BlackRock launched its ETHB staked Ethereum fund Thursday, distributing 82% of staking rewards to investors through monthly payments. The move marks the world's largest asset manager's deeper push into cryptocurrency infrastructure as institutional adoption accelerates.
Crypto fundraising rebounded strongly in 2025, with total capital raised climbing 60% year-over-year to $28.58 billion despite deal count dropping 38% to 2,545 transactions. The recovery was fueled by larger funding rounds and renewed institutional participation, pushing median round size to $2 million—double the previous year.
M&A activity hit record levels with 330 deals totaling $22.76 billion in disclosed value, reflecting accelerating consolidation across exchanges, infrastructure providers, and financial platforms. Separately, Tether backed Ark Labs' $5.2 million seed round to expand Bitcoin-based stablecoin infrastructure, coinciding with platform Arkade adding digital asset support.
The funding landscape shows clear maturation, with investor participation declining 28% to 3,510 unique investors while newly launched crypto funds raised $7.79 billion despite a 41% drop in fund count. This suggests capital is concentrating among established venture firms as the sector moves beyond speculative early-stage investments.