Crypto startups kicked off the second-quarter of 2026 with a bang, raising $76 million this week, DefiLlama data shows.

They have now raised nearly $5 billion so far in 2026.

Venture investors including the likes of Sumitomo Corporation, Paradigm and YZi labs are focusing on infrastructure and the overlap between artificial intelligence and decentralised networks, April data suggests.

Still, there are some headwinds for founders angling for new cheques, venture investors say. Chief among them is the uncertainty caused by the US-Iran conflict. While the two have signed a fragile ceasefire, investors are waiting to see how it…