Fundraising

2025 Crypto VC Report: $25B+ Raised as Market Roars Back

A comprehensive analysis of crypto venture capital funding in 2025, featuring $25.37 billion raised across 868 deals, marking a remarkable +163% YoY surge from 2024.

Alpha Drops ResearchDecember 18, 20258 min read

Annual Report 2025

Crypto VC Funding Surges to $25.37 Billion

A record-breaking year as institutional capital floods back into crypto, marking a +163% increase from 2024.

$25.37B

Total Raised

868

Funding Rounds

$29.2M

Average Deal Size

+163%

YoY Growth

Executive Summary

2025 has proven to be a watershed year for crypto venture capital. After the challenging conditions of 2022-2023 and the gradual recovery in 2024, the industry has witnessed a remarkable resurgence in investor confidence and capital deployment.

With $25.37 billion raised across 868 funding rounds, 2025 represents not just a recovery but a powerful statement about the long-term viability of blockchain technology and digital assets. The year-over-year growth of +163% from 2024 total of $9.62B demonstrates that institutional investors are once again bullish on crypto infrastructure.

"The median deal size of $6M indicates healthy seed and early-stage activity, while the average of $29.2M reflects several mega-rounds that captured headlines throughout the year."

Quarterly Performance

The funding landscape showed interesting dynamics across each quarter:

Q1 2025

$5.84B

251 rounds · $23.3M avg

Q2 2025

$4.54B

190 rounds · $23.9M avg

Q3 2025

$7.82B

218 rounds · $35.9M avg

Q4 2025

$7.17B

209 rounds · $34.3M avg

Q3 emerged as the strongest quarter, with $7.82B raised across 218 deals. September alone saw $3.25B in funding, making it the single best month of the year. This surge coincided with renewed institutional interest following regulatory clarity in several major markets.

Sector Analysis: Where the Money Flowed

The distribution of capital reveals clear investor preferences and emerging narratives:

Top Funded Categories

Centralized Exchange $4.40B (17.4%)
Betting / Prediction Markets $3.15B (12.4%)
DeFi $3.04B (12.0%)
CeFi $1.99B (7.9%)
Payments $1.88B (7.4%)
Layer 1 Blockchains $1.75B (6.9%)

Key Sector Insights

Centralized Exchanges dominated fundraising with $4.40B across just 15 mega-rounds, averaging a staggering $293.7M per deal. This reflects the continued importance of compliant, institutional-grade trading infrastructure.

Betting and Prediction Markets emerged as a surprise leader, capturing $3.15B. The success of platforms like Polymarket during the 2024 US election cycle sparked renewed interest in decentralized prediction markets.

DeFi remains a cornerstone of crypto innovation with $3.04B raised across 214 deals—the highest deal count of any category. This underscores continued innovation in lending, DEXs, and yield optimization.

Monthly Funding Breakdown

Month Raised Rounds Avg Deal
January $1.27B 85 $15.0M
February $1.02B 81 $12.5M
March $3.56B 85 $41.8M
April $1.40B 64 $21.8M
May $624M 54 $11.6M
June $2.52B 72 $35.0M
July $2.67B 69 $38.7M
August $1.90B 72 $26.4M
September ⭐ $3.25B 77 $42.2M
October $3.88B 90 $43.1M
November $2.60B 65 $40.0M
December (YTD) $694M 54 $12.9M

Looking Ahead: What This Means for 2026

The remarkable recovery in 2025 sets the stage for what could be an even more significant 2026. Key trends to watch:

  • Institutional Infrastructure: Continued investment in compliant exchanges and custody solutions
  • RWA Tokenization: Real-world asset tokenization attracted $1.1B and is poised for mainstream adoption
  • AI + Crypto: The intersection of artificial intelligence and blockchain is attracting significant attention
  • Regulatory Clarity: Clearer frameworks in major markets should accelerate institutional participation

Explore the Live Dashboard

Dive deeper into the data with interactive charts, real-time updates, and granular filtering.

View Full 2025 Report →

Data sourced from DeFiLlama. This report is auto-generated based on publicly announced funding rounds and is updated in real-time. Last updated: December 2025.

Tags

Crypto