfrastructure+2
Open VC →

Blockchain Capital

ActiveTier 1

The grandfather of crypto VC, with a 2013 vintage and exits (Coinbase, Kraken) that print returns most funds only dream of. Franchise gravity makes them a default lead for serious rounds. Less visibly AI-forward than newer shops — the edge is brand, not narrative-chasing.

Check size

$1M – $30M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureDeFiGaming+2
Open VC →

Framework Ventures

ActiveTier 1

Framework essentially invented the DeFi-native VC playbook — early concentrated positions in Chainlink, Aave and Synthetix gave it generational returns. It has credibly extended that into AI (co-leading Sentient). Tier 1 with a sharp identity; the flip side of concentration is cyclicality tied to the DeFi/gaming narrative.

Check size

$250K – $40M

Stage

Seed, Series A

DeFiAIGaming+1
Open VC →

Polychain Capital

ActiveTier 1

Disciplined infra thesis with real staying power. Their Nava lead is a tell: they see the agent-rails layer fragmenting, not consolidating — a contrarian read against the issuance-wins camp. Watch their follow-on cadence; they double down hard on conviction and their early Bittensor exposure shows they buy infra before it's obvious.

Check size

$1M – $50M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InferenceData-LayerDePIN-Compute+1
Open VC →

Sequoia Capital

SelectiveTier 1

The most prestigious generalist on this list and the one most chastened by crypto — the FTX wipeout and fund downsizing mean they now move with caution, not conviction velocity. A Sequoia lead is a powerful cross-over signal that opens fiat-world doors no native crypto fund can, but they are selective and rarely the fastest yes. Court them for legitimacy and later-stage scale, not a quick seed close.

Check size

$1M – $25M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureDeFiCeFi+2
Open VC →

CoinFund

ActiveTier 1

A decade-old shop with rare staying power and a genuine multi-stage (venture + liquid) playbook. Bets like Prime Intellect and Pluralis show it leaning hard into decentralized AI training — a thesis we rate highly. Pakman's growth-venture pedigree adds underwriting discipline.

Check size

$1M – $15M

Stage

Seed, Series A

DeFiInfrastructureAI+1
Open VC →

OKX Ventures

ActiveTier 1

An exchange-backed lead that punches at tier-1 for distribution: an OKX Ventures check often comes bundled with a listing conversation, the real prize for a token project. They deploy actively and lead seed rounds, but the exchange affiliation means founders should weigh ecosystem dependence. A strong default partner for infra and AI-crypto plays targeting Asian liquidity.

Check size

$250K – $5M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureL2DeFi+2
Open VC →

Multicoin Capital

ActiveTier 1

DePIN pioneers who extended the playbook into AI × Crypto. Their public memos are required reading — few funds articulate a thesis as cleanly. Strong on data + agent infrastructure. The watch item is whether their next inference bet lands as well as Helium did for DePIN.

Check size

$500K – $25M

Stage

Seed, Series A

AI-AgentsData-LayerPayment-Rails
Open VC →

HashKey Capital

ActiveTier 1

The most institutionally credible crypto fund in Asia — Hong Kong SFC licenses (Type 1/4/9), spot BTC/ETH ETFs on HKEX and an early-Ethereum track record give it a compliance halo no native crypto fund can replicate. A HashKey lead signals real diligence and a path to regulated Asian capital, which matters for infra and AI-crypto founders eyeing institutional adoption. The fresh $250M first close of Fund IV (targeting $500M) confirms it is deploying actively into a down market. Slower and more process-driven than degen funds, but that is precisely the point — this is the check you take for legitimacy, not speed.

Check size

$500K – $10M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureAIDePIN+3
Open VC →

Dragonfly Capital

ActiveTier 1

Asia + US hybrid coverage gives them deal flow most US-only funds simply never see. Strong agent-infra posture through 2026. Read their public letters for the next macro call — they tend to be early to cross-border narratives.

Check size

$1M – $30M

Stage

Seed, Series A

AI-AgentsInferencePayment-Rails
Open VC →

Coinbase Ventures

ActiveTier 1

The distribution-first strategic. They invest where the Coinbase L2 + product surface can syndicate a project into US institutional rails. Less price-sensitive, more distribution-sensitive — which makes them the single best signal for any project targeting regulated American capital. Skyfire in the portfolio is the agent-payments tell.

