Pantera, Coinbase Pile On as Crypto Startups Raise $176 Million This Week

Despite choppy prices across major cryptocurrencies, venture capital interest in crypto startups is clearly heating up again. This week alone, blockchain and Web3 companies pulled in $176 million in fresh funding, with heavyweight names like Pantera Capital and Coinbase Ventures leading several of the biggest rounds.

What’s notable isn’t just the size of the funding, but where the money is going. Instead of speculative meme projects, investors are backing infrastructure plays — including blockchain tooling, payments, tokenization platforms, and AI-crypto hybrids. That signals a shift in mindset: builders and backers are focused on long-term utility rather than quick hype cycles.

Pantera’s participation reinforces the idea that seasoned crypto funds see this period as an accumulation phase for innovation. Meanwhile, Coinbase Ventures’ continued activity suggests major exchanges want early exposure to technologies that could shape the next wave of on-chain adoption.

This funding surge also comes at a time when public crypto markets feel cautious. Historically, that’s often when smart money steps in — building quietly while prices move sideways.

The takeaway is simple: while traders debate short-term price moves, capital is flowing steadily into crypto’s foundations. If these bets pay off, today’s funding rounds could end up powering the next growth cycle when market sentiment finally flips bullish again.