By establishing this venture initiative, Anchorage aims to influence the industry by encouraging more institutional backing for high-risk blockchain projects and highlighting the evolving role of crypto infrastructure firms in ecosystem development.

Applications for the venture fund are open, with a review scheduled for September 2025, and selected teams will present demos at Token2049 in Singapore in early October, with grants announced on a rolling basis.

Anchorage Digital has experienced rapid growth, with its valuation increasing by 516% to over $3 billion after raising $487 million across multiple funding rounds, including a $350 million Series D in December 2021.

The venture arm will prioritize areas such as Bitcoin DeFi, real-world assets, and decentralized identity solutions, with a demo day scheduled during Token2049 in Singapore in early October 2025.

Anchorage Digital, a leading crypto custody firm valued at over $3 billion, has launched a new venture capital unit called Anchorage Digital Ventures to fund and support early-stage on-chain protocols aimed at fostering institutional adoption.

Unlike traditional VC models, Anchorage Digital Ventures offers direct operational guidance, including technical architecture, liquidity strategies, and institutional readiness support to help promising protocols scale effectively.

Anchorage's strategic focus is on supporting projects that address foundational technology and institutional hurdles, leveraging its expertise in compliance, engineering, and market strategy.

Nathan McCauley, CEO of Anchorage Digital, emphasizes that upcoming protocols will play a significant role in shaping global value transfer and blockchain-based systems.

This move reflects a broader industry trend of 'flight to quality,' with larger investments focusing on fewer, strategically chosen projects that are foundational to crypto technology.

This initiative aligns with a broader industry trend where major crypto infrastructure firms like Coinbase Ventures and Circle Ventures are expanding their venture activities to foster ecosystem growth.

The firm’s focus includes protocols related to Bitcoin DeFi, real-world asset tokenization, and decentralized identity, with an emphasis on helping projects become 'institutional-ready from day one'.

Anchorage Digital Ventures plans to co-develop core on-chain infrastructure, adhering to Wall Street standards, and will provide capital, strategic guidance, and liquidity support to protocols seeking institutional adoption.