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ClearVue Partners-Backed Crypto Startup Fund Closed at $50M

Web3 & Enterprise·August 15, 2023, 12:36 AM

The CVP NoLimit Fund I, a crypto-centric fund established by China’s ClearVue Partners, a private equity specialist, has been closed out, reaching a funding level of $50 million.

Photo by micheile henderson on Unsplash

 

Funding target achieved

The closing of the fund was announced recently by No Limit Holdings, an investment partnership specializing in global crypto assets based in Malta. ClearVue had entered into a joint venture with No Limit Holdings in order to establish the fund. No Limit Holdings was founded by former Binance Chief Strategy Officer Gin Chao. Partnering with Chao in that venture is another former Binance executive, Anatoly Kondiyakov, who served as Binance’s Head of APAC Institutional Sales in Singapore for four years.

News of the fund first emerged in October 2022, when the fund promoters started to distribute a pitch deck. It’s understood that the fund was targeting investment into layer one blockchains prior to their native tokens going live.

Chao made the following statement relative to the closing of the fund:

“We are grateful for the confidence and trust that our partners have placed in us for this first fund, particularly given the breadth of industries our LP base represents and the challenging macroeconomic conditions during this period. At the same time, this has created an ideal window to deploy capital into the exciting opportunities that the current market presents.”

 

Web3 “where the Internet was in the late 90s”

ClearVue Partners Founder, Harry Hui, said that the firm was “excited to team up with Gin and the NLH team. They have deep sector expertise and an incredible track record of success.” Hui added that “Web3.0 is where the Internet was in the late 90s and as blockchain adoption increases, we believe there will be significant value creation for both for our investors as well as for our consumer and technology portfolio companies.”

The CVP NoLimit Fund I has already invested in more than twenty crypto projects located globally. Two of them have been listed on multiple digital asset exchanges. Meanwhile, the fund’s administrators have suggested that it has established a robust pipeline of investible projects, and that it has the expectation to invest in an additional twenty projects over the course of the next twelve months.

 

Seed-stage focus

The fund has been focusing on early-stage projects and strategic funding rounds, with individual investments of between $250,000 and $3 million. Some of the projects it has backed thus far include Binance.US, crypto and blockchain infrastructure firm Mysten Labs, Singapore-based dApp developer Hogwarts Labs, Connext Labs which claims to be the HTTP of Web3, and decentralized digital asset money market, IQ Labs.

Venture capital investment into the crypto and Web3 space broke all records during the last crypto bull market. Naturally, it has suffered a huge decline in its wake. However, the closing out of this $50 million fund demonstrates that ultimately new money will return to the sector.

This is further exemplified by a recent announcement by Kraken Ventures, the venture investment wing of the well-known crypto exchange business, setting out that it is raising a second $100 million fund, earmarked for investment within the sector.

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Policy & Regulation·

Apr 14, 2023

Growing Concerns about Single Crypto Exchange Listings in Korea

Growing Concerns about Single Crypto Exchange Listings in KoreaAccording to Yonhap Infomax, there is increasing concern about single crypto exchange listings in the Korean market, following the recent arrest of two former Coinone employees.©Pexels/RODNAE ProductionsCrypto listing briberyThe individuals were detained by the Seoul prosecution for allegedly accepting about 3 billion KRW (equivalent to over $2.2 million) in bribes to list a certain cryptocurrency on the exchange.Prosecutors are investigating if these suspects were also involved in the listing of the Puriever token, which is reportedly connected to the kidnapping and murder of a woman in her forties in Gangnam, Seoul.Single exchange-listed cryptosA recent report by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) revealed that 389 cryptocurrencies were listed on a single Korean exchange in the second half of last year, a decrease from the previous year’s 403. Despite the decrease, the trend of single exchange listings continued. Exchanges often exclusively list specific cryptocurrencies to gain a competitive edge, as investors typically prefer larger exchanges with greater liquidity.However, these cryptocurrencies may lack proper review and management and are often highly volatile. The FSC report showed that 34% of cryptocurrencies listed on a single exchange had a market cap of less than 100 million KRW (~$76,000). The Financial Intelligence Unit also warned investors about price fluctuations and liquidity shortages.High volatile cryptocurrencies are attractive to exchanges, as they can lead to increased transaction fee profits.Transparent listingTo address this issue, experts advocate for a transparent listing process.One lawyer in the crypto industry noted that there is a global trend of regulating cryptocurrencies as securities, and if relevant bills pass in Korea, their issuance and disclosure will be regulated. Clear guidelines on disclosures could resolve the issues of single crypto exchange listings, the legal advisor added.Another industry insider has called for investor caution, stressing the need to consider the potential delisting of these crypto assets.

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Web3 & Enterprise·

Jul 01, 2023

OKX Strengthens Partnership with Manchester City Football Club

OKX Strengthens Partnership with Manchester City Football ClubSeychelles-based crypto exchange OKX has announced the expansion of its sponsorship deal with Manchester City Football Club, the treble-winning English Premier League soccer champions.The announcement was made through a virtual reveal video featuring player avatars, presented at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium. News of the deal was also posted on the English club’s website on Friday.While the valuation of the deal remains undisclosed, the collaboration signifies a significant milestone for both parties. The new agreement, which spans multiple years, establishes OKX as the official sleeve partner on both the men’s and women’s first-team playing kits.Photo by Giero Saaski on UnsplashExtended partnershipUnder this extended partnership, the OKX logo will be prominently displayed on the sleeves of Manchester City’s playing kits, solidifying its position as a key sponsor. Additionally, OKX will retain its presence on the club’s training kit sleeve.City Football Group, the holding company that owns Manchester City and other soccer teams like New York City FC and Melbourne City FC, oversees the management and operations of the club.OKX initially became Manchester City’s official cryptocurrency exchange partner in March 2022. Subsequently, in July of the same year, the exchange secured a sponsorship deal to feature its logo on the front of the club’s training kit throughout the 2022/2023 season. At the time, the agreement was reported to be valued at over $12 million.OKX CollectiveIn February, OKX launched the “OKX Collective” alongside Manchester City players Jack Grealish, Rúben Dias, Ilkay Gündoğan, and Alex Greenwood. This immersive metaverse fan experience offered exclusive content and rewards, allowing fans to engage with the club in a unique way.OKX’s CMO Haider Rafique expressed satisfaction with the evolving partnership, stating: “Manchester City was our first official global brand partnership, and in just a year and a half, we have come a long way. We always intended to integrate with the sport and help the club lead on leaning into Web3. Fast forward fifteen months, we now have a metaverse, an NFT initiative, and a number of other new projects that we are excited about.”Additional sports sponsorshipsBesides Manchester City, OKX has also established partnerships with other prominent sports brands and athletes, including McLaren Formula 1, the Tribeca Festival, Olympian Scotty James, and F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo.While OKX’s partnership with Manchester City strengthens its global fan base, it’s worth noting that the sale of crypto derivatives, a product offered by OKX, was effectively banned by the UK’s financial regulator in January 2021. Consequently, OKX and other crypto exchanges have refrained from advertising such services in the country.As the Premier League clubs have collectively agreed to restrict gambling sponsorships on team shirts, there are concerns that similar restrictions may be imposed on crypto company sponsorships. However, any such developments are expected to be some years away, as the changes regarding gambling sponsorships are scheduled to take effect in the 2026/2027 soccer season.Marketing spend by crypto firms has sobered up quite a bit since the heady heights of the last bull run. However, OKX remains one entity which has been fairly consistent in continuing its marketing efforts regardless of market conditions.

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Policy & Regulation·

Feb 04, 2025

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