top of page
image.png

Overview

Ethereum is the second largest blockchain to Bitcoin.  While Bitcion is mainly a digital currency, Ethereum is a decentralized ecosystem that natively supports smart contracts (e.g. hold funds in escrow until service delivered), decentralized applications (e.g. lending, exchanges, gaming), and tokenization (e.g. tokenize a property and sell 1%)​

​

Key stats

  • Largest daily settlement volume (10-20B/day)

  • Most daily active users (with Layer 2s)

  • Largest number of developers

  • Largest number of dApps

  • Largest NFT marketplace (Opensea)

  • 60% of all DeFi applications (Uniswap, Aave)

  • Token standards (~50% of top 100 cryptos are ERC-20 built on Ethereum)

​​

ETHEREUM

First smart contract blockchain

Founders

Vitalik Buterin

  • Invented the first smart contract blockchain.  Wrote the white paper at age 19

  • Co-founded Bitcoin Magazine

​

Other founders

  • Charles Hoskinson -- founder of Cardano

  • Gavin Wood -- founder of Polkadot​

  • Joseph Lubin -- founder of ConsenSys, previous VP of Technology at Goldman Sachs

  • Anthony Di Iorio -- founder of Decentral​

Partnerships

Blackrock -- world's largest asset manager ($10T AUM)

  • Launched an Ethereum ETF that trades on the NYSE

  • CEO Larry Fink believes all stocks, bonds, and other real-world assets will be tokenized as it allows for instantaneous settlement, and makes ownership secure and transparent: "I see value in having an Ethereum ETF. These ETFs are stepping stones towards tokenization, and I believe that's where we're headed"

​

Microsoft

  •  Integrated Ethereum into its Azure Blockchain as a Service (BaaS) platform, allowing developers to deploy Ethereum nodes and develop decentralized applications (dApps)

​

JPMorgan Chase

  • JPMorgan developed its Quorum blockchain based on Ethereum. Quorum is a permissioned version of Ethereum designed for enterprises, particularly financial institutions

​

Visa

  • Visa has been exploring Ethereum-based solutions for digital currency payments. They tested USDC (a stablecoin) on Ethereum for settlement purposes

​

European Investment Bank (EIB)

  • The EIB issued €100 million in digital bonds on Ethereum in 2021, demonstrating the platform's ability to handle institutional-grade transactions

​

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

  • AWS supports Ethereum as part of its Amazon Managed Blockchain, allowing customers to set up Ethereum nodes and join the network

​

Mastercard

  • Mastercard is actively exploring Ethereum-based payment and settlement solutions. They are also developing a platform that incorporates Ethereum-based stablecoins

​

Samsung

  • Samsung has been exploring Ethereum for various blockchain use cases, including developing Ethereum-based dApps and integrating Ethereum wallets into its smartphones

​

Deloitte

  • Deloitte has worked with Ethereum to explore blockchain-based solutions for supply chain management, auditing, and other enterprise uses

​

Société Générale -- one of France’s largest multinational investment banks

  • Societe Generale issued a €100 million bond on Ethereum in 2019, and they continue to explore digital securities issuance on the Ethereum blockchain.

image.png

Overview

Chainlink is a decentralized network that connects smart contracts (which are self-executing contracts on blockchain) to real-world data, events, and systems outside the blockchain (e.g. a decentralized borrowing/lending platform would need access to the real-time price of the USD and Bitcoin. The Chainlink network enabled the creation of the DeFi space and grew to become the industry standard oracle solution for all of Web3.​

​

Key stats

  • Chainlink has enabled over $14T in transaction value

​​

Chainlink

Largest Blockchain Oracle - connecting real world data to the blockchain

Founders

Sergey Nazarov

  • Founded ExistLocal, a peer-to-peer marketplace aimed at fostering authentic local experiences

  • Co-founded CryptaMail, a blockchain-based webmail service

  • Established Secure Asset Exchange, a platform for real-time revenue sharing with multi-signature escrows.

  • Acquired the domain smartcontract.com and co-founded SmartContract, a network connecting smart contracts to external APIs and real-world data

  • Co-authored the Chainlink white paper, leading to the creation of the industry's largest decentralized oracle network

​

Key executives and advisors

  • Eric Schmidt -- Serves as an advisor to Chainlink Labs. He is the former CEO of Google

  • Jeff Weiner -- Acts as an advisor. He is the Executive Chairman and former CEO of LinkedIn

  • Tom Gonser -- Serves as an advisor. He is the founder of DocuSign

  • Balaji Srinivasan -- Acts as an advisor. He is the former CTO of Coinbase

  • Ari Juels -- Acts as the Chief Scientist at Chainlink Labs. He previously held the position of Chief Scientist at RSA

Partnerships

Society for Worldwide Interbank Telecomunication (SWIFT) -- global messaging network connecting over 11,000 banks

  • Chainlink is working with Swift to enable secure and efficient cross-chain communication for financial transactions. Chainlink’s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) was used in a Swift-led experiment to connect multiple blockchains. This initiative demonstrated how existing Swift infrastructure, combined with Chainlink, can allow seamless movement of tokenized assets across both public and private blockchains. This project aims to reduce operational hurdles and costs, paving the way for secure and scalable tokenized asset transfers​.