Check size

$250K – $20M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

AI-AgentsDePIN-ComputeInference+3
Open VC →

Archetype

ActiveTier 2

A rising lead with genuine taste at the crypto-AI frontier — leading Ritual's seed is exactly the decentralized-AI-infra call Lookout watches for. Egan's track record (early Chainalysis, NEAR, Balancer) lends credibility beyond the firm's young age. One of the most interesting emerging-to-Tier-2 shops.

Check size

$500K – $5M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

AIInfrastructureConsumer+1
Open VC →

1kx

ActiveTier 2

Among the most intellectually serious token-economics shops in crypto — its DePIN and incentive-design research is field-shaping and it backs that thesis early as a lead. Strong institutional LP base signals durability. Tier 2 only because true fund size isn't disclosed; any AUM figure floating around is an estimate.

Check size

$50K – $5M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

DePINAIDeFi+1
Open VC →

Spartan Group

ActiveTier 2

Asia's sharpest DeFi-native shop, with a Goldman-trained partnership and a value lens rare in a momentum market. The Pendle bet validates the fundamentals-first approach. Smaller and more selective than the megafunds, but the advisory + dual-structure model gives outsized APAC influence.

Check size

$500K – $10M

Stage

Seed, Series A

DeFiInfrastructureGaming+1
Open VC →

Galaxy Ventures

ActiveTier 2

Galaxy brings a TradFi-native lens most crypto VCs lack — institutional credibility, balance sheet and regulatory fluency. Closing an oversubscribed first external fund in a tough 2025 market, then deploying fast into Monad and Ethena, signals momentum. More fintech-and-stablecoin-forward than a frontier AI shop.

Check size

$1M – $25M

Stage

Seed, Series A

StablecoinsPaymentsDeFi+2
Open VC →

Lightspeed Faction

ActiveTier 2

The Lightspeed brand and ~$7.5M average check let Faction anchor institutional-grade rounds smaller crypto funds can't. The WeatherXM lead signals real DePIN conviction. The catch: a single $285M Fund I and an independent-but-tethered structure mean the track record is still young — Tier 2 with Tier 1 ambitions.

Check size

$1M – $10M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureDePINDeFi+1
Open VC →

IOSG Ventures

ActiveTier 2

The sharpest research-led infrastructure fund in Asia — IOSG's ZK and modular-stack bets (Scroll, zkSync, EigenLayer, Celestia) read like a who's-who of the cycle's winning infra theses. They lead, they publish genuinely good research, and a place on their cap table is a strong technical-credibility signal. The undisclosed AUM and infra-heavy focus make them a precision instrument — ideal for deep-tech and AI-infra founders.

Check size

$500K – $5M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureZKDeFi+2
Open VC →

Maven 11

ActiveTier 2

Europe's most credible crypto-native fund, with an early-mover edge and a sharp infra thesis — Celestia and Gensyn show they front-run modular and decentralized-AI-compute narratives. Fund III's $107M is modest by US standards, so they win on conviction and timing, not check size.

Check size

$500K – $7M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

InfrastructureDeFiAI+1
Open VC →

Foresight Ventures

ActiveTier 2

One of the more aggressive Asia-based crypto funds of the last cycle, with real conviction in AI-crypto — the 2024 Story Protocol / Sentient / 0G cluster maps almost exactly to Lookout's thesis. They lead rounds and deploy a large multi-strategy book, but the Forest Bai step-back and a heavy China lineage are watch-items for governance and US-facing deals. A high-fit, high-energy lead for AI×crypto founders comfortable with an Asia-anchored cap table.

Check size

$500K – $5M

Stage

Seed, Series A

AIDeFiInfrastructure+3
Open VC →
R

Robot Ventures

ActiveTier 2

Punches far above its size — run by the builders of Compound and Gauntlet, giving Robot a credibility and dealflow edge capital alone can't buy. The early EigenLayer/Lido/Flashbots hit rate proves the model. A small, smart pre-seed check-writer that co-invests more than it leads.

