According to Franklin Bi, a general partner at Pantera Capital, the recent approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US has significantly validated the cryptocurrency industry. The crypto venture capital firm is currently raising a new mega fund worth $1.25 billion.
While Bi declined to comment specifically on Pantera's new fund, he stated in an interview that the current climate is conducive for venture firms to raise new capital and position themselves to support new ventures.
Bi said the spot Bitcoin ETF approval “significantly validates” the crypto industry. “This approval showed people that regulations are still moving in a positive direction for digital assets,” Bi said. According to Bi, this confirmation reinforced the belief of many institutional investors that this is a long-term technology trend and a development cycle they need exposure to.
Within the crypto industry, Bi suggested that the gaming and decentralized finance (DeFi) sectors offer significant investment opportunities. He also noted the emergence of real-world asset tokenization as a continuation of DeFi, which brings traditional financial assets into the crypto space.
Bi added that blockchain technology is entering various global markets, including financial markets, supply chains and consumer applications. “I think it's a great time to really focus on those aspects of the industry and move forward in the long term, and that's what we're doing,” Bi concluded.
*This is not investment advice.