Core Ventures, the investment arm aligned with the Core Foundation, has been making waves in the cryptocurrency space by deploying more than $1 million across 15 Bitcoin-aligned projects since its launch in early 2024.
The main goal of Core Ventures is to transform Bitcoin (BTC) from a passive store-of-value into an active layer of financial infrastructure that can support lending, yield generation, stablecoins, and decentralized finance. This strategic move aims to enhance Bitcoin’s programmability and establish it as a foundational element for various financial services.
With the BTCFi sector witnessing significant growth, Core Ventures is strategically funding projects that push the boundaries of Bitcoin’s capabilities. These projects span various verticals including lending, staking, real-world assets, DeFi infrastructure, and financial primitives such as stablecoins.
A few standout investments from Core Ventures include Colend, a lending and borrowing protocol on Core, with over $170 million in Total Value Locked (TVL) and the recent launch of the first web3 credit card. Additionally, Solv Protocol, which offers liquid staking, structured yield products, and Bitcoin fund management services, and BitFLUX, a platform focused on liquidity aggregation and BTC yield generation, have also received support from Core Ventures.
Other notable projects in Core Ventures’ portfolio include Sats Terminal, a Bitcoin-native DeFi aggregator simplifying access to decentralized exchanges and yield tools, and BIMA Labs, the developer of USBD, a Bitcoin-backed universal stablecoin designed for cross-chain DeFi applications. These projects are also backed by major firms like Coinbase Ventures, OKX Ventures, and Draper Associates.
Brendon Sedo, Initial Contributor at Core DAO and Head of Core Ventures, emphasized the fund’s focus on supporting innovative applications and protocols that enhance the usability of the ecosystem. He highlighted the importance of funding projects that are actively shipping products rather than engaging in theoretical debates.
Core itself serves as the technical backbone for this ecosystem, offering a Proof-of-Work-backed, EVM-compatible blockchain that enables non-custodial Bitcoin staking. With over 6,000 BTC staked, more than 50,000 daily users, and over $500 million in TVL, Core anchors the largest Bitcoin DeFi environment.
Looking ahead, Core Ventures plans to continue investing in projects that advance Bitcoin’s utility in areas such as lending, collateralization, decentralized identity, and real-world asset tokenization. The team’s investment strategy prioritizes builders who are already delivering tangible products, signaling a commitment to fostering real innovation in the cryptocurrency space.