Check size

$100K – $2M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

DeFiInfrastructureAI+1
Open VC →

Animoca Brands

ActiveTier 2

More flywheel than fund — a sprawling 540+ portfolio plus its own studios and token book, so attribution and discipline are looser than a focused VC. The Virtuals partnership and AI-gaming push are smart pivots, but Lookout reads Animoca as a strategic acquirer-investor whose value is distribution and ecosystem reach.

Check size

Stage

Seed, Series A

GamingMetaverseNFT+2
Open VC →

Hashed

ActiveTier 2

The dominant crypto VC in Korea and a genuine bridge into Asian liquidity, distribution and gaming culture — Story Protocol, Aptos and Sandbox show it sources category leaders early. The Terra/LUNA blowup is a permanent asterisk on its judgment and why AUM cratered, but it survived and stayed active.

Check size

$1M – $17M

Stage

Seed, Series A

GamingInfrastructureDeFi+2
Open VC →

Variant Fund

ActiveTier 2

Earliest-stage discipline with the clearest writing on agent + consumer UX in the business. Best fit for a solo founder or a two-person team with a sharp consumer thesis. Smaller checks, but their conviction picks punch above the round size.

Check size

$250K – $5M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

AI-AgentsData-Layer
Open VC →

Shima Capital

ActiveTier 2

A high-velocity early-stage shop that writes a lot of first checks and is genuinely hands-on at pre-seed, exactly where most large funds won't engage. The 300+ shotgun portfolio means signal-per-deal is diluted and the post-2022 vintage carries unproven marks, so a Shima lead validates the round more than the company. Useful as a fast, founder-friendly seed partner — not a tier-1 conviction signal.

Check size

$500K – $2M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

AIDePINInfrastructure+2
Open VC →

Hack VC

ActiveTier 2

The highest-volume seed-stage fund active in AI × Crypto right now. Their portfolio breadth is itself the signal — they are seeing every deal in the sector, including the ones nobody else writes about. Track their seed flow as a leading indicator of where the next narrative forms.

Check size

$250K – $5M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

AI-AgentsDePIN-ComputeInference
Open VC →

GSR

ActiveTier 2

Less a classic VC than a trading powerhouse with a venture arm — GSR's real value is liquidity, market-making and post-token-launch support, exactly what a project needs the day after TGE. Note the naming trap: the crypto GSR (2013, trading) is not the Menlo Park GSR Ventures (2004, generalist tech). Bring them in for markets expertise and listing-stage muscle, not for lead conviction at seed.

Check size

$250K – $5M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureDeFiDePIN+2
Open VC →

Kenetic Capital

ActiveTier 2

One of Asia's original crypto funds with a quietly excellent seed track record (Solana, Alchemy, Blockdaemon) and deep Hong Kong networks via Jehan Chu. Small AUM and a follow-heavy posture mean they rarely anchor a round, so value them for network and signal rather than lead capital. A strong reference investor and an underrated door into the HK/Greater China ecosystem.

Check size

$250K – $2M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureDeFiL1+1
Open VC →

Signum Capital

ActiveTier 2

A steady, regulated Singapore fund whose MAS license and UOB co-managed vehicle give it institutional credibility most native crypto funds lack — a genuine edge for compliance-sensitive raises in SEA. They run a broad, follow-oriented book and seldom lead, so use them to add a regulated-money signal and regional reach. Reliable, low-drama, and well-networked across Singapore.

Check size

$250K – $2M

Stage

Seed, Series A

InfrastructureDeFiGaming+1
Open VC →

SkyVision Capital

ActiveEmerging

A multi-ecosystem family office that spreads small early checks widely — useful as ecosystem-specific seed money (notably Solana, Sui, Aptos) but with a thin public track record and little disclosed on marks. Treat as emerging: the breadth is real, the brand-name exits are not yet. Good for filling out a seed round in a specific L1 ecosystem, not for anchoring or signaling.

Check size

$100K – $1M

Stage

Pre-Seed, Seed

DeFiInfrastructureNFT+2
Open VC →

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Ranked by Lookout judgment · coverage updates continuously