Best crypto to buy now: Pudgy Pandas gain traction as Fnality secures $136M funding

• Fnality secures $136M to expand blockchain payments backed by major banks.
• Bitcoin consolidates near $113K as Ethereum edges higher after market dip.
• Pudgy Pandas meme coin raises $2.87M in Asia presale, targets global expansion.

As cryptomarkets consolidated after Monday’s sharp fall, Fnality International Ltd., a London-based blockchain payments company, has secured $136 million in fresh funding as leading financial institutions continue to explore the infrastructure behind digital assets.

Bitcoin was trading at $112,929.42, almost unchanged from the previous day, down 9% from the $124,500 all-time high.

Ethereumm stood at $4192.29, up 0.2% in the last 24 hours.

Fnality’s funding round was led by Bank of America, Citigroup, KBC Group, Tradeweb Markets, Temasek, and WisdomTree, with existing backers Goldman Sachs, UBS, and Banco Santander also participating.

The funding will be used to expand Fnality’s payments network, accelerate product development, and advance regulatory approvals in new markets.

While the firm focuses on institutional blockchain infrastructure, the wider crypto space is also witnessing momentum in the retail-driven meme coin sector, with Pudgy Pandas gaining early traction in Asia.

Institutional blockchain payments gain momentum through Fnality

Founded in 2019 out of an earlier UBS-led blockchain initiative, Fnality has emerged as one of the leading firms aiming to modernise the settlement layer of financial markets.

Its platform allows banks to transact in a digital cash asset backed 1-to-1 with central bank reserves, beginning with the Bank of England.

This setup is designed to make settlement of tokenised assets, such as stocks and bonds, faster and more efficient by providing the “cash leg” of these transactions.

Fnality launched its pound-based payments system in 2023 and is now seeking approval to expand into other major currencies.

Chief Executive Officer Michelle Neal said in a Bloomberg report that the new funding will be directed toward scaling operations and securing regulatory clearances in additional markets.

The firm’s progress reflects a broader trend in traditional finance, where large institutions are increasingly exploring blockchain for efficiency and risk reduction.

While the technology has been tested in banking for over a decade, widespread adoption remains limited, with few commercially viable systems in operation.

Recent moves from peers like JPMorgan, which is piloting a deposit-backed token called JPMD, and HSBC, which has introduced tokenised deposit services, underscore growing interest in institutional blockchain solutions.

Pudgy Pandas show strength

Alongside institutional adoption, momentum in retail-focused crypto remains strong, with meme-driven projects continuing to capture investor attention.

Pudgy Pandas, a token originating in Asia, is currently in presale and rapidly gaining traction in China, Korea, Japan, and across East Asia.

The project has raised $2.87 million in its presale so far, and runs till October 18, 2025.

The presale features staged price increases and is set to list immediately afterwards without delays.

The project distinguishes itself with conservation-focused tokenomics.

Ten per cent of the supply is dedicated to panda charities under a long-term vesting plan, while another 10 per cent supports a “birth initiative” that burns tokens each time a panda cub is born, adding scarcity.

Other initiatives include campaigns to raise awareness of panda welfare, protests against caged enclosures, and high-visibility marketing under the #FreeThePandas movement.

Asian traders have historically driven the early success of meme coins such as Shiba Inu, Bonk, Floki, and Pengu, with some delivering returns in the thousands of per cent.

Pudgy Pandas’ investors expect strong early interest, combined with Asia’s dominance in exchange volumes, could propel the project toward a multibillion-dollar market capitalisation.

Together, Fnality’s institutional blockchain push and Pudgy Pandas’ retail-driven momentum highlight the wide spectrum of strategies shaping today’s digital asset market — from central bank-linked settlement systems to viral meme coins.

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