​

The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) -- world’s largest securities settlement system

  • The DTCC which processes over $2 quadrillion in transactions annually  issued "BondTokens" using Chainlink’s CCIP, allowing secure distribution across blockchains. This partnership explores how blockchain can improve settlement systems and streamline financial operations​.

​

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) -- $1T  AUM

  • ANZ used Chainlink's Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol (CCIP) to enable secure cross-chain transfers of tokenized assets, including ANZ-issued stablecoins. A key aspect of this project was settling transactions involving nature-based assets, such as carbon credits or renewable energy investments, allowing ANZ’s clients to purchase and trade these assets across multiple blockchains through a simple, unified interface.

image.png

Overview

Number one Ethereum L2 scaling solution.  Furthest along with institutional partnerships.​

​

Key stats

  • Transaction Volume: As of Q2 2024, Polygon has processed over 4.1 billion total transactions

  • DeFi Activity: Over the past 12 months leading up to Q2 2024, Polygon processed 452 million DeFi transactions, exceeding the combined total of Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism

  • Transaction Fees: In Q2 2024, Polygon's average transaction fee was approximately $0.01, significantly lower than some competitors (Optimism $0.06)

Polygon

Largest Ethereum L2 - highest transaction volume and DeFi activity

Founders

Founders

  • Jaynti Kanani -- data scientist for housing.com developing scalable systems and algorithms - led to blockchain scaling

  • Sandeep Nailwal -- software engineer and consultant at Deloitte. CTO at the multinational Welspun Group​

​

Executive Team

  • Marc Boiron -- CEO, held multiple positions at Aave and advised early-stage blockchain projects through Variant

  • Rebecca Rettig -- CLO, advocate for sensible DeFi regulation, notably authoring an open letter to EU authorities​

  • Dean Thomas -- Head of Global Capital, led DeFi at Algorand, worked at Deloitte, and TZ APAC​

Partnerships

Nike

  • Nike launched its digital platform, .Swoosh, on Polygon, enabling users to create, buy, and trade virtual products and NFTs, enhancing customer engagement through digital collectibles.

​

​Starbucks

  • Starbucks introduced the Starbucks Odyssey program on Polygon, integrating NFTs into their customer loyalty scheme to offer unique experiences and rewards to members.

​

​Reddit

  • Reddit collaborated with Polygon to develop an NFT marketplace, allowing users to purchase blockchain-based avatars, thereby integrating Web3 elements into its platform.

​

​Meta

  • Meta partnered with Polygon to explore and implement NFTs across its platforms, aiming to empower creators and enhance user experiences with digital collectibles.

​

Salesforce

  • Salesforce integrated Polygon to expand its clients' capabilities in managing and selling NFTs, providing businesses with tools to engage customers through blockchain technology.

​

​Mastercard

  • Mastercard collaborated with Polygon to launch innovative NFT and Web3 projects, aiming to bridge the gap between traditional finance and digital assets.

​

​Stripe

  • Stripe partnered with Polygon to enable cryptocurrency payouts for its users, leveraging Polygon's low-cost and high-speed network to facilitate seamless transactions.

​

​Disney

  • Polygon was selected to participate in Disney's Accelerator Program, focusing on developing innovative solutions in NFTs, AI, and augmented reality to enhance entertainment experiences.

​

​Google Cloud

  • Google Cloud formed a strategic alliance with Polygon to accelerate the adoption of Polygon protocols, enhancing the development of Web3 products and decentralized applications.

image.png

Overview

Stablecoin platform designed to provide real-world asset-backed stable currencies in high inflation economies.  US SEC Chair, Paul Atkins, and PayPal founder, Peter Thiel, involved.​

​

Key stats

  • Total Value Locked (TVL): ~ $210 million​​

Reserve Rights

Tokenizing Real World Assets - Peter Thiel and Paul Atkins involvement

Founders

Founders

  • Nevin Freeman -- Co-Founder & CEO, co-founded several tech firms starting in 2009, including Paradigm Academy, MetaMed, and RIABiz

  • Matt Elder -- Co-Founder & CTO, previously worked at Google and Quixey, where he contributed to significant technological developments. His background underscores a deep proficiency in system architecture and implementation.

