The crypto winter winds may still be blowing, but that doesn’t seem to stop venture capital firms from getting into crypto. In fact, recent bear-market-affected events such as the collapse of FTX could result in “more trust in the ecosystem,” said Jez Mohideen, co-founder and CEO of Laser Digital. said. Asian giant Nomura Holdings.
“More traditional players are entering the space and can help regulate the sector. It means a player who is doing well,” explained Mohideen, a long-time veteran in the venture sector. He is a former director of Barclays and hedge fund He is also a partner of Brevan Howard.
Laser Digital Ventures’ current portfolio includes cryptocurrency exchange Bullish, decentralized exchange protocol Orderly Network, institutional investor Komainu’s hybrid custodian, and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) committed to structured products and fixed income solutions. Includes companies. In 2023, the company said he plans to invest in nearly 20 projects.
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Laser Digital’s primary funding area is startups providing solutions to institutional investors, a market that has seen consistent growth recently. According to Coinbase research, 62% of institutional investors increased their cryptocurrency allocations in the past year.
“The lack of proper infrastructure solutions creates a significant bottleneck for cryptocurrency enthusiast institutions. We want to help solve this bottleneck problem.” He is particularly passionate about infrastructure solutions that facilitate institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies, including DeFi.
Solving real problems is imperative for crypto companies looking to raise capital in a time of depressed crypto prices. Laser Digital’s investment themes are centered on projects that are “innovative and have clear indications of how to get there.” He added:
“The Web3 and Metaverse platforms will be major growth areas over the next few years, and Web2 services such as social media, streaming entertainment, and gaming will benefit greatly if they adopt Web3 technologies and governance.” .”
As one of Japan’s largest banks, Nomura Holdings is reported to have $470 billion in assets under management by the end of 2022. Last year, the company also announced plans to launch a cryptocurrency subsidiary aimed at investing in cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens.