Crypto VC funding: Spiko and Nous Research raise $90m each

Crypto and Web3 funding announcements totaled $380.51 million across 16 disclosed transactions from Oct. 3--9, led by matching $90 million rounds for Spiko and Nous Research.

Summary

• $380.51 million was disclosed across 16 transactions, with two additional rounds announcing no investment amount.
• Spiko raised $90 million from NEA and other investors to expand its tokenized cash funds.
• Nous Research secured $90 million from investors including Nvidia, Microsoft's M12 and Robot Ventures.
• Mecka announced a $60 million Series B led by Sequoia Capital for robotics data infrastructure.
• The three largest rounds accounted for approximately 63% of the week's disclosed transaction value.

Mecka followed with a $60 million Series B, while Bitcoin life insurer Meanwhile secured $37.5 million. The broader funding tally includes AI companies tracked by crypto funding databases and token transactions alongside venture rounds.

Crypto Fundraising, DropsTab and DefiLlama provided the funding inventory, checked against company announcements, investor statements and reporting. The aggregate counts Noah's newly announced $16 million extension rather than its cumulative $38 million seed round, and includes token sales and purchases.

Spiko raises $90 million to expand tokenized cash funds

Spiko raised $90 million in a Series B announced Oct. 6, led by U.S. venture firm New Enterprise Associates.

Investors included Index Ventures, Bpifrance, Speedinvest, Flourish Ventures, White Star Capital, Mirana Ventures and Wintermute Ventures. The company said the financing brought its total funding to $120 million.

Spiko reported $2.7 billion held in its funds by more than 10,000 businesses and individuals across over 25 countries. Its products allow customers to invest cash through its app or through financial platforms that integrate its services.

The London- and Paris-based company said it would use the proceeds to launch products, enter markets and grow its team. Planned European expansion includes Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and the Nordics.

Nous Research secures $90 million for open AI

Nous Research announced $90 million in funding, with databases recording the transaction as an Oct. 7 Series B at a $1.5 billion valuation.

The company named Nvidia, Microsoft's M12, Samsung, Robot Ventures, Union Square Ventures, Y Combinator and Menlo Ventures among its investors.

Founded in 2023, Nous develops open AI models and the Hermes Agent software. The company said users can choose where the agent runs and which models it uses, while retaining project knowledge across sessions.

Nous said the capital would support its open AI development. Its announcement also described Hermes Business, extending its software to companies. Crypto Fundraising classifies Nous within decentralized AI infrastructure and the Solana ecosystem.

Mecka lands $60 million for robotics infrastructure

Mecka announced a $60 million Series B on Oct. 7, led by Sequoia Capital.

New investors included Nvidia, Microsoft's M12, Qualcomm Ventures and Samsung. Existing backers Kindred, Framework Ventures and Neo also participated.

The company develops infrastructure for collecting and processing human movement data used to train robots. Mecka said the proceeds would expand that infrastructure, deepen its research work and support commercial robot deployment.

Individual investors included DoorDash founder Tony Xu, former Snowflake CEO Frank Slootman and former Tesla Optimus leader Milan Kovac.

DropsTab includes Mecka in its crypto fundraising inventory. The announced financing supports its robotics business, with the company identifying data collection and deployment as its principal uses of capital.

Meanwhile raises $37.5 million for Bitcoin insurance

Meanwhile announced $37.5 million from existing investors on Oct. 8, bringing cumulative funding above $180 million.

Bain Capital Crypto led the round. Participants included Haun Ventures, Framework Ventures, Pantera Capital, Apollo, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures and Morgan Creek Digital.

The Bermuda-based insurer said it had signed 15 brokers serving wealthy families across markets including Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland.

Its BTC Life 1-Pay product targets clients outside the United States, while its earlier BTC 10-Pay product was designed for U.S. taxpayers. Meanwhile holds a Bermuda Monetary Authority insurance license and denominates its balance sheet, reserves and audited financial statements in Bitcoin.

Funding from $10 million to $30 million

• Catalyst secured a $30 million seed round led by Sequoia Capital on Oct. 8. Legal adviser Wilson Sonsini said Jump Trading, Peak XV, Lux Capital, AntiFund, Coinbase and Premji Invest participated. Catalyst builds AI agents that turn written instructions into trading strategies.
• Navra announced a $19 million Series A led by Ribbit Capital, with Baseline, DCM, Jump Crypto and Figure participating. The company said proceeds would expand its blockchain access platform and AI infrastructure ahead of a limited late-October rollout.
• Noah added $16 million to its seed round from Endeit Capital, FJ Labs, LocalGlobe, Felix Capital and angels. The company announced plans to expand payment connections, hire engineering and compliance staff, and open a New York office.
• Vest Labs raised $13 million in a round led by Portal Ventures. Its company announcement said the financing would support the Vest Markets trading platform; funding databases classify it as seed financing.

Transactions below $10 million

• Umia raised $6.11 million through a public token auction involving ten funds and nearly 700 individual bidders. The Block reported participation from Galaxy Ventures, DCG, Draper Associates and others.
• Anvil announced a $5 million ANVL token purchase led by Founders Fund, with Pantera Capital, Bullish and others participating, alongside the release of enterprise integration tools.
• IMMIX secured $3.5 million from Crane Venture Partners, BTSE and Portfolio Ventures. Crane said the funding would support stablecoin currency conversion technology, liquidity and partnerships.
• Soda Labs raised a $3 million seed round entirely funded by NextBlock to expand blockchain privacy infrastructure, its validator network and commercial integrations.
• HyperLink announced $2.5 million from Alliance, North Island Ventures, Reverie, Node Capital, Breed and Smartest Money for its Hyperliquid-based trading infrastructure.
• Antseed Foundation secured a $2.4 million token round led by Spark Capital, with DCG, Collider and others backing its decentralized AI inference marketplace.
• Imperial raised $1.5 million in seed funding backed by Foundation Capital for its Solana trading platform, according to DropsTab and DefiLlama.
• Anyflo announced a $1 million investment from Mysten Labs for its stablecoin payments business, alongside an acqui-hire of Native.

Undisclosed strategic rounds

• OKX completed a strategic investment extension involving Circle, Ripple, Qube Research & Technologies, and SC Ventures at a $25 billion pre-money valuation. The investment amount was undisclosed.
• Xverse announced a strategic round led by Draper Associates, with Trust Machines and Draper Dragon participating, to expand self-custodial Bitcoin financial services. Terms were undisclosed.