​

Advisers

  • Paul Atkins -- A former commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Atkins has served as an advisor to the Reserve Rights Foundation, bringing regulatory expertise to the project.  Likely to be the SEC Chair in 2025

​

​​

Partnerships

Peter Thiel (investor)

  • Co-founder of PayPal and renowned venture capitalist, Thiel's investment underscores confidence in RSR's potential.

​

Coinbase Ventures (investor)

  • The investment arm of Coinbase, a leading cryptocurrency exchange, providing strategic support and industry expertise.

​

​Chainlink

  • A decentralized oracle network partnered with Reserve to enhance the security of price feeds essential for stablecoin protocols.

​

Digital Currency Group (investor)

  • A major investor in the crypto space, supporting the development and adoption of blockchain technologies.

​

​Arrington XRP Capital (investor)

  • A digital asset management firm investing in blockchain-based capital markets. 

​

Fenbushi Capital (investor)

  • One of the first venture capital firms focusing exclusively on blockchain investments. 

​

Overview

​Akash Network is the world's first decentralized and open-source cloud computing marketplace, allowing users to securely buy and sell computing resources. Akash offers access to high-performance GPUs at industry-leading prices, making advanced computing power more accessible and cost-effective.​

​

Key strengths 

  • First mover advantage

  • Open-Source Platform: Akash's commitment to open-source principles allows for greater transparency and community-driven development, distinguishing it from some competitors

  • Ease of Deployment: Akash's use of Kubernetes enables seamless deployment and management of cloud-native applications, simplifying the process for developers​​

Akash Network

First decentralized compute marketplace

Founders

Founders

  • Greg Osuri -- Co-Founder & CEO, seasoned technology entrepreneur with over 25 years as an open-source developer. He established AngelHack, the world's largest hackathon organization, connecting over 200,000 developers across 164 cities. AngelHack played a pivotal role in launching developer companies like Firebase, which was later acquired by Google. Greg began his career at IBM and designed Kaiser Permanente's first cloud architecture.​​

​

​​

Partnerships

NVIDIA

  • Following NVIDIA's acquisition of Brev.dev in mid-2024, Akash's primary client, NVIDIA became directly linked to Akash, enhancing its GPU capabilities and positioning in decentralized AI compute services

​

Coinbase Prime

  • In March 2024, Akash partnered with Coinbase Prime to offer institutional-grade custody services for the AKT token, enhancing security and accessibility for institutional investors

​

​Flux (InFlux Technologies)

  • In October 2024 launched the first-ever Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks (DePIN) advocacy group, aiming to address regulatory clarity and foster government commitment in the sector

​

Kava Labs

  • Selected Akash as the preferred decentralized cloud hosting solution for the Kava Ecosystem, facilitating cross-chain DeFi applications and services

​

​Polygon 

  • Collaborated with Akash to provide decentralized infrastructure to dApp developers, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional cloud services

​

TRG Capital

  • A notable capital partner supporting Akash's growth in the decentralized cloud computing market

​

image.png

Overview

​The Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (ASI) is a decentralized AI consortium formed by Fetch.ai, SingularityNET, Ocean Protocol, and later joined by CUDOS. Its mission is to accelerate the development of decentralized Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and, ultimately, Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), ensuring that these powerful technologies remain open, secure, and equitable for all.​

​

  • SingularityNET: Founded by Dr. Ben Goertzel, a pioneer in AGI research, SingularityNET is recognized as the first decentralized AI project. It offers a marketplace for AI services, promoting democratic and inclusive AI development.

  • Fetch.ai: A Cambridge-based company, Fetch.ai specializes in autonomous AI agents and blockchain infrastructure, enabling the creation of complex, decentralized applications across various industries. 

  • Ocean Protocol: Ocean Protocol provides a secure and transparent data exchange framework, allowing AI models to access vast datasets, thereby enhancing their accuracy and capabilities. 

  • CUDOS: their infrastructure offers premium AI compute resources at approximately 50% of the cost of traditional providers like Amazon AWS. This cost-efficiency amplifies the impact of Fetch.ai and SingularityNET’s combined $153 million hardware investment, positioning ASI as a leader in scalable and affordable AI computation.

Artificial Superintelligence Alliance

First decentralized AI project

Founders

Founders

  • Dr. Ben Goertzel -- CEO of SingularityNet (AGIX) and ASI, he has authored over 25 books and 150 research papers, and was instrumental in developing the OpenCog framework for AGI. Notably, he served as Chief Scientist at Hanson Robotics, contributing to the creation of the humanoid robot Sophia.​​

  • Humayun Sheikh -- CEO of Fetch.ai, he was a founding investor in DeepMind, the AI company acquired by Google. 

