Deal terms ‘more attractive’ as crypto startups raise $95m led by prediction markets, AI agents

Investors are capitalising on the $2 trillion crypto market downturn by squeezing better deals out of the projects they back, according to Yat Siu, co-founder and executive chairman of Animoca Brands.

The disappearance of “crypto tourist” venture capitalists — investors not really prioritising digital assets — “sharply reduced the competition” for good deals, Siu told DL News.

“As is usually the case, when the markets are more difficult, deal terms become more attractive,” he said. “However, top deals continue to command premium valuations.”

The comments come as VCs poured $95 million into crypto startups this week, DefiLlama data shows.

The main investors doubling down this week are crypto-centric firms like Pantera Capital, Consensys, and Frachtis Ventures.

Siu added that interest in artificial intelligence-powered projects continues to grow. His firm Animoca Brands, a VC firm known for its moves in web3 gaming projects, is launching its own AI agent platform.

“In 2026, we expect to see an overall more rational, fundamentals-driven investment landscape for our sector,” he said.

Here are the top three raises this week.

Novig, $75 million

Novig, a peer-to-peer sports prediction marketplace, secured $75 million in a Series B round led by Pantera Capital, marking one of the larger raises in the sector this quarter.

Unlike conventional bookmakers that embed a house margin, Novig operates without commission, allowing users to trade directly against one another.

By offering live position trading and market-based pricing, the platform resembles a financial exchange more than a traditional betting site.

The company says it aims to scale its exchange-style model as it challenges incumbents, positioning blockchain infrastructure as a tool for greater transparency, tighter spreads and improved pricing efficiency for sports traders.

Kresus Labs, $13 million

Kresus raised $13m in a funding round backed by South Korean bank Hanwha Investment and Securities to expand its Web3 mobile platform.

The company is focused on simplifying blockchain access through a “seedless” wallet architecture, removing the need for users to manage complex private key phrases.

The backing reflects growing institutional confidence in infrastructure that lowers barriers to mainstream digital asset adoption while strengthening consumer-grade custody standards.

PlutonAI, $2.7 million

PlutonAI secured $2.7 million to expand its crypto platform centred on autonomous AI agents. Integrated primarily through conversational interfaces such as Telegram, the system allows users to execute decentralised finance strategies like automated trading and yield management through simple prompts.

The startup is targeting a market for decentralised financial tools by combining the artificial intelligence theme with blockchain settlement.

You’re reading the latest instalment of The Weekly Raise, our column covering fundraising deals across the crypto and DeFi spaces, powered by DefiLlama.

Lance Datskoluo is DL News’ Europe-based markets correspondent. Got a tip? Email him at [email protected].