January 2026 Crypto Funding Brief

January 2026 Crypto Funding Brief

^{Welcome to our Monthly Crypto Funding Brief. Each month, we bring you the latest activities in the fundraising landscape. This newsletter aims to keep you informed about key developments, significant fundraises, active investors, and upcoming token unlocks, helping you stay ahead in the dynamic world of investments.}

In this edition: 

• Top 5 Largest Venture Funding Rounds
• Top 5 Most Active Investors
• Distribution of Fundraises by Company Category
• Top Digital Asset Treasury Funding Rounds
• Distribution of Fundraises by Stage
• M&A Activity
• Notable Fundraise Filings
• Token Unlocks for January 2026 / February 2026

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InnovateDenver is just under two weeks away, and we wanted to share a quick reminder.

The Tie will be back in Denver alongside one of the industry’s largest crypto conferences, bringing together investors, builders, and industry leaders for a day of thoughtful conversations and networking. The program will include curated networking, panels led by experienced voices across the ecosystem, and optional 1:1 meetings with blockchain innovators and decision-makers.

If you’re interested in joining us, you can request a ticket here.
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Monthly Fundraising Highlights

In January 2026, 128 rounds across 111 crypto companies secured a combined $2.5 billion in funding. Of this total, 11 companies across 11 rounds raised approximately $1.18 billion through PIPEs, Debt, IPOs, or Post-IPO Equity. Additionally, 3 companies raised funds specifically for Digital Asset Treasury strategies. As shown in the chart below, the largest publicly disclosed raise was Rain’s $250 million Series C round.

Note: The charts below do not include accelerator programs.

Top 5 Largest Venture Funding Rounds

As shown in the chart below, the top five investors took part in 15 funding rounds. Their investments spanned multiple sectors, including key narratives such as Artificial Intelligence, Business Service Providers, DeFi, Layer 1, Payments, Security Services, Stablecoin Issuers, and Trading Services

Top 5 Most Active Investors

Distribution of Fundraises by Company Category

In January, Payments companies led in numbers of deals with 17 collectively raising approximately $665 million.

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Top Digital Asset Treasury Funding Rounds

In January, fundraising activity among digital asset treasury companies slowed from prior months, with only 3 companies raising capital.

Distribution of Fundraises by Stage

In January, strategic rounds accounted for the majority of fundraising activity, with 20 companies raising a combined $364 million across 22 rounds. Meanwhile, Post-IPO Equity fundraising brought in the largest total, as 4 companies collectively raised $562 million.

M&A Activity

In January 2026, the crypto space saw 17 acquisitions spanning diverse sectors.

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Notable Fundraise Filings

The chart below highlights the funds that reported the most recent fundraises through the SEC's Form D or D/A filings.

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Token Unlocks:  January 2026 and February 2026

This chart highlights major token unlocks exclusively for investors in January 2026 and February 2026. Notably, ONDO unlocked a total of $88.64 million on January 18, 2026. These figures specifically exclude other token allocation categories such as team member distributions, airdrops, or other non-investor allocations.

The size and color of the circles represent the USD value of each unlock. 

This blog is for informational purposes only and is not investment or trading advice. You are fully responsible for any decisions you make; The TIE Inc. is not liable for any loss or damage caused by reliance on information provided. For investment advice, please consult a registered investment advisor.