  • Trent McConaghy -- Founder & CTO of Ocean Protocol with a background in AI since 1997 and blockchain since 2013, he has worked on large-scale AI for semiconductors and has published over 40 papers and 25 patents. 

  • Bruce Pon -- Founder & CEO of Ocean Protocol, he co-founded Avantalion, a consulting firm that helped build 20 banks globally for companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen. He has given guest lectures at Oxford, MIT Media Lab, and Columbia University.

  • Matt Hawkins -- CEO and Founder of CUDOS, he is a seasoned technology entrepreneur who previously founded C4L, a leading data center and network provider acquired in 2016. Under his leadership, CUDOS has become a key player in decentralized cloud computing for AI and blockchain applications. 

​

​​

Partnerships

Hanson Robotics

  • SingularityNET collaborated with Hanson Robotics to develop Sophia, one of the most advanced humanoid robots, showcasing the practical applications of AGI in robotics.

​

​Bosch

  • Fetch.ai partnered with Bosch to create a decentralized machine learning network for smart mobility solutions, integrating autonomous agents into real-world applications.

​

Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz)

  • Ocean Protocol teamed up with Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz) to explore decentralized data marketplaces for secure and transparent data sharing in the automotive industry.

​

AMD

  • CUDOS formed an alliance with AMD to optimize decentralized cloud computing resources, enhancing performance for AI and blockchain workloads.​

​

Notable Investors 

  • DWF Labs -- $40M in Series C to develop of decentralized machine learning network and autonomous agents.

    • ​In March 2025, they launched a $250 million Liquid Fund aimed at unlocking the next wave of growth in Web3.

  • LDA Capital -- $25M to expand its AI marketplace and AGI development initiatives.​

    • ​Transactions across 43 countries, with aggregate transaction values exceeding $11 billion.

  • Outlier Ventures -- $15M seed funding to grow autonomous economic agents and decentralized infrastructure.​

    • ​Has helped its portfolio companies raise over $350 million in seed funding through its accelerator programs

  • BlockScience and BigchainDB -- providing expertise and resources to develop its decentralized data exchange.

  • Moonrock Capital -- aiding in the expansion of its decentralized cloud computing platform.

​​

​

image.png

Overview

​Gala Games is a blockchain-based gaming platform that empowers players with true ownership of in-game assets through the use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). By integrating decentralized technologies, Gala Games offers a play-to-earn ecosystem where gamers can earn, trade, and control their digital items across various games. Beyond developing its own titles, Gala also serves as a developer and distribution platform, enabling third-party studios to launch and monetize their games within its ecosystem.​

​​

Key stats​

  • Highest Monthly Active Users (MAU): Over 3 million users

  • Highest Blockchain Gaming Revenue: Approximately $136.3 million in annual revenue

  • Largest Developer Ecosystem: Approximately 16,000 player-run nodes support Gala's decentralized network

  • Robust Team Scale: 250–500 employees, making it one of the larger Web3-native game companies by headcount.

Gala Games

Largest blockchain gaming developer and distributor

Founders

Founders

  • Eric Schiermeyer — Co-Founder & CEO, he co-founded Zynga, where he spearheaded the development of iconic games like FarmVille and Zynga Poker, revolutionizing social gaming on Facebook.​​

  • Michael McCarthy — Co-Founder & Studio Director, was the former Creative Director at Zynga and the visionary behind FarmVille 2, which captivated millions of players worldwide.

​

Executive Team

  • Mark Skaggs — Chief Operating Officer (COO), is an award-winning game developer who created titles such as Command & Conquer: Generals, Red Alert 2, and FarmVille. Has over 400 million players engaging with his games.

  • Stephen Nichols — Chief Technology Officer (CTO), he is a seasoned technology leader with over two decades in the gaming industry, including pivotal roles at Microsoft and NCsoft.

​

​​

Partnerships

Animoca Brands

  • A leading Web3 investment firm with a valuation of $5.9 billion as of July 2022, Animoca Brands has invested in over 450 Web3 projects, including The Sandbox, Axie Infinity, and OpenSea. In July 2024, Animoca partnered with Gala Games to enhance the GALA token's liquidity and stability, and operates multiple Gala Founder's Nodes.

​

DWF Lab

  • A prominent digital asset market maker and Web3 investment firm, DWF Labs launched a $250 million Liquid Fund in March 2025, with investment sizes ranging from $10 million to $50 million per project. In November 2023, DWF Labs partnered with Gala Games to accelerate the expansion of GalaChain. 

​

Brave Browser

  • In November 2020, Gala Games collaborated with Brave, the privacy-focused web browser with over 50 million monthly active users, to integrate Gala's fantasy RPG game, Mirandus, into the Brave ecosystem. 

​​

​

Notable Investors 

  • Binance — World's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume. Binance invested in Gala Games during its seed funding round in July 2021, providing significant exposure and credibility within the crypto community. ​

  • Archer Capital — An Australian private equity firm with over $2.5 billion invested in 31 businesses, Archer Capital participated in Gala Games' early funding rounds.

  • Buks Capital — A U.S.-based venture capital firm specializing in Web3 projects, Buks Capital has a portfolio of 42 companies, including 6 unicorns. Their notable investments include Binance and Celsius, and they have supported Gala Games' growth in the blockchain gaming sector.

​​

​

image.png

Overview

Opulous is the world’s first platform to tokenize music royalties, allowing artists to raise funding by selling fractional shares of their future streaming income. This opens a new asset class where investors can access real music royalty cash flows, while artists gain fairer financing and stronger fan engagement.  Before launching Opulous, Lee Parsons founded Ditto Music, one of the world’s largest independent music distribution platforms, which supports over 2 million artists and generates tens of millions in annual revenue.​

​​

Key stats​

  • Deal with Ditto Music, a major independent music distributor, gives access to over 2 million artists globally

  • Teamed up with artists such as Lil Pump and KSHMR for royalty offerings

  • Opulous’s OVAULT lets people invest in whole music catalogs and earn steady returns, with payouts funded directly by the streaming royalties those songs generate

Opulous

World's first platform to tokenize music

Founders

Founders

  • Lee Parsons — Founder & CEO. He founded Ditto Music, one of the largest independent music distribution companies in the world, supporting over 2 million artists and generating tens of millions in annual revenue. Under his leadership, Ditto helped break major acts like Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith in their early careers, giving Parsons a proven track record of building successful businesses in the traditional music industry.

​

Executive Team​

  • Nick Gatfield — Advisor. Former CEO of Sony Music UK and President of EMI Music, he has overseen the careers of global artists including Coldplay, Gorillaz, and Radiohead. His leadership in two of the world’s biggest labels gives Opulous credibility at the highest level of the music business.

  • David Garcia — Advisor. CEO of Borderless Capital, a prominent venture capital firm, but also known for building successful fintech portfolios that bridge traditional finance and blockchain.

  • Taylor Bennett — Advisor. An independent recording artist and entrepreneur, he built a career outside the traditional label system (and is the brother of Grammy-winner Chance the Rapper), embodying the type of artist empowerment Opulous aims to deliver.

​

​​

Partnerships

Ditto Music

  • One of the world’s largest independent music distribution platforms, supporting over 2 million artists globally and generating tens of millions in annual revenue. As Opulous’s parent company, Ditto provides direct access to a massive artist base and industry expertise in global distribution and publishing.

​

​Republic

  • A leading U.S. investment platform with over 3 million users and $2.6 billion invested across startups, real estate, and digital assets. Opulous partnered with Republic to launch its first major royalty sales, including a Lil Pump campaign that raised $500,000 in just a few hours.

 

​Sheila E Catalog / Julia Ross Catalog

  • Opulous has acquired catalogs from legendary drummer Sheila E (worked with Michael Jackson, Prince, Celine Dion) and songwriter Julia Ross (credits with BTS, TWICE, and other K-pop stars). These catalogs back OVAULT products, offering investors exposure to diversified royalty income streams.

​

KSHMR & Lil Pump

  • Prominent artists partnered with Opulous to tokenize future royalties, giving fans and investors access to their music’s income for the first time.

​​

​

Notable Investors 

  • Borderless Capital — A global venture capital firm managing over $400 million in blockchain assets. Borderless invests across fintech and Web3 infrastructure, with a focus on real-world asset tokenization, and supports Opulous as a core portfolio company. ​

  • Youbi Capital — An Asia-based venture fund investing in blockchain and fintech startups, providing Opulous with capital and regional growth support.

  • Double Peak Group — A family office and blockchain investment firm focused on early-stage projects in DeFi and NFTs. Their portfolio includes industry leaders like Algorand and Polkadot, and they have backed Opulous as a pioneer in music tokenization.

  • Algorand Foundation — Through its ecosystem fund, the Algorand Foundation has supported Opulous, which originally launched on Algorand for its scalability and low-cost transactions, reinforcing credibility in institutional blockchain circles.

​​

​

©2024 by Digital Angel Investors

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
bottom of page